- Beautiful Jersey chosen as official Games anthem for Jersey
- Listen to the new version below
- Countdown to the Games: 100 days to go
BEAUTIFUL Jersey has been chosen as the official anthem for the Jersey team at this summer’s NatWest Island Games.
Today marks 100 days to go until the opening ceremony of the Games and questions had been raised about what song would be played should Jersey athletes step onto the podium this summer.
As well as being the official anthem of Team Jersey, Beautiful Jersey will also be performed at the opening ceremony by a 60-strong choir of schoolchildren aged between eight and 11.
Beautiful Jersey was the unanimous choice of the Games organising committee and the Jersey team officials.
Island Home, another anthem which has previously been used at the Games, but has been widely criticised, will not be used.
Steve Bailey, Jersey 2015 Games director, said: ‘We have been discussing the anthem for a long time and the one we all felt very comfortable with was Beautiful Jersey.
‘We felt it told the story of Jersey.
‘When we heard the shorter rearranged version, which will be played during medal ceremonies, we all agreed.’
Meanwhile, two children from every primary school have been selected to put on a performance of Beautiful Jersey at the opening ceremony under the stewardship of Dr Graham Cox, head of the Jersey Music Service.
There’s a spot that I love that I ne’er can forget,
Tho’ far I may roam ’twill be dear.
For its beauty will linger in memory yet,
Where’er o’er the world I may steer.
Dear Jersey, fair Isle, of the ocean the queen,
Thy charms are so many and rare;
For love finds a home ‘mid each beauteous scene,
My heart ever longs to be there.
Beautiful Jersey, gem of the sea,
Ever my heart turns in longing to thee;
Bright are the mem’ries you waken for me,
Beautiful Jersey, gem of the sea.
On thy shores I have wandered in glad days of yore,
With one who is dear to my heart.
And the love-links will bind us as one evermore,
Although for a while we must part.
And oft in my dreams do I see the dear place
The dear little Isle of the sea,
And in fancy I gaze on a sweet loving face,
The face that is dearest to me.
Beautiful Jersey, gem of the sea,
Ever my heart turns in longing to thee;
Bright are the mem’ries you waken for me,
Beautiful Jersey, gem of the sea.
The choir will be accompanied by the Jersey Youth Orchestra and will perform two verses, one in Jèrriais and one in English.
Dr Cox said: ‘The organisers wanted young people involved in the opening ceremony and this is a great way of doing that.
‘We are working on a two-stage arrangement for the opening ceremony – one part in Jèrriais that is quite ethereal and another in English that will be a bit more full-blooded.
‘The committee seem very keen to make it both a cultural and sporting event for everyone to get behind.’
The choir have already had two short rehearsals and after Easter will be meeting on a weekly basis to prepare for the opening ceremony.
Dr Cox added: ‘We wanted to give the children a special Games moment, and we wanted a song that has a special connection to Jersey.
‘It is great for the kids and something they will take with them for the rest of their lives.
‘From a personal point of view, I’m very excited to be involved as it will be a fantastic event.
As well as performing at the opening ceremony, the choir – as well as school bands and orchestras – will be provide entertainment throughout the Games including at the Games village in Howard Davis Park.
Beautiful Jersey is regularly performed at events of Island importance and is sung during the Liberation Day celebrations.
Mr Bailey added: ‘I am hoping it will get good play during the Games. Hopefully it will be played a lot when one of our athletes is receiving a gold medal.’
The opening ceremony will take place in Howard Davis Park on Saturday 27 June.
JERSEY athletes who win gold at this year’s NatWest Island Games, and we hope there will be many, will proudly stand on the podium to our unofficial anthem, Beautiful Jersey.
While the official anthem, Island Home, and Ma Normandie have their place, many will see today’s announcement that Beautiful Jersey will be used each time we strike gold in June as a victory for the people. The Games’ organisers should therefore be commended for listening to the public.
And the same must also be said of the Bailiff and those in his office who this morning revealed that they are to go back and revisit the plans for this year’s 70th anniversary of the Liberation.
Public pressure has been growing for days from Islanders who are unhappy that the main celebrations are being moved from Liberation Square to the People’s Park. Some Occupation survivors have threatened to boycott the celebrations.
As this newspaper has said, it is important that disagreements do not overshadow the event itself. It is clear that the Bailiff understands this and is trying to find a compromise. The most important ingredient at the heart of the 70th anniversary celebrations is a united community.
The final countdown
THE countdown clocks at the Airport and Weighbridge will drop down to double figures this evening as we reach exactly 100 days to go until the start of the NatWest Island Games in Jersey.
Sunday 28 June
Men’s football: Jersey v Alderney – Springfield, 1 pm
Women’s football: Jersey v Greenland – Springfield, 5 pm
Monday 29 June
Athletics: Women’s 100 metre final – FB, 6.50 pm
Thursday 2 July
Athletics: Men’s 100m final – FB, 7.30 pm
Cycling: Town Criteriums – 1 pm (women) and 6.30 pm (men)
Friday 3 July
Athletics: 4x100m and 4x400m finals
Football finals: 10.30 am (women) and 2 pm (men)
With excitement steadily growing over the last nine months, since the ‘one-year’ milestone passed in June, Islanders have been preparing for what is set to be the biggest and best of the biennial Games to date, and the latest landmark was celebrated at the Pomme d’Or Hotel this morning.
Jersey 2015 officials held a breakfast presentation in St Helier to outline the plans for the next 100 days, and details of the sporting schedules for the week-long event, for some 24 competing islands in 15 sports, were also unveiled.
Spectators will no doubt begin to plan their week of the 16th Games – the second time Jersey have hosted the event – well in advance of the opening ceremony on 27 June, and there is likely to be a bustling atmosphere at venues across the Island.
Also taking centre stage in St Helier will be the beach volleyballers, who are in action at the Weighbridge each day from the Sunday to Friday, while their indoor colleagues will be busy everyday at Fort Regent, in what is expected to be a ten-team competition.
