Beautiful Jersey or Man Bieau P'tit Jèrri is a Jersey patriotic song, sung in Jèrriais and English. It was composed by an Englishman, Lindsay Lennox, who died in 1906.[1][2] During the Occupation, islanders would sing the song to keep their spirits up.[3] Today it is performed at Liberation Day and as Jersey's national anthem at some sporting events.[4][1]
Every year, Beautiful Jersey is sung at the main Liberation Day service in Liberation Square. Sadie Le Sueur-Rennard, the late Connétable of St Saviour used to sing the song.[4]
It is considered by many as a suitable national anthem for Jersey,[5] and functioned as an unofficial anthem for Jersey prior to Island Home being declared the official Jersey anthem.[citation needed] Even still, it has been performed as the national anthem for Jersey in the 2015 Island Games for the opening and medal ceremonies.[1]
In a 2015 poll by the Jersey Evening Post, over a third of islanders questioned wanted Beautiful Jersey to be recognised as the national anthem for Jersey, compared to under 20% for Island Home, the official anthem.[1]
Jèrriais lyrics[6] | English lyrics[7] |
---|---|
Y’a un coin d’tèrre qué j’aime, qué j’n’oubliéthai janmais - |
There's a spot that I love that I ne'er can forget, |