Flag of Ireland

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The National Flag of Ireland (in Irish, An Bhratach Náisiúnta) is the national flag of Ireland. The flag was first adopted as the national flag of the Irish Free State in 1922. When the Irish Free State was renamed Ireland (Irish: Éire) in the 1937 Bunreacht na hÉireann (Constitution of Ireland) it was given constitutional status.

The Irish tricolour, with its three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white and orange, was first used by Irish nationalists in 1848 during the Young Irelanders' rebellion. It was designed to represent the nationalist (green) and unionist (orange) populations on the island of Ireland living together in peace symbolised by white (the French tricolour has a similar symbolism). Contrary to myth, however, it was not the actual flag of the Easter Rising; that flag was in fact a green flag with the words 'Irish Republic', written in orange with white shadowing. (This flag is on display in the Kildare Street branch of the National Museum of Ireland.) The tricolour in the Rising was in fact the flag of E-Company and as such was flown over the General Post Office, Dublin (GPO), the headquarters of the Rising's leadership. Unlike the official flag, the E-Company's tricolour caught the public imagination and became the de facto flag of the Irish Republic (1919-22).

The National Flag is flown over:

• Áras an Uachtaráin (the residence of the President of Ireland);
• Leinster House (the seat of the Irish parliament), when parliament is in session;
• Irish courts and state buildings.

The European flag is flown alongside the national flag on all official buildings, and in most places where the Irish flag is flown over buildings.

The flag of Ireland is also draped across the coffins of

• presidents and ex-presidents of Ireland;
• soldiers and Garda personnel killed in the line of duty;
• other notables.

At the state funerals accorded to Irish patriots Sir Roger Casement (1965), Kevin Barry (2000) and others, the National Flag were draped across their coffins as a mark of respect and honour.

The Tricolour and Northern Ireland

Ironically, the main symbolism of the flag (unity and respect between nationalists and unionists) has not become a universal reality. In the Government of Ireland Act 1920, Ireland was partitioned, with the unionist-dominated north east becoming Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland through a mechanism provided in Sections 11 to 15 of the Anglo-Irish Treaty opted not to join the Irish Free State but instead to remain part of the United Kingdom. The Northern Ireland state used the British Union Flag and its own derivation of the 'Red Hand of Ulster' flag (with a crown on top of a six pointed star) to symbolise the state.

Its symbolism has allegedly been undermined by its use by some extremist Irish republicans, who used it to honour dead Provisional IRA members who had killed members of the unionist community, it being placed over the IRA member's coffin. Visitors to Northern Ireland are often struck by the symbols used by both sides provocatively to 'mark their territory' and challenge their opponents. Kerb-stones in unionist and loyalist areas are painted red, white and blue, the colours of the Union Flag, while in nationalist and republican areas kerb-stones are painted green, white and orange (but is usually referred to as "green, white and gold" -- to circumvent using the word "orange", which refers to the unionists). Elements of both communities fly their flag from chimneys and tall buildings.

Nationalists from the Republic of Ireland have often complained at such usage of the National Flag. In particular, its usage by Sinn Féin, a republican party, at election counts in the 2002 Irish general election to triumphantly celebrate its electoral victories caused considerable comment and criticism in the Irish print and broadcast media, the party and its members being accused of showing 'gross disrespect' to the National Flag.

Under the Belfast Agreement, provision has been made for 'parity of esteem' in how symbols are used in Northern Ireland. The British flag is no longer flown over Parliament Buildings and state offices except on a limited number of 'named days' (honouring, for example Queen Elizabeth II's official birthday), and the Lord Mayor of Belfast displays both flags in his own offices. In time, it is expected that both communities will grow more tolerant of each other's symbols and flags, allowing the tricolour to be flown more freely in Northern Ireland than at present.

Saint Patrick's flag

"Saint Patrick's cross"

From 1783 to 1922, the usual flag used to symbolise Ireland was known as Saint Patrick's cross, being a red saltire on a white field. It was the symbol of the Order of St Patrick, and was incorporated into the Union Jack following the 1801 union of Great Britain and Ireland.

The pattern clearly resembles Saint Andrew's cross in the flag of Scotland. It may have been adopted from the arms of Earls of Kildare (the Fitzgerald family). An Irish coin from the 1480s has two saltires on it; a map of the 1601 battle of Kinsale shows a combined Irish/Spanish force under a red saltire; the seal of Trinity College, Dublin, from the same period, shows the saltire under a harp, opposite Saint George's cross under a lion; two Dutch 17th century guides also described it as the Irish flag.

Its use is not now common, but it is the basis of the neutral police badge adopted by for the new Police Service of Northern Ireland. It is also used by the Reform Movement in the Republic of Ireland.

de:Flagge Irlands et:Iirimaa lipp es:Bandera de Irlanda fr:Drapeau de l'Irlande it:Bandiera Irlandese he:דגל אירלנד ja:アイルランドの国旗 pl:Flaga Irlandii pt:Bandeira da República da Irlanda sv:Irlands flagga