Cross-border flag for Ireland
Encyclopedia
There is no cross-border flag
universally accepted as representing both jurisdictions on Ireland
. This can be a problem in contexts where a body organised on an all-island basis needs to be represented by a flag in an international context. The island is politically divided into the Republic of Ireland
(a sovereign state) and Northern Ireland
(a constituent country
of the United Kingdom
), but all-island organisations are common. Examples include the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland
and the Church of Ireland
, the Gaelic Athletic Association
, and the Irish Rugby Football Union
.
was incorporated into the Union Flag
in 1801 by way of the Act of Union 1800
to represent Ireland within the new United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
. Although it never had official status outside of its role in the Union Flag, it has since become recognised as a symbol of Ireland. Today, those who regard the tricolour
as specific to the Republic of Ireland, or excluding unionists, may advocate it as a neutral symbol of the whole island.
The Church of Ireland
order that, apart from its own flag
, only this saltire may be flown on its church grounds—as opposed to the tricolour, the Union Flag or the former flag of Northern Ireland
. This was based on examples from other Anglican churches in England, Scotland, and Wales, which fly the flags of their respective patron saints instead of the Union Flag.
The saltire is also flown by St. Patrick's College, Maynooth on graduation days and so it can be argued that the St. Patrick's Cross flag is used by the main Protestant church in the island and the Roman Catholic Church.
Modified versions have been used formerly by the Irish Rugby Football Union
, and currently by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
and the Commissioners of Irish Lights
.
The tricolour of green, white and orange, the official flag of the state of Ireland, is considered by many, including Irish nationalists
, to represent the entire island as well. Gerry Adams
said in Dáil Éireann
in 2011:
However, this symbolism is rejected by Ulster unionists, as illustrated by an exchange in the House of Commons of Northern Ireland
in 1951:
The Gaelic Athletic Association
(GAA) flies this flag at matches regardless of whether either or both teams are from Northern Ireland. It is also used for the Ireland international rules football team
, selected by the GAA on an all-island basis.
The Golfing Union of Ireland
covers the whole island and competes under the tricolour in international events such as the World Cup and the Eisenhower Trophy
.
The four provinces flag is divided into four quadrants, each of which is the flag of one of the four provinces of Ireland
. The four quadrants represent the provinces of Ulster
(the top left quadrant), Munster
(the top right quadrant), Connacht
(the bottom left quadrant) and Leinster
(the bottom right quadrant).
This flag is used by the Irish Curling
Association.
, an all-island organisation.
The harp
(or cláirseach
) has long been a symbol of Ireland. It first featured on Irish coins in the reign of Henry VIII
around 1534. During the seventeenth and eighteenth century, the harp became adorned with progressively more decoration, ultimately becoming a "winged maiden". In the nineteenth century, the Maid of Erin, a personification
of Ireland, was a woman holding a more realistic harp than the "winged maiden". This style of harp was then also used in Irish flags. The harp on the modern coat of arms of the Republic of Ireland is modelled on the "Brian Boru
" harp in the library of Trinity College, Dublin
, as it appeared after an 1840s restoration.
The lower left quadrant of the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom has featured a harp on a blue field, representing Ireland since 1603. The current version, designed in 1953, uses a winged-maiden harp and consists of a golden cláirseach
with silver strings on a blue background. The shade of blue in the field was known as Saint Patrick's Blue when used in 1783 for the regalia of the Order of Saint Patrick.
The change from blue to green is associated with the United Irishmen; green was a colour of rebellion
in the eighteenth century. This was a common flag used to represent Ireland during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It consisted of a gold cláirseach on a green background. It was associated with moderate nationalism at a time when the tricolour was confined to more radical movements. It is the same as the modern Flag of Leinster
.
The Ireland cricket team, which competes in One Day International tournaments, uses a flag depicting shamrock
s.
The Ireland national field hockey team
uses a bespoke flag with a shield quartered with the symbols of the four provinces.
The Ireland rugby team
's flag is a green flag containing the shields of the four provinces and the Irish Rugby Football Union
's logo. At matches outside Ireland, this is the only flag displayed. At matches in Northern Ireland (typically at Ravenhill
) the Flag of Ulster
is also displayed. This is the flag of the nine-county province, similar to but distinct from the Ulster Banner
, an unofficial flag of Northern Ireland
. At matches in the Republic of Ireland (typically at Lansdowne Road
), the Irish tricolour is flown along with the preceding two.
Eddie Irvine
, a Formula One
driver from Conlig
in Northern Ireland, asked for a white flag with a shamrock to be used if he secured a podium finish. There had been controversy when an Irish tricolour had been used for him in 1997
. The FIA
insisted the Union Flag be used in conformance with its regulations.
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
universally accepted as representing both jurisdictions on Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. This can be a problem in contexts where a body organised on an all-island basis needs to be represented by a flag in an international context. The island is politically divided into the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
(a sovereign state) and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
(a constituent country
Constituent country
Constituent country is a phrase sometimes used in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity. The term constituent country does not have any defined legal meaning, and is used simply to refer to a country which is a part Constituent country is a phrase sometimes used in contexts...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
), but all-island organisations are common. Examples include the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland
Roman Catholicism in Ireland
The Catholic Church in Ireland is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, the Christian Church with full communion with the Pope, currently Benedict XVI...
and the Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
, the Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
, and the Irish Rugby Football Union
Irish Rugby Football Union
The Irish Rugby Football Union is the body managing rugby union in Ireland. The IRFU has its head office at 10/12 Lansdowne Road and home ground at Aviva Stadium, where Irish rugby union international matches are played...
.
Saint Patrick's saltire
The Saint Patrick's saltireSaltire
A saltire, or Saint Andrew's Cross, is a heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross or letter ex . Saint Andrew is said to have been martyred on such a cross....
was incorporated into the Union Flag
Union Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
in 1801 by way of the Act of Union 1800
Act of Union 1800
The Acts of Union 1800 describe two complementary Acts, namely:* the Union with Ireland Act 1800 , an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain, and...
to represent Ireland within the new United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
. Although it never had official status outside of its role in the Union Flag, it has since become recognised as a symbol of Ireland. Today, those who regard the tricolour
Tricolour
A tricolour is a flag or banner more-or-less equally divided into three bands of differing colours...
as specific to the Republic of Ireland, or excluding unionists, may advocate it as a neutral symbol of the whole island.
The Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
order that, apart from its own flag
Compasrose Flag of the Anglican Communion
The Compasrose Flag of the Anglican Communion was designed in 1954 by Canon Edward N. West of the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York for the Second International Anglican Congress in Minneapolis, Minnesota...
, only this saltire may be flown on its church grounds—as opposed to the tricolour, the Union Flag or the former flag of Northern Ireland
Ulster Banner
The Ulster Banner, more commonly known as the Ulster flag, Northern Ireland flag or the Red Hand of Ulster flag, was the flag of the Government of Northern Ireland between 1953 and 1972. Since that government was abolished in 1972, the flag has become a symbol of Ulster loyalism and is not...
. This was based on examples from other Anglican churches in England, Scotland, and Wales, which fly the flags of their respective patron saints instead of the Union Flag.
The saltire is also flown by St. Patrick's College, Maynooth on graduation days and so it can be argued that the St. Patrick's Cross flag is used by the main Protestant church in the island and the Roman Catholic Church.
Modified versions have been used formerly by the Irish Rugby Football Union
Irish Rugby Football Union
The Irish Rugby Football Union is the body managing rugby union in Ireland. The IRFU has its head office at 10/12 Lansdowne Road and home ground at Aviva Stadium, where Irish rugby union international matches are played...
, and currently by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland , is a Dublin-based medical institution, situated on St. Stephen's Green. The college is one of the five Recognised Colleges of the National University of Ireland...
and the Commissioners of Irish Lights
Commissioners of Irish Lights
The Commissioners of Irish Lights is the body that serves as the lighthouse authority for Ireland plus its adjacent seas and islands...
.
Irish tricolour
The tricolour of green, white and orange, the official flag of the state of Ireland, is considered by many, including Irish nationalists
Irish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
, to represent the entire island as well. Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
said in Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
in 2011:
- Above this Chamber flies the flag of this nation — all Thirty-Two Counties — the flag of green, white and orange.
However, this symbolism is rejected by Ulster unionists, as illustrated by an exchange in the House of Commons of Northern Ireland
House of Commons of Northern Ireland
The House of Commons of Northern Ireland was the lower house of the Parliament of Northern Ireland created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920. The upper house in the bicameral parliament was called the Senate. It was abolished with the passing of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act...
in 1951:
- James McSparranJames McSparranJames McSparran QC , was an Irish nationalist politician.McSparran was born in Glasgow to an Irish family He studied at St Mungo's Academy, Glasgow, then St Malachy's College in Belfast, Queen's University of Belfast, and the National University of Ireland.McSparran was appointed to the Irish Bar...
: The tricolour is admitted by all nations within the comity of nations to be the national flag of Ireland. - Honorable members: No.
- McSparran: We are having interruptions already. It is the national flag of the Irish Republic.
- William MayWilliam May (politician)William Morrison May was a unionist politician in Northern Ireland.May was born at Marlborough Park, Belfast, the son of William May JP, and educated at Methodist College, Belfast...
: That is better.
The Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
(GAA) flies this flag at matches regardless of whether either or both teams are from Northern Ireland. It is also used for the Ireland international rules football team
Ireland international rules football team
The Ireland International rules football team is the representative team for Ireland in international rules football, a compromise between Gaelic football and Australian rules football...
, selected by the GAA on an all-island basis.
The Golfing Union of Ireland
Golfing Union of Ireland
The Golfing Union of Ireland is the governing body for men's and boy's amateur golf in Ireland. It represents over 430 golf clubs with over 180,000 members and is affiliated to The R&A, which is the global governing body of golf outside the United States and Mexico.The GUI was established in 1891...
covers the whole island and competes under the tricolour in international events such as the World Cup and the Eisenhower Trophy
Eisenhower Trophy
The Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for men organized by the International Golf Federation. It is named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President of the United States when the tournament was first played, who was a keen amateur golfer. Recent tournaments have...
.
Four Provinces flag
Provinces of Ireland
Ireland has historically been divided into four provinces: Leinster, Ulster, Munster and Connacht. The Irish word for this territorial division, cúige, literally meaning "fifth part", indicates that there were once five; the fifth province, Meath, was incorporated into Leinster, with parts going to...
. The four quadrants represent the provinces of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
(the top left quadrant), Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
(the top right quadrant), Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
(the bottom left quadrant) and Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
(the bottom right quadrant).
This flag is used by the Irish Curling
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
Association.
Erne flag
This flag was initially used on the Shannon–Erne Waterway, which is bisected by the border. Rather than flying a national flag, boats fly this green, white and blue flag. It is endorsed by the Inland Waterways Association of IrelandInland Waterways Association of Ireland
The Inland Waterways Association of Ireland Cumann Uiscebhealaigh Intíre na hÉireann is a registered charity and a limited company in the Republic of Ireland and also operates in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1954 to campaign for the conservation and development of the waterways and their...
, an all-island organisation.
Harp flags
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
(or cláirseach
Clàrsach
Clàrsach or Cláirseach , is the generic Gaelic word for 'a harp', as derived from Middle Irish...
) has long been a symbol of Ireland. It first featured on Irish coins in the reign of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
around 1534. During the seventeenth and eighteenth century, the harp became adorned with progressively more decoration, ultimately becoming a "winged maiden". In the nineteenth century, the Maid of Erin, a personification
National personification
A national personification is an anthropomorphization of a nation or its people; it can appear in both editorial cartoons and propaganda.Some early personifications in the Western world tended to be national manifestations of the majestic wisdom and war goddess Minerva/Athena, and often took the...
of Ireland, was a woman holding a more realistic harp than the "winged maiden". This style of harp was then also used in Irish flags. The harp on the modern coat of arms of the Republic of Ireland is modelled on the "Brian Boru
Brian Boru
Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig, , , was an Irish king who ended the domination of the High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill. Building on the achievements of his father, Cennétig mac Lorcain, and especially his elder brother, Mathgamain, Brian first made himself King of Munster, then subjugated...
" harp in the library of Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, as it appeared after an 1840s restoration.
Blue harp flag
Clàrsach
Clàrsach or Cláirseach , is the generic Gaelic word for 'a harp', as derived from Middle Irish...
with silver strings on a blue background. The shade of blue in the field was known as Saint Patrick's Blue when used in 1783 for the regalia of the Order of Saint Patrick.
Green harp flag
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
in the eighteenth century. This was a common flag used to represent Ireland during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It consisted of a gold cláirseach on a green background. It was associated with moderate nationalism at a time when the tricolour was confined to more radical movements. It is the same as the modern Flag of Leinster
Flag of Leinster
The flag of Leinster consists of an Irish harp in gold on a green background: vert a harp or stringed argent. The arms of Leinster are represented on the flag of the provinces of Ireland, as well as in a stylised version in the logo of the Leinster Rugby team...
.
Sporting flags
Several all-island sporting organisations send representative teams to compete internationally. In some cases, a flag unique to that organisation is used in lieu of a national flag. Typically such flags include one of the traditional symbols of Ireland.The Ireland cricket team, which competes in One Day International tournaments, uses a flag depicting shamrock
Shamrock
The shamrock is a three-leafed old white clover. It is known as a symbol of Ireland. The name shamrock is derived from Irish , which is the diminutive version of the Irish word for clover ....
s.
Ireland national field hockey team
Ireland national field hockey team represents Ireland at men's international field hockey. It is organised by the Irish Hockey Association. Usually the team represents the entire island of Ireland and plays under a special flag. The exception is Olympic hockey, where the team represents only the...
uses a bespoke flag with a shield quartered with the symbols of the four provinces.
The Ireland rugby team
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
's flag is a green flag containing the shields of the four provinces and the Irish Rugby Football Union
Irish Rugby Football Union
The Irish Rugby Football Union is the body managing rugby union in Ireland. The IRFU has its head office at 10/12 Lansdowne Road and home ground at Aviva Stadium, where Irish rugby union international matches are played...
's logo. At matches outside Ireland, this is the only flag displayed. At matches in Northern Ireland (typically at Ravenhill
Ravenhill Stadium
Ravenhill Stadium is located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is used by Ulster Rugby. It has a normal capacity of 12,300 and is owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union.-History:The grounds were opened in the 1923/24 season...
) the Flag of Ulster
Flag of Ulster
The Flag of Ulster is a historic banner used to represent Ulster, one of the four provinces of Ireland. It is still used today to represent the province at some sporting events and formed the basis of the Ulster Banner, the flag of the Government of Northern Ireland between 1953 and 1972...
is also displayed. This is the flag of the nine-county province, similar to but distinct from the Ulster Banner
Ulster Banner
The Ulster Banner, more commonly known as the Ulster flag, Northern Ireland flag or the Red Hand of Ulster flag, was the flag of the Government of Northern Ireland between 1953 and 1972. Since that government was abolished in 1972, the flag has become a symbol of Ulster loyalism and is not...
, an unofficial flag of Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. At matches in the Republic of Ireland (typically at Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union that has been the location of a number of sports stadiums. It was used primarily for rugby union and for association football matches as well as some music concerts...
), the Irish tricolour is flown along with the preceding two.
Eddie Irvine
Eddie Irvine
Edmund "Eddie" Irvine, Jr. is a former racing driver from Northern Ireland. He grew up in Conlig, County Down, and was influenced by his parents, who were also involved in motor racing...
, a Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
driver from Conlig
Conlig
Conlig is a village and townland about halfway between Bangor and Newtownards in County Down, Northern Ireland.-Mining:The area includes extant ancient copper mines. Weapons forged with the copper from this mine have been found across Europe, and was traded for tin from Cornwall during the Bronze...
in Northern Ireland, asked for a white flag with a shamrock to be used if he secured a podium finish. There had been controversy when an Irish tricolour had been used for him in 1997
1997 Argentine Grand Prix
The 1997 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez in Buenos Aires, Argentina on April 13, 1997. It was the third race of the 1997 Formula One season.-Pre-Race:...
. The FIA
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
insisted the Union Flag be used in conformance with its regulations.
See also
- Flag of IrelandFlag of IrelandThe national flag of Ireland is a vertical tricolour of green , white, and orange. It is also known as the Irish tricolour. The flag proportion is 1:2...
- Northern Ireland flags issueNorthern Ireland flags issueThe Northern Ireland flags issue is one that divides the population along sectarian lines. Depending on political allegiance, people identify with differing flags and symbols, some of which have, or have had, official status in Northern Ireland....
- "Ireland's CallIreland's CallIreland's Call is a song commissioned by the Irish Rugby Football Union for use at international Rugby Union fixtures.It has since also been adopted by the Irish Hockey, Cricket, Rugby League and A1GP teams.- Overview :...
", used as a national anthemNational anthemA national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
for the rugby union team