Flag of Ireland: symbols of the northern and southern parts of the island

Ireland is a country whose struggle for the right to national independence has been going on for a long time. Tense discussion does not stop and to this day. Therefore, the flag of Ireland and its other symbols can be quite controversial. And for Irish, this topic is of great importance, it is not important, about the northern or southern part of the island in question.

Official symbols

Since Northern Ireland is part of the British Kingdom, its flag is British. The blue cloth with a red straight cross and a white-red oblique symbolizes immediately Britain, Scotland and Northern Ireland, combining in one image different standards. The British part is associated with St. George, it is symbolized by a white background and a straight red cross. Scotland is represented by the St. Andrew's flag - a blue cloth with a white oblique cross. The patron saint of Ireland is Saint Patrick. Its flag is white with a red oblique cross. Such a standard as part of a single British is considered an official symbol. But there is also an unofficial one, which belongs only to the Irish, and has nothing to do with the UK.

The historical flag of Northern Ireland

An unofficial symbol at the moment is the so-called Ulster banner. This is the historic flag of Ireland in this part of the island. The banner arose from the unification of the heraldic symbols of the main monarchic dynasties. It combines a red St. George cross on a yellow background, a white shield in the middle of the cloth and A red hand on it. In 1924, Northern Ireland was allowed to officially use the banner of Ulster. True, some changes were made. On the flag of Ireland was added a six-pointed star, symbolizing the number of counties. When in 1973 the local parliament was dissolved, the official symbol was lost. Since then, the Irish can only use the standard of the United Kingdom. The historical flag of Northern Ireland, photographs of which sometimes appear in the press, are used by separatists and Protestant communities. Requirements for the return of the right to its official use do not cease.

Symbolism of the unofficial cloth

The flag of Ulster County has an extensive history. It is equally used by both Catholics and Protestants. True, under the red hand depicted on it, they understand completely different. Thus, for Unionists the image is a symbol of six counties of Northern Ireland. Nationalists argue that the image refers to all nine counties, including southern ones. At the same time, initially the red hand decorating the flag of Ireland appeared as a sign of the local aristocracy. An ancient legend is associated with it. When the kings arranged a contest for dominance over Ulster, O'Neill began to lag behind the opponent and cut off his hand to throw it ahead and win in the race. Along with the ancient flag, such national symbols as the Easter lily and flax flowers are also used. The first is connected with the uprising in 1916, therefore it is widely used, first of all, by separatist groupings. The second is more neutral in meaning. Blue flax flowers symbolize the light industry, in which practically the entire population worked. Labor unite and unite the Irish.

Flag of the independent state of Ireland

If the northern part of the island still achieves independence, the country will unite under the tricolor now used in the southern part. The official state flag of Ireland includes three vertical bands: green, white and orange. The first means Catholics, and the last - Protestants, the white color between them symbolizes the consent of different denominations. There is another interpretation. So, the green is associated with the indigenous inhabitants, and the orange one is associated with the British colonists of the times of William of Orange. White, and in this version, means association. The most romantic inhabitants describe the flag of Ireland as follows: green indicates a free Irish soul, an orange reminds of love of life, and the white indicates an aspiration to God.