Tricolour Flag of Ireland
The Irish tricolour flag is the national flag of the Republic of Ireland and was introduced as the national flag in 1922 but was given full constitutional status in 1937 as part of the constitution of Ireland.
Thomas Francis Meagher, whose father was born in Newfoundland Canada, first flew the Irish tricolour from the Wolfe Tone Club on March 7th 1848, it was a design based on the French tricolour and also the one of Newfoundland.
There is belief by much the green section of the Irish tricolour represents Roman Catholics of Ireland and the Orange represents the Protestant community, who had been supporters of William of Orange. The white in the middle is to represent both Catholic and Protestant communities living together on the island of Ireland undivided.
In the Republic of Ireland, the Irish tricolour flag is flown from official buildings such as courts, state buildings, the residence of the Irish president and by the Irish defense forces. It was also flown from the Dublin GPO at the 1916 Easter Rising.
The Tricolour in Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, the Irish tricolour does not have official status, per law, as it does in the Republic so it is not flown from any government buildings in the North. However, many nationalists and Irish republicans reconise the Irish tricolour before the would the British Union Jack.
The tricolour flag can be found all over Northern Ireland. Flown within communities in Belfast, Derry and Armagh just to name a few places. In more recent times disagreement has risen on the use of the Irish tricolour for political or sectarian means and also the methods used to display the flag in areas. Many felt it was an insult to fly the flag from telephone posts or to paint the kerbs green, white and orange so many communities across Northern Ireland cleaned up their areas by removing flags and cleaning kerbs etc.
There are, however, still many places that fly the Irish tricolour and usually the areas have had a troubled history such as the Bogside in Derry city. Many areas in Derry city does not reconise the British State of Northern Ireland and claim Irish citizenship. People in the North are now calling for the Irish tricolour to be given official status within the province so that it can be flown from government buildings.
Selection of Irish flags that are available to buy online. Fly the Irish flag from your garden flag pole and show your Irish pride!
