Irish Flag Information
The Republic of Ireland's official name is Eire. It takes up five-sixths of the island of Ireland, with the remaining one-sixth belonging to Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. Greatly altered over time, Ireland's tricolor flag is green, white and orange. This flag's adoption as the official flag in 1916, rather than merely a placeholder, was controversial into the 1950s as evidenced by these lyrics:
"The government in Ireland have taken over the so called Free State Flag in order to forestall its use by republican element and avoid legislative regulation, to leave them free to adopt a more suitable emblem later."
---from "Take it Down from the Mast" by Irish Republican Dominic Behan
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Design
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The Irish flag is similar to the French tricolore. The three equal vertical bands of color begin at the hoist side as green, white and orange. The colors have no official meaning, but common belief is that the chosen colors represent peace between religions. The aspect ratio of the Irish flag is 1:2, meaning the length is twice the height.
Green
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Most commonly, the green represents the Catholics and the older Gaelic tradition. This is a holdover from Irish independence. In 1776, the British occupational authorities barred wearing the color green. A green flag with a gold harp was the flag of Irish independence. The modern flag did not come into use until much later, but now represents complete independence.
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Orange
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The orange stripe is for the Protestants in Ulster and the supporters of William of Orange, who defeated the Irish Catholics at the battle of Boyne in the late 17th century. Proponents of Irish independence added it to the flag as part of an attempt to reconcile the Catholics and Protestants.
White
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The white represents the peace between Protestants and Catholics that Ireland strived for since before its independence. Placed in the middle, it acts as a buffer between the orange and green. Sometimes, an Irish flag is flown hoist-side green-white-yellow, instead of green-white-orange, denoting disagreement with the notion of peace between religions.
Etiquette
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Strict protocols are associated with the use of the Irish flag. The flag is flown at half-staff to denote grief or mourning. Flying the flag upside down is a sign of distress. The flag should be hoisted quickly, but lowered with ceremony and care. The flag should not be soiled or damaged. Nothing should be attached to the flag, nor should anything be written on the flag. A worn and tattered flag should be privately and respectfully burned.
Irish Flag Drink
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The Irish Flag cocktail consists of one part mint spirit, one part Irish cream and one part Grand Marnier. Poured in order, gently down a long spoon so that they do not mix, the drink creates layers resembling the green, white and orange of the Irish flag.
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References
- Photo Credit ireland flag icon. (with clipping path) image by Andrey Zyk from Fotolia.com
