Northern Ireland flag

Union Jack

Patrick's cross on a flag

Red Hand Flag of Ulster (Ulster Banner)

Historic flag of Ulster

The flag of Northern Ireland is the Union Jack , which is the flag used throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland . It is used by the Northern Irish authorities. So there is officially no separate flag for the British part of Northern Ireland , unlike in the case of Scotland and Wales. England has its own widely used flag, but it has no official recognition.

The Northern Irish government used its own Northern Irish flag, the Ulster Banner , from 1953 to 1973 . After the abolition of the Northern Irish Parliament and the Northern Irish Government, this flag lost its status. It continues to be popular with the "unionists" who emphasize Northern Ireland's connection with Great Britain.

A traditional flag that stands for Ireland is also the Saint Patrick's Saltire with the cross of Saint Patrick , the Irish national saint . It is included in the Union Jack. You can sometimes see them on Saint Patrick's Day or some royal events.

“Nationalist” Irish in Northern Ireland see themselves primarily as Irish, not British. They prefer the green, white and orange flag of the Republic of Ireland .

history

The Patrick's Cross , a red St. Andrew's Cross on a white background, has been in the Union Jack since 1801 and at that time embodied all of Ireland within the United Kingdom as a political area. Today it represents Northern Ireland. Patrick is venerated as a saint and patron saint of Ireland.

Its own flag, the "Red Hand Flag of Ulster", and a coat of arms were donated to the Northern Irish administration residing in Ulster in 1924 after the Irish Free State separated from the United Kingdom . This flag consists of a red St. George's cross on a white field (like the English flag ) with a six-pointed star in the middle. There is a red hand in the star and a crown above the star. This flag is based on the traditional flag of the Ulster Province . Their background, however, was not white, but yellow; the red hand was on a white sign in the middle. From 1953 until the abolition of Northern Irish self-government in 1972, the "Red Hand Flag of Ulster" was also used as the official national flag in Northern Ireland.

As the "Red Hand Flag of Ulster" is associated with the Unionists , it is unlikely that it will be reintroduced, although it is hoisted at games of the Northern Irish national football team and the Commonwealth Games . Examples are the 2016 European Football Championship and a £ 2 special coinage from the Royal Mint for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

Irish nationalists and Republicans, in turn, use the flag of Ireland . They do not see Northern Ireland as a separate political entity and therefore see no reason for a flag of its own.

See also

• Northern Ireland coat of arms

Individual evidence

1. ↑ The Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 No. 347 . Retrieved September 21, 2014.
2. ↑ Registered in: Genealogical Office, Dublin, Register of Arms 111C (Grants M), 1920–1929, folio 49
3. ^ The Union Flag and Flags of the United Kingdom. (PDF) The Parliament of the United Kingdom. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
4. ^ Northern Ireland . In: FIFA.com . Retrieved September 21, 2014.
5. ^ Northern Ireland at UEFA
6. ^ Website of the Commonwealth Games ( Memento of the original from July 23, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Retrieved September 21, 2014.