Irish Legends Crest

Ulster Flag

The Ulster Flag (top left) represents the nine counties of the ancient province of Ulster, and is one of the four provincial flags of Ireland. The flag is based on the crest of the O'Neill Chieftains of Ulster.

The story of the Red Hand of Ulster reputedly dates to the arrival of Heremon, Heber and Ir - sons of King Milesius of Spain (Galicia), who were dispatch to conquer Ireland in 504 BC. One of them supposedly cut off his hand and tossed it ashore, that he might be the one to have first claim to the land. There is another story about the hand belonging to one of two giants engaged in battle, whose hand was cut off in the process and left a red imprint on the rocks. Ultimately, the story derives from Celtic mythology, viz. the Silver Hand of Lir.

Leinster Flag/ Naval Jack

The Leinster Flag (Top right) was a common flag used to represent Ireland during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It consists of a harp on a green background.

This flag represents one of the four provinces of Ireland, Leinster, whose capital is Dublin.

The flag was previously used by the United Irishmen in 1798, Daniel O'Connel's Repeal of the Union campaign in the 1830s and 1840s, and the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB). Contrary to popular belief, this flag was also used in the 1916 Rising, however the colour green was seen as exclusively Catholic, thus Sinn Fein favoured the Tricolour in 1918, as a flag embracing both Catholic and Protestant communities in Ireland.

Munster Flag

Three gold crowns on a blue field were the arms of Ireland before the adoption of the harp in the 16th century.

The symbolism of the crowns on the Munster flag is not certain, but one possibility is that they may represent the three most important medieval lordships in the province - viz. those of the O'Briens (Thomond), of the Butlers (Ormond) and of the Fitzgeralds (Desmond).

 

 

Connaught/Connacht Flag

The origin of the two elements displayed on the arms and flag of Connacht is obscure, but it is likely that the arm and sword derive from the arms of the O'Connors, the ruling family in the province before the Norman invasion, and that the black eagle derives from the arms of the Browns, one of the 'tribes' of Galway city. If this derivation is correct, the flag would be a symbol of the 17th-century unity of Gaels and Old English.