The Washington herald., 1914-05-31
irish MAY omit
HARP ON BANNER
Sim Feiners Are Resolved to
Make New Flag
Blue.
SUNBURST IS SYMBOL
Will Typify Ireland Rising to Take
Her Place Among Nations =
Of Earth.
SUNBURST IS SYMBOL

| What nag shall Ireland ny? This ID
a question that is again being discussed
by Irish-Americans here
Probably no country has had more na-
tional nags than Ireland. 50 that Of old
time flags the range of choice is by
no means restricted. The most ancient.
without doubt, is the Spear and Ser
pent." said to commemorate the curing
by Moses of an ancestor Of Milesius who
had been bitten by snake. Then there
| Is the golden sunburst upon a blue
grc(d. emblem of Fionn MacCumhalrs S
Fenians (militia). Blue was always Ire
lands national color until 179s. when the
United Irishmen, to signify the blending
or north and south. evolved q national
color Of the hue formed by the amaIga-
nation Of blue and orange-namely,
green.
Red Cross on7 Gold.
Another nag is that which cromwelrs
soldiers are reputed to have seen when
fighting the Kernes, a red cross upon a
golden ground. Opinions as to whether
such was ever a national emblem or not
are divided. many people believing It to
have been the arms OF an insurgent COM
mander.
3hC SOiucn CTOWuS upon u plu0
ground Is another emblem which has not
been overlooked. The design appears to-
day in the arms of Munster, and the
three crowns are said to typify the triple
Kingdoms Of Desmond, Thomond and Or
mond. Anyway, this flag was the emblem
OF ireland from 1170 until 15E, when
Henry VIII Of England substituted the
harp for the three crowns, the reason
being that Henry was anxious that the
three crowns should not be confused with
the triple tiara OF the Pope, with whom,
at that tuncture. Henry was not upon the
best Of terms
Thus 1t comes about that the harp,
which is deemed so typicalIy Irish, was
imposed upon Ireland by an English
king; but had not the United Irishmen.
although they decrowned the harp in
I1sS. adopted 1t as their emblem and
Grattan's Parliament recognized the
harp, although they did not the Rreen
ground, it is hardly likely that the ay-
erage 1rishman today would regard II As
other than an upstart burgee.
"Lamh Dears Eirinn.o
still another national device to be con-
sidered Is the Lamb Dears Eirinn," the
Red Hand Of Ireland, which, upon a
white ground. was borne by Shane and
Hugh o'Neilps armies that defeated
Queen Elizabeth's generals
The early hours of the nineteenth cam
fury saw ireland inflicted with the ST
Patricks cross, red satire upon a white
ground. What st. Patrick had to do
with 1t nobody can say. but some en-
olem or the other had got to be incor-
porated in the British flag upon the
passing Of the act Of union, and so the
heralds did the rest Wherever they got
the red satire from Is not known, brst |
there Is reason to believe that it was
borrowed from the arms of Trinity COL |
leSe, Dublin. which had in turn borrowed
L from the Fitzgerald family.
In all probability ireland will adopt In.
sunburst upon a blue ground, the CHIEF |
reasons being its antiquity, its distinctly |
irish origin and its symbolism OF Ire.
and rising to take her proper p,ace
among the nations.
Sbut come what may. the ground of the
new flag is going to be blue The Sim
Feiners are resolved upon that, ana tha,
he fiag's material shall not be aiIk or
:otton. but good Irish linen.