Gilpin observer., 1914-08-06
IRELAND'S MANY FLAGS
COUNTRY HAS HAD NUMEROUS
EMBLEMs OF SOVEREIGNTY.
Harp, Deemed by Most People az Typ
ieaIIy Irish, Was Really Imposed
Upon the Country by an
English King.

What flag shall Ireland fly? This
is question that is again being dis
cussed, writes London correspond
ent of the New York Sun.
Probably no country has had more
national flags than Ireland, SO that of
old-time flags range of choice is by no
means restricted. The most ancient,
without doubt, is the Spear and Ser
pent," said to commemorate the cur
ing by Moses of an ancestor Of Mile
sius who had been bitten by a snake.
Then there is the golden sunburst
upon a blue ground. emblem of F'ionn
MacCumhall's Fenian (militia). Blue
was always Ireland's national color
until 1898, when the United Irishmen.
to signify the blending of north and
south evolved national color of the
blue formed by the amalgamation Of
blue and orange-namely, green.
Another flag is that which Crom-
wells soldiers are reputed to have
seen when fighting the Kernes, red
cross upon golden ground. Opinions
as to whether such was ever ma
tional emblem or not are divided,
many people believing it to have been
the arms of an insurgent commander.
The three golden crowns upon a
blue ground is another emblem which
has not been overlooked The design
appears today In the arms of Mum
ster, and the three crowns are said
to typify the triple kingdoms of Dres-
mond, Thomond and Ormond. Any
II; a., he nf
land from ITO to 1547. when Henry
VIII of England substituted the harp
for the three crowns, the reason be-
ing that Henry was anxious that the
three crowns should not be confused
with the triple tiara Of the pope, with
whom, at this juncture, Henry was
not on the best of terms.
Thus it comes about that the harp,
which is deemed as typically Irish.
lish king; but had not the United
Irishmen, although they decrowned
the harp in 1898. adopted 1t as their
emblem, and Grattans parliament
recognized the harp, although they
did not like the green ground. it is
hardly likely that the average Irish
man today would regard it as other
than an upstart burgee.
Still another national device to be
considered is the Lamb Dearg
Eirinn," the Red Hand of Ireland.
which, upon a white ground, was
borne by Shane and Hugh O'Neills 5
armies that defeated Queen Eliza
beth's generals.
The early hours OF the nineteenth
century saw Ireland inflicted with the
st. Patrick's Cross, red satire upon
a white ground. What st. Patrick
had to do with it nobody can say. but
some emblem or the other had got
to be incorporated 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
it is not known. b. there is
reason to believe that it was bor-
rowed from the arms of Trinity col
lege, Dublin, which had in turn bor-
rowed it from the Fitzgerald family.
In all probability Ireland will
adopt the sunburst upon blue
ground, the chief reason being its an
tiquity. its distinctly Irish origin. and
its symbolism of Ireland rising to
take her proper place among the ma
tions.
But come what may. the ground
| of the new flag is going to be blue.
The Sim Peiners are resolved upon
that, and that the flags material shall
BOT be silk or. cotton. but good Irish
| linen.