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The Northern Ireland flags issue is one that divides the population along sectarian lines. Depending on political allegiance, people identify with differing flags and symbols, some of which have, or have had, official status in Northern Ireland.

Common flags

Union Jack

Ulster Banner

Flag of Ireland

Flag of Ulster (Cultural nine-county Flag)

Saint Patrick's Saltire

The flag of the United Kingdom, the Union Jack or Union Flag, is the only flag routinely used officially by the sovereign UK government, as well as being flown on most council buildings in Northern Ireland.^[1] The Union Flag is often flown by unionists but is disliked by nationalists. British law states that the Union Flag must be flown on designated days from central government buildings in Northern Ireland.^[2]
The Ulster Banner, the flag of the pre-1973 government of Northern Ireland, was used from 1953 to 1972 by the Stormont government to represent the government of Northern Ireland.^[3] That government was granted a royal warrant to fly the Ulster Banner in 1924, but this expired when the government was dissolved under the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973. It continues to be used by some sports teams representing Northern Ireland internationally, for example by the Northern Ireland football team,^[4] and by the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games team.^[5]
The flag of Ireland or Irish tricolour is the state flag of the Republic of Ireland, disliked by Unionists and is regarded by republicans and nationalists as the flag of all of Ireland.
The Saint Patrick's Saltire represents Northern Ireland indirectly as Ireland in the Union Jack. It is sometimes flown during Saint Patrick's Day parades in Northern Ireland,^[6] and is used to represent Northern Ireland during some royal events.^[7]
Other flags flown by republicans include the Starry Plough, the Sunburst flag and even the flag of the Ulster province. Loyalists sometimes display the flag of Scotland as a sign of their Scottish ancestry. Ulster nationalists use the unofficial 'Ulster Nation flag', although it has now been adopted as an Ulster-Scots flag.

Controversies

The Flags and Emblems (Display) Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 prohibited the display of any flag which was "likely to cause a breach of public order", and gave the police powers to deal with it. However, it specifically excluded the Union Jack from its provisions.^[8] In 1956, the Stormont Minister of Affairs, George Hanna, banned an Irish Nationalist cultural demonstration planned for the annual Feis at Newtownbutler, County Fermanagh. The march proceeded anyway, and in response the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) launched a baton charge to seize a banner depicting Patrick Pearse but were unsuccessful. Police attempted a second baton charge which also failed and then resorted to using fire hoses against the crowds. Several people were injured during the disturbances, at least one seriously. The RUC had removed three Irish tricolours from the home of a parish priest during the previous year's Feis.^[9] In 1964, the RUC moved in to remove an Irish tricolour from the window of an office in Belfast, after Ian Paisley had publicly said that if they did not, he would do so personally. This resulted in serious rioting.^[8] The Act was repealed in 1987.

In some loyalist areas, the flying of flags supporting loyalist paramilitaries has proved controversial. Groups like the Ulster Defence Association, Ulster Volunteer Force, Young Citizen Volunteers, Red Hand Commando, and Loyalist Volunteer Force all have their own unique flags and although these flags usually appear alongside murals, they can occasionally be seen flying from lampposts in villages and towns or flying from houses in the run-up to the Twelfth.

After the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, flags continue to be a source of disagreement in Northern Ireland. The Agreement states that:

All participants acknowledge the sensitivity of the use of symbols and emblems for public purposes, and the need in particular in creating the new institutions to ensure that such symbols and emblems are used in a manner which promotes mutual respect rather than division.^[10]

Some local councils have debated the usage of the Tricolour. In 2002 Belfast City Council displayed the Tricolour along with the Union Flag in the Lord Mayor's parlour during the term of Sinn Féin Lord Mayor Alex Maskey.^[11] A different approach was taken in 1997; when the Social Democratic and Labour Party's (SDLP) Alban Maginness was Lord Mayor, neither flag was displayed. In September 2003, Belfast City Council discussed flying the Tricolour alongside the Union Flag on designated occasions.

In June 2007 the designated nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party complained about an artist's rendering of IKEA Belfast that included both the Union Flag and the Ulster Banner flag as two of the three flags in front of the store. After being labelled "an upmarket Orange hall" by the party, IKEA assured customers and co-workers that only the Swedish flag would be seen outside the actual store.^[12]

The Ulster Banner continued to be used by some local governments, such as the predominantly unionist Castlereagh, which flew it outside its offices.^[13]

A decision in December 2012 to fly the Union flag over Belfast City Hall only on certain designated days, instead of all the year round as previously, led to the Belfast City Hall flag protests, which included riots in which police officers were injured.^[14]

The Northern Ireland flags controversy has led to Unicode being unable to release an equivalent country emoji for Northern Ireland, as it has for Scotland, England, and Wales.^[15]

Flag proposals

1995 Northern Ireland Office proposals

In 1995, the Northern Ireland Office discussed the possibility of a new distinct flag for Northern Ireland. Two designs by Dr. Martin J. Ball of Ulster University were considered, but no flag was ultimately adopted.^[16]^[17]

2003 Alliance Party proposals

In 2003, the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland proposed that a new flag should be adopted to represent all communities in Northern Ireland.^[18]^[19] Suggestions included a blue flax flower on a white field, a gold map of Northern Ireland on a dark blue field and a representation of the Giant's Causeway.^[20]

2003 flag proposal by the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

2009 Eddie Izzard proposal

In 2009, Eddie Izzard ran a series of marathons across the United Kingdom to raise money for Sport Relief. When running in England, Scotland and Wales, Izzard carried the respective flag of the nation he was in. For Northern Ireland, however, he carried a flag of his own creation. It consisted of a green field (invoking the colour of the Northern Ireland football jersey) and a white dove (symbolising peace) in the upper fly, flying eastwards and carrying an olive branch in its beak.^[21]^[22]

The dove flag as part of a combined Home Nations flag, which was carried by Izzard in the Sport Relief Mile event in London on 21 March 2010.^[23]

2013 Haass talks

In 2013, US diplomat Richard Haass chaired talks between the political parties in Northern Ireland dealing with, among other things, the issue of flags. The resulting draft proposals, which were not agreed to by the parties, included the idea of a new flag for Northern Ireland,^[24] and the possibility of a "circumscribed role for the sovereign flag of Ireland in conjunction with the Union flag."^[25]

2021 proposed "Civic Flag"

In December 2021, the Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition (FICT) published its final report which included a recommendation that a new "Civic Flag for Northern Ireland" should be adopted and be flown at buildings of the Northern Ireland Executive, Northern Ireland Assembly and local district councils in Northern Ireland. The commissions suggested that the design for the new flag should incorporate expressions of Britishness and Irishness and should also represent the diversity of the community in Northern Ireland.^[26]^[27]^[28] The working group on flags, identity, culture and tradition last met in January 2022, prior to the collapse of the power sharing executive the following month. In November 2024, the Executive Office said that the Commission's report will be "considered as part of a review of its community relations strategy".^[29]

2024 Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council proposal

In November 2024, the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council (NICGC) discussed the possibility of using its own flag at the Commonwealth Games if a new "Civic Flag" proposed by the Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Traditions is not in place before the 2026 Commonwealth Games.^[30] The NICGC was subsequently forced to close its offices for security reasons after receiving threats from Loyalist paramilitary groups.^[31]

Flag of the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council

References

^ "The Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000" (PDF). Northern Ireland Assembly. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 August 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2011.
^ The Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000
^ Encyclopædia Britannica says: According to British tradition, a coat of arms or flag is granted to the government of a territory, not to the people residing there
^ "Northern Ireland". FIFA. Archived from the original on 14 June 2007. Retrieved 5 October 2011.
^ Commonwealth Games website Archived 23 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Choose "Northern Ireland" from the "Countries" menu.
^ Groom, Nick (2007). "Union Jacks and Union Jills". In Eriksen, Thomas Hylland; Jenkins, Richard (eds.). Flag, Nation and Symbolism in Europe and America. Abingdon: Routledge. pp. 68–87. ISBN 978-0-415-44404-0. LCCN 2007018505. OCLC 123968978. OL 9353071W.
^ Bartram, Graham (2012). "A Visual Guide to the Flags used in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant" (PDF). Flag Institute. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
^ ^a ^b Thomas Hylland Eriksen; Richard Jenkins (2007). Flag, Nation and Symbolism in Europe and America. Routledge. p. 104. ISBN 978-1-134-06696-4.
^ "RUC baton-charge Feis crowd at Newtownbutler", The Derry Journal, 25 July 1955.
^ Belfast Agreement, section: "Economic, Social and Cultural Issues", para. 5
^ "Tricolour raised in City Hall". BBC. 4 September 2002. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
^ "No Union flag at new Ikea store". BBC News. 12 June 2007. Retrieved 9 August 2007.
^ Castlereagh (1 January 1970). "Castlereagh Borough Council, Northern Ireland". Google Maps. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
^ Belfast flag protests: Loyalists clash with police after rally, BBC, 8 December 2012
^ Dempsey, James (31 March 2017). "Why is there no Northern Irish flag in the new Emoji update?". News Talk. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
^ Robbie Meredith (8 December 2022). "NI state papers: Flying union flag shows "patriotic exuberance"". BBC News. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
^ Martin J. Ball, Ph.D. "A New Flag for Northern Ireland?" (PDF file). Ulster University - CAIN Archive. 15 July 1995.
^ "Alliance party calls for new flag". Irish Examiner. 8 January 2003. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
^ "Alliance calls for new NI flag". 8 January 2003. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
^ "Proposed Flag of Northern Ireland. Alliance Party of Northern Ireland Flag Stock Photo - Alamy". www.alamy.com. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
^ Eddie Izzard (23 August 2009). "This is my flag for N. Ireland". X. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
^ "Eddie Izzard unveils new flag for Northern Ireland as he completes 24 marathons in 28 days". Belfast Telegraph. 24 August 2009. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
^ Matt Crossick (21 March 2010). "Eddie Izzard pictured during the Sainsbury's Sport Relief Mile, on Victoria Embankment in central London". Alamy. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
^ Haass proposes new body to investigate Troubles killings, Irish Times, 16 December 2013
^ John Mulgrew, "Final draft on dealing with Northern Ireland's past released after failure on agreement", Belfast Telegraph, 31 December 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2014
^ https://www.executiveoffice-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/execoffice/commission-on-fict-final-report.pdf ^{[bare URL PDF]}
^ "New Northern Ireland 'civic flag' considered as officials debate cultural future". December 2021.
^ "Flags report: Five things we learned from 168-page document". BBC News. 4 December 2021.
^ "Stormont's £800,000 flags report 'still on shelf' three years on". BBC News. 1 November 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
^ https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/northern-ireland-commonwealth-games-chiefs-threaten-to-ditch-ulster-banner-in-inclusivity-drive/ar-AA1uNwOF
^ https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2024-11-27/ni-commonwealth-games-office-closed-amid-threats-over-flag-change-proposal

External links

Symbols in Northern Ireland - Flags Used in the Region Archived 14 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine by Dara Mulhern and Martin Melaugh; illustrated article from CAIN Project (Conflict Archive on the INternet)

[1] "The Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000" (PDF). Northern Ireland Assembly. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 August 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2011.

[2] The Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000

[3] Encyclopædia Britannica says: According to British tradition, a coat of arms or flag is granted to the government of a territory, not to the people residing there

[4] "Northern Ireland". FIFA. Archived from the original on 14 June 2007. Retrieved 5 October 2011.

[5] Commonwealth Games website Archived 23 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Choose "Northern Ireland" from the "Countries" menu.

[Groom2007-6] Groom, Nick (2007). "Union Jacks and Union Jills". In Eriksen, Thomas Hylland; Jenkins, Richard (eds.). Flag, Nation and Symbolism in Europe and America. Abingdon: Routledge. pp. 68–87. ISBN 978-0-415-44404-0. LCCN 2007018505. OCLC 123968978. OL 9353071W.

[7] Bartram, Graham (2012). "A Visual Guide to the Flags used in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant" (PDF). Flag Institute. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2015.

[Hylland_Eriksen-8] Thomas Hylland Eriksen; Richard Jenkins (2007). Flag, Nation and Symbolism in Europe and America. Routledge. p. 104. ISBN 978-1-134-06696-4.

[9] "RUC baton-charge Feis crowd at Newtownbutler", The Derry Journal, 25 July 1955.

[10] Belfast Agreement, section: "Economic, Social and Cultural Issues", para. 5

[11] "Tricolour raised in City Hall". BBC. 4 September 2002. Retrieved 27 July 2012.

[12] "No Union flag at new Ikea store". BBC News. 12 June 2007. Retrieved 9 August 2007.

[13] Castlereagh (1 January 1970). "Castlereagh Borough Council, Northern Ireland". Google Maps. Retrieved 26 September 2011.

[14] Belfast flag protests: Loyalists clash with police after rally, BBC, 8 December 2012

[15] Dempsey, James (31 March 2017). "Why is there no Northern Irish flag in the new Emoji update?". News Talk. Retrieved 6 October 2017.

[16] Robbie Meredith (8 December 2022). "NI state papers: Flying union flag shows "patriotic exuberance"". BBC News. Retrieved 31 August 2024.

[17] Martin J. Ball, Ph.D. "A New Flag for Northern Ireland?" (PDF file). Ulster University - CAIN Archive. 15 July 1995.

[18] "Alliance party calls for new flag". Irish Examiner. 8 January 2003. Retrieved 13 November 2024.

[19] "Alliance calls for new NI flag". 8 January 2003. Retrieved 13 November 2024.

[20] "Proposed Flag of Northern Ireland. Alliance Party of Northern Ireland Flag Stock Photo - Alamy". www.alamy.com. Retrieved 13 November 2024.

[21] Eddie Izzard (23 August 2009). "This is my flag for N. Ireland". X. Retrieved 30 September 2024.

[22] "Eddie Izzard unveils new flag for Northern Ireland as he completes 24 marathons in 28 days". Belfast Telegraph. 24 August 2009. Retrieved 30 September 2024.

[23] Matt Crossick (21 March 2010). "Eddie Izzard pictured during the Sainsbury's Sport Relief Mile, on Victoria Embankment in central London". Alamy. Retrieved 16 October 2024.

[24] Haass proposes new body to investigate Troubles killings, Irish Times, 16 December 2013

[25] John Mulgrew, "Final draft on dealing with Northern Ireland's past released after failure on agreement", Belfast Telegraph, 31 December 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2014

[26] ttps://www.executiveoffice-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/execoffice/commission-on-fict-final-report.pdf ^{[bare URL PDF]}

[27] "New Northern Ireland 'civic flag' considered as officials debate cultural future". December 2021.

[28] "Flags report: Five things we learned from 168-page document". BBC News. 4 December 2021.

[29] "Stormont's £800,000 flags report 'still on shelf' three years on". BBC News. 1 November 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.

[30] ttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/northern-ireland-commonwealth-games-chiefs-threaten-to-ditch-ulster-banner-in-inclusivity-drive/ar-AA1uNwOF

[31] ttps://www.itv.com/news/utv/2024-11-27/ni-commonwealth-games-office-closed-amid-threats-over-flag-change-proposal

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PROFILPELAJAR.COM

Northern Ireland flags issue

Common flags

Controversies

Flag proposals

1995 Northern Ireland Office proposals

2003 Alliance Party proposals

2009 Eddie Izzard proposal

2013 Haass talks

2021 proposed "Civic Flag"

2024 Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council proposal

See also

References

External links

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