10 Jun 2012

Northern Ireland (United Kingdom)

The United Kingdom is formed by four constituent countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. But, before the division of Ireland island between Northern Ireland and independent Republic of Ireland, they were: England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Of the four, Northern Ireland is the only without a current official flag.

From 1953 to 1972, they used this flag:














The main problem to re-adopt this flag is that it's very monarchist — look at St. George's cross (symbol of England) and crown. It's hard to be accepted, because there are Northern Irishmen that provide loyalty to British crown, the one that want Northern Ireland to unite with Republic of Ireland and the one that want Ulster independent from the two.

At online Flags Forum (I like to visit it for meet new people interested in flags), I met Sam McKittrick, a Northern Ireland resident discontent with the fact him homeland hasn't a flag, and, with other willing guys, each one proposed ideas. My last proposed flag, based on other guys desires, was this:















The basic element of this flag is the St. Patrick's cross. I chose this one for three reasons (to know more about the Northern Irish flag question, click here):

  1. It's politically neutral, supposedly.
  2. It represents Northern Irish identity, isn't a generic flag.
  3. It's used for centuries. It's easier to somebody use something he knows and regards than something/someone force him to use it.

Originally, I was interested in use a "plan" St. Patrick's saltire, as it was intended to symbolize Northern Ireland in Queen's Diamond Jubilee last week. But Sammy suggested me to use the Red Hand, Northern Ireland more recognized symbol, in it; it's based in Ulster ancient flag. My next design contained a white shield with red hand, but the shield was after colored yellow, more similar with Ulster's flag. Now I want to show it to the bigger number of people, to know their opinion about it. And yours, too!

To express your opinion, you can choose (just now!) between comment or post your opinion on topic (the link is in text).
Thanks to Sammy, Armiger, TheNewTeddy and all other people that opined in that forum topic. Sorry if I forgot someone.

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