The Flags of the UK and Ireland
The United Kingdom Of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The British Union Flag is commonly called the 'Union Jack' and is it represents the
flags of the kingdoms of England and Wales, Scotland and of Northern Ireland. The design reflects the 1801 Act
of Union between Britain and Ireland (the Welsh flag was not incorporated into the
British Union Flag). The flag should always be flown with broader white diagonal
in the higher position, nearest the top of the flagpole. If it is ever flown upside down, with the broader white stripe at the base, it is
usually taken as a sign of distress or emergency.
The Arms of The United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland
England
The flag of England is displays the Cross of St. George, which is a red cross
on a white background and was first adopted as the English national flag by Richard the
Lion heart around 1300.
The national flower of England is the Rose and is used, by the England
Rugby team as their badge.
The Arms of England. The patron saint of England is St. George and England's
national day is St. George's Day which is held on the 23rd of April.
Scotland
The flag of Scotland is the St. Andrew's Cross which displays the
x-shaped saltaire cross on which St. Andrew was crucified and it
has been Scotland's national symbol. King James I merged it with the national flag
of England in 1606 when the two kingdoms were united. It has become very popular in Scotland and is also used by the
Scottish National Party.
The Arms of Scotland. The national flower of Scotland is the Thistle and the Patron
saint is St. Andrew. Some of his bones are said to have been brought to St Andrews in Fife during the 4th century. St. Andrew's Day, is held on 30th of November.
Ireland (Tricolour)
Ireland's flag, also known as the Tricolour, has its origins in the French
Revolution and the French flag. The design was to signify the peace
(white) between Nationalists (green) and Unionists (orange). It was first flown in Dublin during the 1916 Easter Rising, and has been
used by Ireland's Nationalists and Republicans North and South of the border ever since.
The Arms of the Republic of Ireland. The national Flower of Ireland is the shamrock, which
was also called the "seamroy" by the Celts, was a sacred plant in ancient Ireland
because it symbolized the rebirth of spring and later the Holy Trinity by the Christians. The Irish Patron Saint is St Patrick and is celebrated on March 17th.
Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland Flag. This flag is based upon the St. George's
Cross with the Crown, the Star of David, and the Red Hand of Ulster.
Northern Ireland is the smallest of the Home Nations of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland and there is no official Flag of Northern Ireland,
as the 'Red Hand Flag' was abolished in 1972. Unionists tend to use the Union flag and sometimes the Red Hand Flag, while
Nationalists generally use the Flag of Ireland.
The Channel Isles
The island Bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey represent the last remnants
of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway in both France and England.
The islands are Crown protectorates but separates states from the rest of the United
Kingdom, with their own Governments.
Jersey
The Jersey flag is White with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the flag and in the upper
quadrant, surmounted by a Gold crown, a red shield with the three lions of England
in Gold.
The Arms of the Bailiwick of Jersey which is not a part of the UK, but is rather
a separate possession of the Crown, comparable to the Isle of Man. It is not a part
of the European Union either.
Guernsey
The Guernsey flag white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) and a Gold equal-armed cross of William the Conqueror superimposed
on the Saint George cross.
The Arms of the Bailiwick of Guernsey also includes Alderney, Sark, Herm, Jethou, Brecqhou, Burhou and other islets
Alderney
The flag of Alderney is white with a St George Cross and the badge of the island in the middle.
The badge is a green disc bearing a crowned lion rampant holding a sprig of
leaves.
Arms of the Island of Aldeney which is part of the bailiwick of Guernsey. The
States of Alderney is the legislature of the island, and it has a voice in the States
of Guernsey as well.
Sark
The flag of Sark which is the flag of the Seigneur of Sark,
is white with a red St George cross and a red square containing two gold lions.
This is similar to the arms of Normandy, not far from Sark.
Sark is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey and was until very recently considered to be the last
feudal state in Europe. The Seigneur of Sark is the head of the feudal government
of the Isle of Sark. Many of the laws, particularly those related to inheritance
and the rule of the Seigneur, are little changed since they were enacted in 1565.
Arms of the Island of Sark. Sark's constitution has been democratised in recent
years. More power is now in the
hands of the elected members of the legislature, the Chief Pleas.
Wales
The Welsh flag has two equal horizontal stripes, white above green, and a large
red dragon which became the symbol of the Welsh nation through
its adoption by the Tudor Kings.
The national Flower is the Daffodil or the Leek which has been displayed as
a Welsh emblem since at least 1536 although the daffodil is now the more popular of the
two flower emblems.
The arms of the Prince of Wales are based on those of Llewelyn ap Gruffydd, the last native
Prince of Wales. The Patron saint is St. David (c.520-588) and he was the founder and first abbot-bishop of St. David's in the
county of Pembrokeshire. the national day is celebrated
on the 1st of March.
The Isle of Man
Is a Crown Protectorate but a separate state in it's own right and not part of the
United Kingdom. The Manx Symbol is the Three Legs of Man, first officially used
in the early 14th century on the Manx Sword of State. The legs, clad in armour
and bearing spurs, run in a clockwise direction and bear the Latin motto 'Quocunque
Jeceris Stabit' or 'Whichever way you throw it, it will stand'.
The Arms of The Island Of Man, the Three armoured legs, also feature on the Manx Coat of Arms,
flanked by a Peregrine Falcon and a Raven. The source of the legs emblem is based on the legend of the Island God Manannan, who is said to
have set fire to the Legs in a fit of rage and hurled them down the hill in a burning
wheel.
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