Flag of Ireland
Ireland’s national flag is a tricolor of green, white, and orange pales. Each pale should be set vertically and of equal size. The flag has a 1:2 proportion, meaning that the length should be two times its width.
Specifications
Article 7 of the Constitution of Ireland gives the basic specification of the Irish flag wherein it simply states that the national flag is a tricolor of green, white, and orange. The Department of the Taoiseach has a broad responsibility over matters relating to the flag as the constitution indicates no further legislative requirements regarding the flag.
Aside from other specifications relating to the flag, the Department of the Taoiseach has set the following as the precise colors of the flag:
Color Scheme |
Green |
White |
Orange |
Pantone |
347 |
Safe |
151 |
The following are the RGB, CMYK, and Hex variations of the colors:
Color Scheme |
Green |
White |
Orange |
RGB |
0-154-99 |
255-255-255 |
255-130-61 |
Hex |
#009A63 |
#FFFFFF |
#FF823D |
CMYK 100-0-86-3 |
0-0-0-0 |
0-48-95-0 |
|
Symbolism
The color green, set by the hoist, signifies the older majority Gaelic institution of Ireland. The color has been traditionally associated with Ireland as a nation and the revolutionary groups within it. The orange symbolizes the minority who were the supporters of William of Orange. The white, set at the center, signifies a lasting peace between the Orange Order in Ireland with the Irish independence movement.
History
The colors of the Irish flag are deeply rooted in the island’s history and its evolution as a nation, particularly the events that took place in the early 19 th century. Green was associated with the Republican United Irishmen while orange was associated with its rival group Orange Order which was loyal to the British crown. The fusion of these colors with white set at the center is symbolic of the union of the two cultures in a common nationality.
The Irish tricolors were mentioned in 1830 and 1844 and eventually gained widespread recognition as an emblem by 1848. The Irish Tricolor appeared alongside French colors at meetings to celebrate the French Revolution that had just taken place. The flag was first introduced by Thomas Francis Meagher in a meeting in Dublin.
Although the tricolor remained a symbol of union, it was of little use from 1848 to 1916. At that time, the island was still represented by a green flag with a golden harp. It was finally regarded as a national flag during the Easter Rising of 1916 when the flag was raised above the Dublin General Post Office.
The Irish Republic adopted the flag in 1919 during its War of Independence against the British government. The flag was subsequently adopted by the Irish Free State, a dominion created in 1922 by the Anglo-Irish Treaty. The Irish Tricolor was given a constitutional status under the 1937 Constitution of Ireland.
