Flag of Northern Ireland

The Ulster Banner (Edwardian Crown version following coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953)

The Union Jack or Union Flag

St Patrick's Saltire represents Ireland in the Union Jack

The only flag to ever officially represent Northern Ireland uniquely consists of a red cross on a white field defaced with a crowned six-pointed star with a red hand in the centre—otherwise known as the Ulster Banner, the "Red Hand Flag" or the "Ulster Flag" (not to be confused with the provincial Flag of Ulster). However, the current Northern Ireland Assembly only flies the Union Jack, which represents the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as a whole. The Ulster Banner was the result of the Northern Ireland parliament being granted a royal warrant for the use of a Coat of Arms and flag in 1924—this was in effect until the abolition of the Parliament in 1973. The Ulster Banner is still in common civic use (though mainly by unionists), as well as being flown by some local government authorities under unionist control and most sporting organisations in Northern Ireland which compete on the international stage.

During official events in Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom government only uses the Union Jack, which is the flag of the United Kingdom. Only the Union Jack may be flown on UK central government buildings in Northern Ireland, with neither the Saint Patrick's Saltire nor the Ulster Banner permitted.
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Flag of the Government of Northern Ireland (1924–1973)

Arms of the former government of Northern Ireland, 1922–1972, granted royal warrant in 1924

Main article: Ulster Banner

The Ulster Banner, also known as the the "Red Hand Flag" or the "Ulster Flag" (not to be confused with the provincial Flag of Ulster), was the official flag that was granted to the Government of Northern Ireland in 1924. In common with other British flags, any civic status of the flag was not defined in law.

Original Tudor Crown version of flag granted royal warrant in 1924

In 1924, the Government of Northern Ireland was granted arms (the Coat of arms of Northern Ireland) by Royal Warrant and had the right to display these arms on a flag or banner. This right was exercised for the Coronation in 1953. Between 1953 and 1972, this flag was the arms of the Government of Northern Ireland. When the Parliament of Northern Ireland was dissolved by the British government under the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973, the flag ceased to have official standing but remains the only flag to date which represents Northern Ireland at international level in sport.

The flag is based on the the flag of the province of Ulster, including a red hand of Ulster and red cross presumably influenced by the de Burgh cross and/or Saint George's Cross. The points of the star represent the six counties that make up Northern Ireland.

Official use of flags

File:£2 Commonwealth Games NI-issue.jpg

Royal Mint issue of a £2 coin featuring the Northern Ireland flag for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

There are various practices for the flying of flags by public bodies in Northern Ireland. The Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) Order 2000 requires that the Union Flag be flown over specified government buildings including Parliament Buildings and state offices on specified 'named days' (honouring, for example Queen Elizabeth II's official birthday).

The regulations also provides that, on the occasion of a visit to a government building by the British Monarch, the Royal Standard shall be flown and the Union Flag can be flown, and on state visits from other heads of state the Union Flag and the national flag of the country of the visitor can be flown. Where two flagpoles exist, the flag of Europe should be flown on Europe Day alongside the Union flag. The regulations prohibit any flags being flown from the relevant buildings except as expressly permitted by the regulations.

When flags representing the "Home Countries" of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are flown at official ceremonies, Northern Ireland is sometimes represented by the St. Patrick's Cross, for instance on the barge Gloriana during the 2012 Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant.

Other regulations exist for other public bodies in Northern Ireland. Use of flags by the Police Service of Northern Ireland is governed by the Police Emblems and Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002, which provides that no flag shall be used by the Service other than its own flag.

Local authorities

Legislation relating to flag flying does not apply to District Council buildings, and District Councils follow a range of practices varying from flying the Union Flag on a number of council buildings every day of the year as at Lisburn, to flying no flags on any building, flying only the council flag or flying flags on the designated days in the same way as government buildings.

In 2004, Belfast City Council commissioned a study on the flying of the Union Flag which noted that the Ulster banner was flown alongside it by three local authorities in Northern Ireland: Ards Borough Council, Carrickfergus Borough Council and Castlereagh Borough Council.

Displaying flags

Main article: Northern Ireland flags issue

The Irish tricolour is flown by northern nationalists in support of a united Ireland

In Northern Ireland, some members from each of the unionist and nationalist communities use flags to declare their political allegiances and to mark territory. Unionists and loyalists fly the Union Flag and Ulster Banner to show their support for the union and/or their allegiance to Northern Ireland. Irish nationalists and republicans fly the Irish tricolour to show their support for a United Ireland. The Irish tricolour is intended to symbolise peace (represented by the colour white) between Catholics (green) and Protestants (orange).

In sport, the Ulster Banner is carried by the Northern Ireland team in the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. It is also regularly displayed by supporters of the Northern Ireland national football team and is displayed by FIFA as the flag of Northern Ireland.

Peace process

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.

Nationalists pointed to this to argue that the use of the Union Flag for official purposes should be restricted, or that the Irish tricolour should be flown alongside the British flag on government buildings. Sinn Féin ministers in the power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive instructed that the Union Flag was not to fly from buildings operated by their respective departments. This power was removed from ministers by virtue of the Flag Regulations (Northern Ireland) Order 2000, mentioned above.

All signatories to the Belfast Agreement also declare their acceptance of the 'principle of consent' (i.e. that there will be no change to the constitutional position of Northern Ireland unless a majority votes for it), and Unionists argued that this provision amounts to recognising that the Union Flag is the only legitimate official flag in Northern Ireland. The problem was discussed in detail and various proposals made including suggestions for a new flag.

See also

• Northern Ireland flags issue
• List of flags used in Northern Ireland

External links

• FOTW: Northern Ireland
• CAIN: Flags in Northern Ireland
• The Union Flags and flags of the United Kingdom