Ireland is the third largest country in the world. It lies on the northwest side of Europe and is surrounded by islands and archipelagos. On the eastern side is Great Britain. The island is said to be divided into two – the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Its population is close to 6.2 million.
The flag of Ireland is a vertical tricolor consisting of green, white and orange. Its proportion is 1:2. Originally a group of French women presented this flag as a gift to Thomas Francis Meagher, who at that point in time, was sympathetic to the Irish cause. But it was not until 1919 when the flag was adapted and became the National flag of Ireland.
With regard to the National Flag, the constitution of Ireland simply says that the National flag should be colored green, white and orange. Since there is no set of rules or guidelines at hand, the Department of Taoiseach took command responsibility pertaining to the flag.
It was believed that the green color in the flag represents the old majority tradition of Ireland. It had always been known for Ireland as a nation. Orange on the other hand had always been associated with the supporters of William Orange. It was included in the flag in order to reconcile the two factions that have exists in Ireland. The white in the center denotes peace or the attempt of the parties concerned to have a lasting peace between the two groups.
The flag of Ireland, which is the standard flag of the Republic of Ireland, is being flown by both the Republican and the Nationalists. This is done in order to show their support for a united Ireland. Of course at first much debate rose regarding the issue. When it was first flown by the Nationalists on Saint Patrick’s Day, of course not all of the people around them agreed with their decision. But they simply argued that the flag is not just for a specific group of people. It represents the whole of Ireland whether you are a Nationalist or a Republican.
In conclusion, the flag of Ireland serves as a reminder that even if you have different beliefs and do not agree politically, there should never be a division among people since lives in the same country and can work hard with one another.