Flag of Ulster

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Flag of Ulster

Design
A gold (yellow) field with a red cross, centered by a white shield with a red hand.

Origin and symbolism
- The flag originated when Walter de Burgh became Earl of Ulster in 1264. He combined the Burgh family arms (a red cross on gold) with the Red Hand of Ulster.
- The Red Hand legend says a challenger grasped Ulster first; over time its ownership was disputed by the Magennises and the O’Neills, with the Magennises recognized as the original owners in 1908.
- There is debate about whether the hand on the flag should be right (dexter) or left (sinister); a right hand is most common, though some groups used a left hand.
- Several counties in Ulster use a red hand on their coats of arms (Antrim, Fermanagh, Londonderry, Tyrone); County Louth uses a white hand to symbolize the hand of God.

Colors and meanings
Gold, red, and white have meanings recognized by vexillology groups in Ireland and Britain.

Ulster Banner and Northern Ireland
In the 20th century, during Ireland’s partition, the Ulster Banner was created from this design for Northern Ireland. It featured a white background and a shield replaced by a six-pointed star with a crown, symbolizing six counties of Northern Ireland. This is sometimes called the “6 counties flag,” while the provincial flag is sometimes called the “9 counties flag.” The Ulster Banner is sometimes still referred to as the flag of Ulster.

Legal note
In 2018, a Freedom of Information reveal showed that flying the Ulster flag in Scotland could potentially be an offense under Scottish law.

Use in sport and organizations
- Rugby: The Ireland national team (Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland) often displays the Ulster flag alongside the Irish tricolor; the IRFU uses a neutral flag showing all four provinces. At the Rugby World Cup, both flags have led the team out. Ulster Rugby uses the Ulster flag, and some fans do as well.
- Football: Fans of Cliftonville and Celtic sometimes display the Ulster flag at matches.
- Gaelic games: The Ulster GAA uses the flag in provincial matches.
- Four Provinces Flag: The Ulster flag appears in the Four Provinces Flag used by some organizations that operate on an all-Ireland basis.
- Official associations: The flag is the official flag of the Ulster Gaelic Athletic Association and of the Ulster rugby team, and it appears in flags for the Ireland hockey team and the IRFU four provinces flag.

Summary
The Flag of Ulster combines the Burgh red cross on gold with the Red Hand of Ulster in a white shield, a symbol with deep historical rivalries and modern use in sport and national identity.