Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 64, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 March 1913 — Ireland’s Flag [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ireland’s Flag

There has been much diversity of opinion and traditional quotation re-

gar ding the origSgwSjjSSl Inal color of the Z3m Irlßh fla ?* The ■) first flag of Ireland 1 , Hi Mazoned with the sunburst, and as the peoples of

X ‘ , __ . remote ages took their color, (Ton, Hill is 422. the most striking colors of the earth, sea and sky, it is quite possible, as some assert, that the first Irish banner was blue—the color of the sky or the blue waters from which the sun seems to rise or sink. It is more likely, however, to have been green, emblematic of the Green Isle, with sunburst added as the colors Of the illustrious people feho subdued the original tribes and railed the first flag on Brin's soil, showing their Asiatic origin and their emblem of worship, they being followers of Zoroaster, or fire worshipers. But although the Celts became the rulers of the soil they had no characteristic banner, each tribe having its own emblem, until the arrival of the Miletian colony from the grand city Miletus, in Asia Minor. Their flag was then accepted by the Celts, and it is generally conceded that all the different kings and princes that afterward reigned and warred with each other clung to the green flag down through the centuries of wars and tumult, leaving Brin’s flag, if possible, greener than ever. During the first year of the Christian era the Irish flag was ornamented with an ancient harp of gold. And as many of the people remained unconverted to Christianity, half of the sunburst was blazoned on the flag. The harp seems to have been heard for the first time in Ireland during the first year of the Christian erg. It was introduced by the famous Timotheua, a celebrated musician and poet, a descendant of Timotheua of Miletus. The people of Ireland were thrown Into a state of such ecstacy by the sweet strains of the harp that they resolved to use It on the flag. And during the first Christian year, when the Psalms of David were being sung with great pomp, tradition points to the fact that the lost harp of King David went to Ireland. The harp became the music of all classes, while the God of David was generally accepted, and the Christians soon outnumbered the Tire Worshipers, who disappeared altogether after two centuries. And it Is hard for the people of the present time to believe that there were ever tribes of Tire Worshipers in the Emerald Isle. There is no place In Ireland that is so hallowed as Tara, where on Easter Sunday of the Christian era fa about

the year 432 St Patrick, or Patricias, was requested to deliver a sermon before King Laoghalre, princes, and serfs at Tara HilL St Patrick attempted to define the Blessed Trinity to that memorable assembly. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost Three in One, in vain. He picked up a sprig of shamrock and showed the assembly three leaves on (me stem, and they believed the sacred mystery, and .unanimously erased the sun, the last emblem of pagan Ireland, from their flag in honor of St Patrick. And as a matter of history the flag, with a green ground, white Shamrock and harp, remained unchanged till the tenth century. On Good Friday there was a great battle to be fought It waa the tenth century. Brian Borothme was the sovereign of all Ireland. The Danes were gaining great power in Ireland. They had crowned their Citric king of Dublin. The majority of the Irish people under the leadership of King Brign determined to drive the Danes from the soil. One of the daughters of the king had designed and embroidered in tapestry with yellow silk a beautiful, banner, and under that precious gift on the following day the forces of King Brian were led to victory. v~ The flag remained with green ground golden black and shamrock until January 1. 1800, when the union with England was consummated. At 12 o’clock the royal standard of Great Britain and Ireland waa hoisted on Dublin castle, a royal salute wan fired from the battery in Phoenix park that announced to Ireland that s * j» •' . *

her Independence was over. Thus ended what la called Henry Grattan’s parliament, the restoration of which has been a source

of Irish agitation to the Union with, and the disturbed ***l condition of the British dominions foq the last 110 years.

The Flag Provious