Ireland
Shape
Europe · Northern Europe
Outline not to scale
About the flag
Ireland's flag is a vertical tricolour of green, white and orange, with green at the flagpole. Green stands for the Gaelic and Catholic tradition, orange for supporters of William of Orange and the Protestant tradition, and white for lasting peace between them. It was first flown in 1848 by Thomas Francis Meagher and became the national flag in the 1937 constitution. It is twice as long as it is high.
Often confused with
The same three colours in reverse: Côte d'Ivoire has orange at the flagpole and green at the free end, and its flag is shorter.
Italy's third band is red, not orange.
Only the names are similar: Iceland's flag is blue with a red Nordic cross.
Quizzes for Europe