User:Blueduck77/Northern Ireland flags issue

The Northern Ireland flags issue is one that divides the population along sectarian lines. Depending on political allegiance, people identify with differing flags and symbols, some of which have, or have had, official status in the province.

There are various proposals as to what flag could represent Northern Ireland's various communities as a whole; see below for some suggestions.

Official governmental flag and emblem
Main Article: Flag of Northern Ireland

Possible replacements
As there is currently no unique official flag for Northern Ireland, there have been various suggestions about what should be done. Apart from reusing an existing flag (such as the Cross of St Patrick), various new designs have been created.

This flag was being considered by the UK Government in the late 1990s and was leaked to BBC News. It was never officially proposed. It is essentially the old NI Government Flag with the crown removed and some yellow taken from the Province of Ulster Flag.

When this flag was shown by journalists to various people around Belfast, the reaction was mainly unfavourable. Although some liked its inclusive nature, typical responses were along the lines of "We already have a flag, it's the Union Jack" or "We already have a flag, it's the Tricolour".



Another attempt to create a flag which the community could support is shown here. It was featured on local TV station UTV, and was inspired, in part, by the Police Service of Northern Ireland standard, which had been agreed upon by the four main parties. This, in theory, could give the flag a greater degree of validity than other proposed flags.

It uses various symbols to bring together the diverse identities of the Northern Ireland people. In the centre of the flag is St. Patrick's Cross. The star shape, which no longer bears any resemblance to the Star of David, has six points, representing the six counties. The flag also has six symbols (clockwise from top):
 * The Scales of Justice (representing equality and justice)
 * The harp (a traditional Irish Symbol)
 * A torch (representing enlightenment and a new beginning)
 * An olive branch (a peace symbol from Ancient Greece)
 * A shamrock (a traditional Irish symbol, used by St Patrick to explain the Christian Trinity)
 * A crown (representing the monarchy albeit not using a recognisable crown symbol)

This flag is a hybrid between the St. Patrick's Cross and the Ulster Banner. It adds the Red Hand of Ulster and the six-pointed star to the St. Patrick's Flag, but does not add the crown and dispenses with the St. Georges' Cross found on the Ulster Banner. Although nowhere near as common as the Ulster Banner, it can be regularly seen being displayed by supporters at Ulster rugby matches as a neutral unique flag to represent Northern Ireland.

In 2003, the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (the only Assembly Party that claims to represent both Nationalists and Unionists) came up with a few suggestions. The picture to the left shows a BBC artist's impression of these ideas, taken from a BBC Newsline report. The flags shown represent, from left to right, a flax flower, the map of Northern Ireland (which is also re-created to the right) and a few steps from the Giant's Causeway. (Compare with the Korean Unification Flag and the Flag of Cyprus.)