National Flag Query

europerson

Why is the national flag flying over Regent House today? Have I missed something? Has the SU been successful in its campaign? I haven't been in College since St. Patrick's Day, so I may be out of the loop.

xeduCat

There are various other occasions too - certain visits, for example (if a head of state from another country is here, I think we put up the Irish flag, their flag and the College flag). There's a list somewhere, although I've never seen it online. The list is included in the flag-flying protocol; Sites and Facilities reviewed it last year and decided not to change it.

Time Magazine

With a 75% ballot in favour in the recent referendum, stranger things have happened than College changing its mind on a trivial issue like the flag.

If that's the case, I'd have thought they'd have waited until the first day of term to get the patriotism out.

Tacitha

Since most of the committees don't meet over Spring Break, I think it's much more likely that the President or some other official is dropping in today.

xeduCat

Until we start going to beaches in Florida, we don't have "Spring Break". Tacitha, have you gone over to the dark side?

europerson

I asked my Buildings Office friend, and he said that there's some dignatary visiting today, all right.

xeduCat

President of Slovakia.

europerson

xeduCat wrote:

President of Slovakia.

I've just seen him, and the c.50 Gardaí along with him.

I thought though that it was usual for College to fly three flags when foreign leaders visit: the Irish flag, the foreign country's flag and the College flag...? I remember that from the visit of, say, the Hungarian President last year.

So, no heed to the SU referendum. Very good.

Tacitha

xeduCat wrote:

Until we start going to beaches in Florida, we don't have "Spring Break". Tacitha, have you gone over to the dark side?

I am just thinking in the context of the global university, moving forward, and being open to change.

Actually, I don't like the term, but what would you call it? It's not the Easter Holidays either.

Hilary Term Break is what I go by. Usually contains more clothes then Spring Break.

Beechman

Walking down Dame Street in to Collage Green today I was proud to see our national flag raised over T.C.D. Why is this not done everyday ? Its a national building, and with so many tourists about we should have our flags raised across the country with pride.

Time Magazine

Beechman wrote:

Why is this not done everyday ?

On days of commencements (graduations), the relevant TCD flags are flown.

On National Holidays, the Irish flag is flown.

When heads of State visit, the Irish flag and (if applicable) the other nation's flag is flown.

The College doesn't fly flags every day because it doesn't see a need to. It's nothing un-patriotic or anything like that. It's just not a government body so doesn't feel the need.

Beechman

pity!!!! , it puts some colour on a grey , dull building !

John

Beechman wrote:

pity!!!! , it puts some colour on a grey , dull building !

Grey, dull building? Far from it, all the buildings around front square look amazing.

xebec

John wrote:

Grey, dull building? Far from it, all the buildings around front square look amazing.

The front of college from Dame St isn't too shabby either!

Pet

Beechman wrote:

pity!!!! , it puts some colour on a grey , dull building !

I believe you are mistaking Trinity for UCD in its entirety.

John

Now, now, UCD is beautiful in its own right... *snigger*

ApeXaviour

Ibid wrote:

It's nothing un-patriotic or anything like that.

I don't want to get into it but I disagree.

But it's not a dull grey building either.

John

ApeXaviour wrote:

I don't want to get into it but I disagree.

But it's not a dull grey building either.

Boo-urns to patriotism and nationalism. One race to rule them all and in the darkness bind them!

ApeXaviour

Shhh... patriotism makes me feel great when Ireland does well at sports.

Especially when we do better than perfidious albion

King.Penguin

We are all one.

John

Especially me and you

Stargal

Mmmm, that's hot.

gilroyb

http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/attached_files/Pdf%20files/The%20National%20Flag.pdf

guidelines on use of the flag. The document really gives the impression that if the reason to fly the flag is just to liven up a dull building, then something else should be done.

It does look good to see the flag flying, but perhaps it's the fact that it's not there often that makes it so noticeable. The only thing they could really get away with would be to put it up every day of term (rather than every day of term), but that would mean that it wouldn't be up for the main tourist season.

europerson

Beechman wrote:

Its a national building

It's actually private property.

pity!!!! , it puts some colour on a grey , dull building !

A building, which happens to be one of the most important pieces of eighteenth-century collegiate architecture in these islands.

Beechman

Are we afaid to fly the flag ? or are we just to lazy to do it ? , visit most european cities or any state across the U.S. and you will see they are proud to fly their national flag and in every possibe location , why are we not the same, whats the point of having a flag poll on your building (tcd) if its only used on certain occassions!

Stargal

Beechman wrote:

Are we afaid to fly the flag ? or are we just to lazy to do it ? , visit most european cities or any state across the U.S. and you will see they are proud to fly their national flag and in every possibe location , why are we not the same, whats the point of having a flag poll on your building (tcd) if its only used on certain occassions!

The SU held a referendum a couple of weeks ago to beg/force/coerce college authorities to fly the flag over Trinity. The referendum was passed by a significant majority so I guess now we just wait and see if it actually achieves anything.

And to answer your question, no, I don't think it's because TCD is afraid to fly the flag that it's not done. That might have made sense oh, 70 years ago, but doesn't seem remotely relevant now. It's not out of laziness either (seriously, how lazy would you have to be to not want to run a flag up a flagpole?!) As someone has already pointed out, the flag is only flown on certain occasions to signify the importance of the event, as per current college regulations.

Stargal

From blogorrah.ie

FOB LosStallionPumpido writes:

G'day Blogorrah, I just thought i'd drop you a line to alert you to the story of the century, nay the millenium. As of today (or at least quite recently) the Irish tricolour is flying proudly over the illustrious Trinity College Dublin, the supposed last bastion of British rule in Ireland. This gesture, 415 years in the making, completely overshadows ****ing Adams and Paisley having a little sissy chat in Stormont. It also represents something of a posthumous vindication for one Charles J. Haughey. Legend has that while in his UCD days up on Earlsfort Terrace, 'Spiderman' Haughey and a couple of Republican buds attempted to climb to the roof of Trinity and change history themselves. This apparently led to a Garda caution for the one they called The Boss (but wasn't Bruce Springsteen). With the flag now flying, Charlie's work on earth is surely complete and he can now leave purgatory. Which way he's headed from there is surely a matter of opinion. Altogether now: God save our gracious... I mean, Sinne Fianna etc...

Update from Blogorrah: The tricolour is always flown over the college every time a visiting head of state drops in to see the Book of Kells - in this case it was the President of Slovakia. LosStallionPumpido - you're fired.

europerson

Beechman wrote:

you will see they are proud to fly their national flag and in every possibe location

I don't know about you, but I always find that immensely disrepectful to flags.

shay_562

I don't know about you, but I always find that immensely disrepectful to flags.

Exactly. While not quite as bad as people writing on the flag to wave it around at concerts and football matches (and generally rolling it up into a ball and letting it trail on the ground the rest of the time), it's still a mark of disrespect to lash the flag up wherever it'll fit just to prove to yourself that, yes, you are in fact still living in the same country. I'm kinda confused by the concept of displaying nationalist pride by reducing the cache and gravitas attached to a nationalist symbol, but then, I find that most nationalistic arguments go over my head.