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Child Item

Taking back the tri-colour

Mr Magnolia

Growing up in the 80s and 90s in a border county very often visiting the North where my mam's family still hail from, the tri-colour had different connotations. Many kerbs were, and still are, blue white and red or green white and orange. Certainly after the ceasefire the tri-colour, to me, has been hi-jacked by subversives.

Do people from other areas of the country feel the same? Should there be some sort of effort to positively promote the flag that I am proud of?

I'd love to fly it from my window at Easter for example but refrain from doing so because of the baggage that's attached and I am of a republican leaning - even to say that has me uneasy about how such a statement could be interpreted...

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Cilldara_2000

Why are you proud of a particular arrangement of colours on a piece of fabric?

Edit: Also I don't generally think people are ashamed of it etc. I see plenty of cars with a tricolours around St Patrick's day or when one the national teams is playing (far more common for the rugby these days). I also see the occasional house with it flying. Maybe the people are republicans but I know for a fact that they're not all SF republicans.

[Deleted User]

Cilldara_2000 wrote: »

Why are you proud of a particular arrangement of colours on a piece of fabric?

Flegs!

Damien360

I honestly believe that used to be the prevailing attitude of fear of flying our own flag just in case someone thought you were a RA head. I’d lump Celtic shirts in with that.

The big change for me was Jacks army. Their travels for the World Cup all those years ago had the entire country flying the flag proudly. That changed attitudes to the flag and allowed us as a nation to take it back from the loons north of the border.

I have a close neighbour that put up a flag pole outside his home in the housing estate and flys the flag daily. I love it. Thought he was stone mad at the time but the yanks do similar for the Stars and Stripes without anyone batting an eyelid, so why not.

John_Rambo

I was in the sea scouts as a kid in Dublin where we were thought flag etiquette and how to respect and treat our national flag. It was only when I got older I learned that some people misconstrue it's meaning and I can see the issues with displaying our national flag around the border.

It's a shame, I think it's a bigger shame when people see something other than our national flag when it's flown.

I love seeing the giant French tricolour being flown under the arc de triomphe and think we should be equally proud of our tricolour. Thankfully, there doesn't seem to be much shame or hesitance in most parts of the country.

Cilldara_2000

Damien360 wrote: »

I honestly believe that used to be the prevailing attitude of fear of flying our own flag just in case someone thought you were a RA head. I’d lump Celtic shirts in with that.

The big change for me was Jacks army. Their travels for the World Cup all those years ago had the entire country flying the flag proudly. That changed attitudes to the flag and allowed us as a nation to take it back from the loons north of the border.

I have a close neighbour that put up a flag pole outside his home in the housing estate and flys the flag daily. I love it. Thought he was stone mad at the time but the yanks do similar for the Stars and Stripes without anyone batting an eyelid, so why not.

This recent revisionism that Big Jack reclaimed the tricolour for all the nice Southern pacifists gets on my goat.

It never needed reclaiming, it's just that there was literally nothing to celebrate and no good reason to go around waving it in holy Catholic Ireland before Big Jack came along.

corner of hells

John_Rambo wrote: »

I was in the sea scouts as a kid in Dublin where we were thought flag etiquette and how to respect and treat our national flag. It was only when I got older I learned that some people misconstrue it's meaning and I can see the issues with displaying our national flag around the border.

It's a shame, I think it's a bigger shame when people see something other than our national flag when it's flown.

I love seeing the giant French tricolour being flown under the arc de triomphe and think we should be equally proud of our tricolour. Thankfully, there doesn't seem to be much shame or hesitance in most parts of the country.

Sea scouts? How do ya put a tent up in the sea ?

Silentcorner

Cilldara_2000 wrote: »

This recent revisionism that Big Jack reclaimed the tricolour for all the nice Southern pacifists gets on my goat.

It never needed reclaiming, it's just that there was literally nothing to celebrate and no good reason to go around waving it in holy Catholic Ireland before Big Jack came along.

This.

It really annoys me as well.

I've seen it in recent documentaries, normally by people who would never have set foot in a football stadium...

The Jack years were the first major national bandwagon and everyone got on board....something we do well in this country...but there were plenty of tri colours at international football matches long before, there were just much smaller crowds and tv audiences...

If we do one thing well in this country it is spoof!!!

[Deleted User]

John_Rambo wrote: »

I love seeing the giant French tricolour being flown under the arc de triomphe and think we should be equally proud of our tricolour. Thankfully, there doesn't seem to be much shame or hesitance in most parts of the country.

Agreed. I love seeing the French flag flying in Paris. It’s terrific to see more Irish people embracing the tricolor and flying the flag outside their homes. Always makes me smile seeing it.

I used to live in Germany. It was tragic to see how reluctant they were to fly the flag. Now given their history, that reticence is understandable, but I always felt sad seeing a people so divorced from their national symbology. Thankfully, it’s becoming slightly less taboo in recent years.

Cluedo Monopoly

Being totally honest I think the Irish flag is extremely bland/boring. So non distinctive.
Way to similar to the Ivory Coast. India has the same colours. Even Italian/Mexican flags look Irish when the red starts to fade.

I would love a really distinctive flag like USA, Albania, Vietnam, Malawi, Japan etc

Even a harp on a green background would be so much better.

whisky_galore

When I see someone carrying a tricolour on the street these days its invariably an antivax contrarian nutter.

John_Rambo

Cluedo Monopoly wrote: »

Being totally honest I think the Irish flag is extremely bland/boring. So non distinctive.
Way to similar to the Ivory Coast. India has the same colours. Even Italian/Mexican flags look Irish when the red starts to fade.

I would love a really distinctive flag like USA, Albania, Vietnam, Malawi, Japan etc

Even a harp on a green background would be so much better.

It's cool. Presented to us by a group of French women! But, yeah, those flags you mention are beautiful, as is the Union Jack! Great designs.

Cluedo Monopoly

John_Rambo wrote: »

It's cool. Presented to us by a group of French women! But, yeah, those flags you mention are beautiful, as is the Union Jack! Great designs.

Yes in 1848 to Meagher of the Sword.

The white in the centre signifies a lasting truce between Orange and Green and I trust that beneath its folds the hands of Irish Protestants and Irish Catholics may be clasped in generous and heroic brotherhood.

That worked out well.

John_Rambo

corner of hells wrote: »

Sea scouts? How do ya put a tent up in the sea ?

Usually on a raft that the sea scouts build, otherwise on Islands or riversides.

Cluedo Monopoly

Damien360 wrote: »

Thought he was stone mad at the time but the yanks do similar for the Stars and Stripes without anyone batting an eyelid, so why not.

The Yanks went mad for flags outside their homes after 9-11 and during the 2nd Gulf War. It got out of hand for a while where neighbours started questioning and accusing neighbours that did not have a giant US flag outside their house.

I am avid reader of history but I also recognise the dangers and shallowness of nationalism.

Cilldara_2000

Cluedo Monopoly wrote: »

The Yanks went mad for flags outside their homes after 9-11 and during the 2nd Gulf War. It got out of hand for a while where neighbours started questioning and accusing neighbours that did not have a giant US flag outside their house.

I am avid reader of history but I also recognise the dangers and shallowness of nationalism.

Agreed. This apparent wish for people to be chest thumping, flag waving chauvinists who are proud of national symbols is a dark road to narrow nationalism and thinking you're better than other people because of the chance of where you were born.

Pherekydes

Is it the Irish tricolour we're talking about?

jam_mac_jam

It's fine on government buildings the way that the French do. In your garden not so much. It's just a bit too nationalistic for me. I mean why would you. It's a bit weird.

osarusan

I always wonder what the idea is behind the display of flags in private homes/gardens. You see it a lot in the USA, and increasingly (jingoistically?) in the UK.

I mean, what's it for? Who's it aimed at? Almost everybody around you will be the same nationality.

Here (apart from NI obviously), flying the flag is limited to govt buildings and cultural institutions and the likes (apart from St. Patrick's Day), and I'm happy enough with that.

We seem content enough in our identity not to feel the need to fly the flag all the time.

And we were crap enough at international sports for long enough that we didn't get so many chances to fly it on those kinds of occasions.

[Deleted User]

jam_mac_jam wrote: »

It's fine on government buildings the way that the French do. In your garden not so much. It's just a bit too nationalistic for me. I mean why would you. It's a bit weird.

The French also display the figure of Marianne, the symbol of the French Republic, in all public buildings. I think it’s beautiful.

Don’t see anything weird about people hoisting the tricolor in their gardens. It’s nice to see people that people feel attached to their identity in an increasingly globalized world.

[Deleted User]

Cluedo Monopoly wrote: »

Yes in 1848 to Meagher of the Sword.

That worked out well.

Shame it's unproven

Strumms

No problem with somebody flying the flag of their country.. for whatever reason they choose .. time to start worrying is the day you can’t... or even people suggesting you shouldn’t..

Dr. Bre

It’s our national anthem that needs changing - so boring compared to others

whisky_galore

Hamachi wrote: »

The French also display the figure of Marianne, the symbol of the French Republic, in all public buildings. I think it’s beautiful.

Don’t see anything weird about people hoisting the tricolor in their gardens. It’s nice to see people that people feel attached to their identity in an increasingly globalized world.

You live in Ireland and you're irish surrounded by lots of other Irish people.
It's not as if your neighbours don't know you're Irish. Bit pointless.

Manach

In the context of taking back anything why? It is part of a social malaise of the more liberal classes that seem to find anything to do with aspects of Irish nationalism and traditions too common to engage with. However alot of people just ignore them at this stage and continue to value the flag as a marker of nationhood.

[Deleted User]

whisky_galore wrote: »

You live in Ireland and you're irish surrounded by lots of other Irish people.
It's not as if your neighbours don't know you're Irish. Bit pointless.

Would I fly the flag in my garden, probably not. If others choose to do so, that’s their business.

It’s lovely to see them express a facet of their identity they believe to be important. It’s wonderful that we live in a country where they are free to express that attachment to part of their identity.

BingCrosbee

I agree with you. The tricolour has been hijacked by subversives and vermin. I always fly it outside my gate for St. Patrick’s Day and the for Easter Sunday. I invited my friend, the local Garda Superintendent, for dinner on Easter Monday and he made a comment regarding the flag and I had to explain my reasons were purely historic and proud and I have no political affiliations. It is a sad situation really.

quokula

Cluedo Monopoly wrote: »

The Yanks went mad for flags outside their homes after 9-11 and during the 2nd Gulf War. It got out of hand for a while where neighbours started questioning and accusing neighbours that did not have a giant US flag outside their house.

I am avid reader of history but I also recognise the dangers and shallowness of nationalism.

A friend of mine bought a house in the US, and there was a flag already up in the garden when he moved in. He hates it, but he's also afraid to remove it in case of backlash from neighbours. Their obsession with it is bizarre. I'd hate for Ireland to get that way.

[Deleted User]

Cluedo Monopoly wrote: »

Being totally honest I think the Irish flag is extremely bland/boring. So non distinctive.
Way to similar to the Ivory Coast. India has the same colours. Even Italian/Mexican flags look Irish when the red starts to fade.

I would love a really distinctive flag like USA, Albania, Vietnam, Malawi, Japan etc

Even a harp on a green background would be so much better.

We predated the Ivory Coast and India.

You are not wrong though. Tricolours are boring. France is the exception as the first one.

The old harp flag would be nice.

Strumms

Yep, our flag was first..Current flag would look better with the harp in the middle, more distinctive.

Your Face

We were thought in school that our tricolour was symbolic of the aspiration for unity between people of different traditions.
That is what it means to me, so I like seeing it flying high.
I do see the OPs point though, a lot of our national symbols have be misappropriated by the the angry self-hating gimps of the left and right.