Flag of Ireland
Locally Éire
What the flag looks like
Three equal vertical stripes of green, white and orange from the hoist.
What it means
Green represents the Gaelic tradition, orange the supporters of William of Orange, and white the lasting peace between them.
How to remember it
Ireland
runs green-white-orange from the flagpole, green like its fields first; Ivory Coast
reverses it to orange-white-green, and Italy
uses red instead of orange.
Fun facts
- Thomas Francis Meagher first unveiled the tricolor in 1848, inspired by the French flag.
- It was flown over the General Post Office in Dublin during the Easter Rising of 1916.
Ireland at a glance
- Capital
- Dublin
- Region
- Northern Europe
- Population
- 5.4 million
- Area
- 70,273 km²
- Languages
- English, Irish
- Currency
- Euro (€)
- Flag adopted
- 1937
Flags often confused with Ireland
- Ivory Coast: Ivory Coast and Ireland are both vertical orange, white and green. Ivory Coast has orange at the hoist (left); Ireland has green at the hoist.
- Italy: Ireland and Italy both have vertical stripes starting green, then white. The last stripe differs: orange for Ireland, red for Italy.
- India: Ireland and India both use green, white and orange. Ireland's stripes are vertical with green at the hoist; India's are horizontal with saffron on top and a blue wheel in the center.
- Mexico: Ireland and Mexico both have vertical stripes starting green, then white. Ireland ends with orange and is plain; Mexico ends with red and has an eagle in the center.