Irish Four Province Flag

The Four Provinces provincial flag is an unofficial Irish flag bearing the arms Ireland’s four provincial arms. . Each dates back to the 17th century, but like the provincial boundaries serve no official purpose. The provincial boundaries predate the establishment of the Irish Republic and as such include territories of both Ireland’s in their boundaries.

The Four Provinces Flag is often flown as an alternate national flag. It consists of four quarters each with the flag of an Irish Province. Clockwise from the hoist, these include Ulster, Munster, Connacht, and Leinster. The Ulster flag combines the emblems of the O'Neill’s of Tyrone (the red hand), and of de Burgo, the last Earl of Ulster (a red cross on a gold field).

Three gold crowns on a blue field served as Ireland’s arms prior to being replaced by a harp in the 16th century. On the Munster flag, the crowns are believed to represent the province’s three most powerful medieval Lordships, the O’Brien’s, the Butlers and the Fitzgerald’s.

The Green Flag served unofficially as Ireland’s national flag from 1798 until early in the 20th century. It bore a gold harp on a blue field since the 16th century until replaced by a green field by the United Irishmen to symbolize revolution in the late 18th century. In addition to to the province of Leinster, the Green Flag is also serves as the Irish Naval Service Jack.

The flag of Connacht believed to originate from the the arms and sword of the O' Connor clan who ruled the area before the Norman invasion. The black eagle is believed to represent the Brown’s who were a Celtic tribe in Galway city. A symbol of Anglo-Gaelic unity in the 17th century.