On this page we will try to get to know you better. State symbols of Ireland. It is very difficult to overestimate the importance of these symbols. They surround the inhabitants of the Emerald Isle daily and can be found almost anywhere.
Souvenir badge from County Donegal 1950.
Well-Known Irish Symbols
To dot the i's, it is necessary to clarify that the Irish island is divided into two states: Northern Ireland (part of the UK) and the Republic of Ireland. All of the following symbols are related exclusively to the independent Republic of Ireland.
Symbols, which are directly related to Ireland:
- The national flag of the country;
- Harp;
- Clover (shamrock or shamrock);
- Celtic cross;
- Claddagh ring.
We examined the Irish flag in detail in our article ““. Anyone who needs a photo national flag Emerald Isle, can find it in other material ““.
Celtic harp - the national symbol of Ireland in photographs
The harp first appeared on Irish coins in the early 1500s. These were the reigns Henry VIII. Since then, the Celtic harp has been used as state symbol Ireland. It can be found on official stamps and forms, on postage stamps and banknotes. Even the famous glass of dark Guinness beer is adorned with a golden Harp symbol.
The emblem of the Celtic harp is applied to Irish coins on the reverse side.
We drink Guinness beer and see the Irish symbol. The Irish are so proud of their harp symbol that they decided to use it in the design of one of the bridges in Dublin.
Samuel Beckett Bridge on the River Liffey in Ireland's capital Symbol of Ireland: Maple or clover
On some forums, you can find a question like: “Maple or clover - which of them can be attributed to the symbols of Ireland?”. Of course it's clover. Maple has nothing to do with Ireland.
Most often, clover can be found on. Each cheek of the parade participant is decorated with a green shamrock.
Even in ancient Ireland, it was believed that the shamrock clover has magical power. And the number 3 was considered the number with magic power. Legends said that if the clover petals were straightened during a storm, not a single snake would be able to disappear onto the island.
Saint Patrick also used the clover symbol during his church teachings. The very word " shamrock” came from the Irish “seamrog”, which means “summer plant”.
Souvenir badge from Ireland of the 1920s with the image of emblems - a harp and a clover. 
And here is a souvenir badge from the 1980s, symbolizing friendship, with the image of Claddagh and clover. Posted by
The western neighbor of Great Britain has been fighting for its independence for too long, which is why it can be proud that the symbol on its main emblem has ancient roots. The modern emblem of Ireland was approved in November 1945, but the golden harp, which occupies a central place, has been used by the Irish in official documents and heraldry for centuries.
Symbol of free Ireland
Many art connoisseurs rate the coat of arms of Ireland as a masterpiece. artistic thought, the depth of the idea and the simplicity of implementation are so striking. Three colors were chosen for the main symbol of the country:
- gold for the image of a harp;
- silver with which the strings are painted;
- azure - saturated Blue colour for the field.
Each of these colors is loved by the monarchs of all countries and continents, on the coats of arms of many modern states world, you can see one or another tone, or a combination of them.
Musical symbol of the country
Choice of harp, seemingly ordinary musical instrument, is explained by deep traditions and one of the most ancient Irish legends. In addition, by choosing it as the main state emblem, Ireland thus stood out among all the countries of the planet. Not a single musical instrument - not a single coat of arms.
The first harp was a gift from the gods to Dagde, the earthly ruler of Ireland, after which it was stolen by evil deities, but was found and returned to its owner by representatives of light and the sun. As a symbol of Ireland, it has been known since the 13th century. The mission of the harp is not only beautiful music that inspires deeds for the sake of the country, its meaning for every Irishman is much greater.
First, she was the head of the Irish orchestra. No wonder archaeologists still find tools or their fragments during excavations, the most ancient of them are 500-600 years old.
Secondly, famous monarchs John and Edward I decorated Irish coins with the image of a harp. Already in 1541, after the formation of the Kingdom of Ireland under the leadership of Henry I of Ireland, it became a symbol of the country and also appeared on local currency.
After the unification of the three states - England, Scotland and Ireland - the harp took its rightful place on one of the fields of the shield of the United Kingdom, and from there went to roam on other emblems derived from the main symbol of the country.
Modern independent Ireland remains faithful to its traditions and coat of arms, the image of which can be seen on official documents, seals, coins and banknotes. It is also used by the president and the government of the country.
In order to make it a little clearer to you why exactly the three-leaf clover became a symbol Northern Ireland, you need to get to know another no less, and even more important character- Saint Patrick.
British Afro-Irish
Behind many symbols are odious figures. Northern Ireland is no exception.
Born and raised Patrick in Roman Britain in the town of Bannavem. By historical information we are talking about one of the provinces during the reign of the Roman Empire in the British Isles.
The young man grew up a normal person, without special divine prerequisites and aspirations to know the spirituality of everything and everyone. Perhaps it would have been so if not for his captivity and subsequent slavery in Northern Ireland. The young man could not endure the hardships of deprivation for a long time and fled. I must say that it was not very successful, because he was captured and again the fetters of bondage could not keep him.
Believing that divine guidance had helped him, Patrick decided to take the priesthood. And he began to preach in Ireland about the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. And here on the stage is the same shamrock. Three leaves - three hypostases of God. Saint Patrick found something in common in this and, using the example of a three-leaf clover, explained the role of the Divine Trinity.
Today you can see images in which this plant is in hand. It is customary to portray him in this way. Even on a holiday, when the saint is honored, it is customary to dress in green clothes, arrange cheerful musical events, generously treat friends and wear crosses made of paper or fabric on clothes. Interestingly, earlier on that day, all drinking establishments were closed all over Ireland. But the holiday cannot be banned, and the authorities eventually allowed the tradition to all true Irish people.
And why he is an African, it becomes clear when you find out that in Nigeria he is revered no less than in Ireland.
Truth and fiction
Not everything is true that is generally accepted. The shamrock has its defenders and opponents.
Not all historians share the role of the shamrock in Patrick's sermons in Northern Ireland. In the writings of the saint there is no indication of such facts. Therefore, it is generally accepted that clover is to some extent a fiction that does not correspond to reality.
However, the shamrock has become popular, and it is one of the main symbols of Northern Ireland, along with St. Patrick himself, a special Celtic harp, a white flag crossed out with red stripes, and many others. As it is impossible to imagine without a tricolor flag, so it is impossible to imagine a modern Irishman without three green leaves of this simple plant, which played such a significant role in spreading faith in God.
Irish Shamrock, a three-leaf clover identified in 1893 by the Irish naturalist Nathaniel Colgan as a species of Trifolium repens (creeping clover or white clover or Dutch clover).
The shamrock was generally thought to be a clover, from the Gaelic word "seamrog" (small clover, from seamair clover) and English word"shamrock" is the most phonetically close rendering of the Irish equivalent. However, the botanical world is not so sure that this is the case, and the debate has been on the options where some candidates for the shamrock symbol are not even classified as clover. To be sure, the confusion is partly due to the different artistic depictions of the Celts over the centuries.
According to the Survey of the Irish (1988) by botanist Charles Nelson:
- 46 percent think the shamrock is trifolium dubium(dubious clover - lesser shamrock)
- 35 percent- trifolium repens(be blue clover)
- seven percent - medicap lupulina(black alfalfa)
- five percent - oxalis acetosella(Oxygen common in the people hare cabbage or cuckoo clover)
- four percent - trifolium pratense(Red clover)
It goes without saying that the rumor that the Irish shamrock can only grow on Irish soil is a myth. The three-leaf clover grows all over the world, from Tasmania to South Africa, from North America to England. Just in different places it has a different name.
But oddly enough, Charles Nelson argues that the shamrock "exists" only on St. Patrick's Day, and a day later it is already known as a young clover.
The symbol of Ireland, recognized throughout the world, in most cases is aimed specifically at tourists, since the shamrock is the emblem of the Irish Tourism Board, Failte Ireland (Failte - Welcome). However, without a doubt, the shamrock symbol in Ireland can be seen on almost everything, from the tails of Aer Lingus aircraft to lampposts in Dublin.
Many tourists in Ireland believe that the leaf of a humble plant is official symbol Ireland and has a higher status than the Gaelic harp (Ireland's coat of arms).
But in any case, the shamrock has some legal protection. According to the 1996 law on trademarks, use of the shamrock symbol is limited to goods and services of Irish origin. Only the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor can consider requests for the use of the symbol.
A live clover leaf is traditionally worn on the lapel of a garment on St. Patrick's Day. In times past, the Irish were overwhelmed with pride when they pinned the plant to their clothes. And before going to bed, it was customary to dip a leaf in a drink and throw it over the left shoulder before drinking "Patrick's bowler". In modern days, this tradition is gradually fading away, but the invention of "tea" bags with clover leaves supports the export of shamrocks around the world.
The first to pave the way for the shamrock to glory were the Celtic Druids, who believed that the number three had mystical powers. There is no reliable information about why they were sure of this, perhaps the number three personified the past, present and future, or underworld, earth and heaven.
Whatever the meaning that the Celts attached to the number, everything is quite clearly expressed in artistic symbolism. Three-faced faces, trixels, trixels often appear on ancient images. The organization of Celtic society was based on a magic number - three social class, three colors, three main deities. And it is not surprising that in such a "three-digit" atmosphere they began to revere the plant with its three leaves, the creation of nature itself.
Saint Patrick, intending to convert the Celts to Christianity, was well aware of their reverence for the number three and, according to legend, used a clover leaf to illustrate the Christian dogma of the Trinity, and explained its essence - about God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
True, the described story of a fifth-century saint who initiated the Celts in Christian doctrine using a shamrock, has no historical evidence and not supported by handwritten documents. Historians testify that the first written references to "shamrocks" appeared around the beginning of the 18th century, 1,200 years after the death of St. Patrick. The story was recorded in 1726 in a book on the wild plants of Ireland written by a Protestant cleric (Caleb Threlkeld Synopsis Stirpium Hibernicarum. The first Essay of the kind in the Kingdom of Ireland, Dublin, 1727). He drew attention to the fact that the Irish wear bunches of white clover leaves on their hats on March 17, St. Patrick's Day, and spoke about the established tradition, the shamrock, as a symbol of the Holy Trinity.
But by that time, the Irish had indeed adopted the shamrock as a symbol, it appeared on medieval tombstones and ancient coins, and a 1681 written account describes the shamrock as an emblem on the lapels of clothes on St. Patrick's Day.
Ella Mikhailenko
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Our article is a kind of digest, the top 5 most popular symbols of ireland.
The three leaf clover is the national symbol of Ireland.
The shamrock is associated with Saint Patrick as it was used by that preacher to explain the Holy Trinity to Irish people who were unaware of Catholicism. Legend tells that Saint Patrick tried to convert King Angus into Christian faith showing a clover and saying that each leaf represents an entity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The whole clover represented God and made it possible to explain that God is present in three persons.
This plant is not only a symbol of Ireland, but is considered a lucky amulet all over the world!
Every March 17th, St. Patrick's Day, the Irish draw their national and religious symbol on their cheeks or attach it to their clothes and holiday hats.
Note: The three-leaf clover is also the emblem of the Irish national rugby team.
Sheep as an amulet
In Ireland, sheep can be found almost everywhere, on the deserted roads of Connemara or near big cities ... These animals have become an integral part of the country. Why are there so many sheep in Ireland? Simply because sheep are thrifty animals, both in care and food, because the peasants can let them graze with complete freedom. Which, by the way, sometimes creates traffic jams on Irish roads. But mostly sheep are financial manna from heaven, as they provide the raw material for the famous Irish pullovers and tweeds.
Plus, the sheep has become a talisman that tourists love to photograph and take away with them, in the form of a souvenir, of course!
Leprechaun and golden cauldron
A character from Irish legends Leprechaun is something like an elf. This is a small creature (90 cm tall, according to official sources) has not too good character and does not allow people to approach him. Those rare lucky ones who saw him say that this stocky naughty man dresses in all green and wears a shoemaker's apron (since this is one of his crafts). It is also said that Leprechauns often abuse their own liquor and smoke pipes.
Don't look for Madame Leprechaun: Leprechaun is always him! In Ireland, the legend of the Leprechaun is accompanied by another symbol: the golden cauldron. The fact is that in Irish folklore this character has a cauldron full of gold coins, which he jealously guards!
Celtic harp
You may have noticed that the Irish euro coins depict a harp - another national symbol of ireland. We are talking about a special instrument called the "Celtic harp", or "Gaelic harp", the origin of which goes back to the Middle Ages. The image of this harp has been used in Irish heraldry since 1922.
Legendary Irish beer Guinness
The last character on our list, but that doesn't mean it's the least popular! Black beer pouring down on St. Patrick's Day National holiday Ireland). It can be found by dark color and the taste of coffee or cocoa. These two characteristics are due to the use of well-roasted beans. Even if there are many brands of Irish beer, Guinness is by far the most famous. Researchers are lost in counting how many pints of this magical drink are drunk by the Irish and everyone else every year on a holiday on March 17th.
House of Ireland and Iceland in ETHNOMIR
Kaluga region, Borovsky district, Petrovo village
Ireland in the ethnographic park-museum "ETNOMIR" is presented in the "Around the World" pavilion on Mira Street, where houses are located one after another different regions planets - only 22 houses from Europe, USA and Canada. in ETHNOMIR is an opportunity to get acquainted with the culture of the country, to understand and feel its uniqueness.
And in the fall, ETHNOMIR hosts the Festival of European Countries: mimes, street performers, acrobats and musicians are everywhere, traditional entertainment for the Old World - when everyone is happy, faces are lit up with smiles and the soul sings! And of course, frequent guests concert program the park are groups performing Irish folk dances.
