What Are the National Symbols of Ireland?
There are five national symbols of Ireland, which are the tricolor flag, harp, shamrock, Celtic cross and the Claddagh ring. The main symbol, being the tricolor flag, was created in 1848 by Thomas Francis Meagher. The white color represents peace, the green represents the Irish people and the orange represents English supporters of “William of Orange.”
The Irish harp became a symbol in the 1500s when Ireland was ruled by Henry VIII. The shamrock was adopted during ancient times and was thought to possess magical powers. The Claddagh ring is believed to have made its first appearance in a fishing village named Claddagh village of Galway. Finally, the Celtic cross began appearing as large stone monuments in the eighth century, often bearing Christian inscriptions.
