Orange and Green (The Irish Flag)

From The Irish Fireside, Volume 1, Number 8, August 20, 1883

It is an unfounded though very common belief that green is the national colour of Ireland. Green was never heard of as a national or a party colour till 1798, when the United Irishmen adopted it for the following reason:--

The ancient flag of Ireland was a golden harp on a dark blue background, as now depicted or emblazoned in the Irish quarter, the third of the Royal Standard; and the revolutionary leaders, being anxious to unite together all classes of Irishmen, and to join the orangemen to the rest of their fellow-countrymen, adopted green as their distinguishing colour, which is of course produced by mixing orange and blue.

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