Eclectic
This section overview the location, flags, etc. of present day Celtic lands.
The flag of the Isle of Man features three legs running. This symbol has been in use on the Isle since the 13th century but was not adopted as the official flag until December of 1932. It is a very old symbol but the reason for its use by the Isle of Man is not known. In ancient times it was used as a sun symbol. One aspect of the design is clear. it represents movement and progress.
The Irish Flag has a green vertical stripe on the left, an orange stripe on the right with the two separated by a white stripe in the center. Green has long been associated with Ireland. Its appearance in this flag has to do with those who supported Irish independence, the orange represents the minority who are descended from the supporters of William of Orange, and the white in the center represents the belief that diversity can be accommodated in peace. Naturally, there is more to be said about each of these elements and the flag in general.
The flag below is often referred to as the Lion Rampant of Scotland (rampant having to do with the standing posture of the lion). This flag was adopted around 1222 a.d. and was used by the King of Scotland. These days its official use is for the “Great Offices of State”.
Scotland’s flag has a saltire cross on a blue background. Legend holds that the flag helped King Angus, leading the Picts and Scots against the Angles. During the night St. Andrew (patron saint of Scotland) appeared to Angus and assured him of victory. St. Andrew was martyred on a saltire cross. The next day a white saltire against the blue background of the sky appeared to both sides. It inspired the Picts/Scots and disheartened the Angles leading to Angus’s victory.
The historical record on this dates from 1165 A.D. when the flag is first mentioned vis a vis the 832 A.D. battle referred to in the legend. In 1385 the Scottish Parliament decreed that Scotland’s soldiers incorporate the saltire into their uniforms. By 1540, the flag as it appears above became the universal national symbol of Scotland and is generally considered to be the flag of the people.
The Welsh flag as can be seen below has a red dragon (passant…that is standing) with a white horizontal stripe at the top and a green stripe at the bottom. The red dragon has been associated with Wales since at least the time of the Romans.
However, it was through an association with the Tudors that the red dragon became the essence of the Welsh Flag. In effect, when Henry Tudor’s forces faced Richard III’s forces at Bosworth in 1485 Welsh forces under the Red Dragon were important (critical?) to his victory. Thus, he adopted the flag as a tribute to the Welsh people. One can find more information about these events in Lofmark’s (1995) “A History of the Red Dragon”.
Cornwall’s flag can be seen in the graphic that appears with this entry. The white is thought to represent “tin” and the black represents the “ore” from which tin is processed. Legend has it that St. Piran adopted these colors because he saw the white of tin emerge from black ashes when he discovered tin (this is St. Piran’s flag).
Symbolically, the white of the flag is considered to be the light of truth shinning through the blackness of evil. “Onen hag oll” is Cornwall’s motto. It means “One and all” and is pronounced “owan hag ol”.
Asturias’ flag appears below. The flag has its origin in a battle against the Moors in 722, a victory that led the way to the expulsion of the Moors from this area in Spain. A flag with the Victory Cross (i.e. the one on the flag below) was carried into that battle.
You will also note the Greek Alpha and Omega hanging from the cross. These are references to this passage in the Book of Revelations: “I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end says the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Asturias is located on the northern coast of Spain. It is not generally thought of as a Celic area but it does have a rich Celtic heritage.
Brittany’s flag is one of the few in the world to be colorless (i.e., black and white). It was fashioned in 1923 after the flags of Greece and the United States due to their connection with freedom. The bars represent dioceses in Brittany. The ermine in the corner represents the older ducal tradition. The black bars represent those regions whose language is associated with the use of the French language while the white bars represent regions whose language association is Breton (i.e., gaelic).
In the early 20th century the flag was associated with a drive for freedom and independence from France. However, the flag’s association with the independence movement is weak these days.
The flag depicted below is the state flag of Galicia (an area on the northern coast of Spain). The flag also appears without the crown and shield (just as a single blue bar on a white background). The silver crosses on the shield refer to the seven historic provinces in the region.
Until relatively recently, the flag had a St. Andrews cross on it (similar to Scotland’s flag). However, the cross was so similar to the flag used by the Russian navy it caused confusion so one bar was dropped. The dropping of the bar is understandable but is also unfortunate because the clear connection to other Celtic areas is masked by the appearance of the current flag.
The accompanying map identifies the physical location of seven Celtic.
FYI, Asturias, an area in Spain next to Galacia, is in dispute as a Celtic area but the case seems to fall on the side of it being a largely Celtic area to me.
