• 1169–1801: Flag of Ireland used under English monarchs
• 1801–1922: The United Kingdom's Union Jack used to represent all of Ireland.
• 1848: During the Rebellion, an Irish tricolor with orange over white over green used. Irish Republican Brotherhood (later Sinn Féin) also adopted this flag in the late 19th century.
• 1914–1922: Volunteers of the Irish Volunteers and Irish Citizen Army during the Easter Rising in 1916 used the traditional green over white over orange tricolor. This tricolor continued to be flown by republican paramilitary groups like the Irish Repoublican Army (IRA) and by Irish nationalists generally.
• 1919–1922: During the Irish War of Independence the Irish tricolor emerged as the main Irish national flag to contrast with Union Jack as British authority withdrew from 26 of Ireland's 32 counties. On April 14, 1919 the First Dáil voted in favor of adoption as an official national flag.
• December 6, 1922–Present: Following the Anglo-Irish Treaty agreement on Irish independence the green over white over orange the tricolor retained as national flag of 26 country Irish Free State, later renamed Ireland in 1937.
Meaning Behind Colors:
- Green: Represents the Gaelic or Catholic tradition that emerged in Ireland over two millenniums
- White: Represents peace that Irish hoped British and Irish governments, Irish nationalists and loyalists might achieve.
- Orange: Represents the Orange or Protestant tradition also rooted over many centuries. Originally it included Irish Protestants like the United Irishmen and Irish Presbyterians as well many British people who settled especially in what become Northern Ireland.