It’s time to ‘summon children’ to fly flag of peace and unity with pride

AT DIFFERENT times during our nation’s history, the flag has meant different things to different people. The Army holds a special reverence for the flag, and builds huge ceremony around it, including the successful and significant ‘Flags for School’ presentation nationwide in 2016.

The images of a sea of tricolours at Italia ’90 will never be forgotten. The flag will mean different things to a recent émigré in Australia than it will to a fourth-generation Irish-Bostonian.

Essentially, the symbolism of the flag is a constantly changing relationship between the citizen and the symbol.

The nature of the relationship changes over time.

In modern Ireland, what is the importance and meaning of the flag to a young child who may consider themselves a citizen of a digital tribe, long before they understand the concept of a nation or, indeed, its flag?

My belief is that our flag is based on a universal truth that is always relevant to every Irish citizen and those who consider themselves Irish.

Thankfully, the Irish flag has no borders. Its essential message of unity between groups allows anyone in, no hard border, no tariffs.

Imagine 100 years from now, to a time when Catholic and Protestant groups exist on the island, living the message of our flag; a message of unity between people will still be as important as it is today.

It is such an important message, particularly in today’s divisive world where community is atomised and online, dispersed across the world by global technology companies.

It’s my belief that the Irish Government should devote much more energy into communicating the message of our flag to our young people, firstly. Our flag is a symbol of peace between communities on this island, as described in the words of its creator, Thomas F Meagher: “The white in the centre signifies a lasting truce between the orange and the green, and I trust that beneath its folds the hands of the Irish Protestant and the Irish Catholic may be clasped, in generous and heroic brotherhood.”

In today’s Ireland, it is not just religion that often is seen to divide us and create barriers. It is also class structure, nationality and gender.

That is why the Thomas F Meagher Foundation I co-founded with Church of Ireland reverend Michael Cavanagh works with schoolchildren throughout Ireland in encouraging the young people of Ireland, irrespective of ethnicity, creed or gender, to work together under the Irish tricolour and live its message of peace and unity.

This flag is a great way to be inclusive and to welcome others into our nation physically, culturally and spiritually.

The foundation sends free fundraising packs to schools, which include lapel pins in English and Irish which they then sell on ‘flag day’ – the eve of St Patrick’s Day.

This gives them the chance to raise money for causes of their own choosing, learn more about their society, and take ownership of the flag, making it a positive symbol and one they are proud of, and strive to achieve their aims under. Through the generosity of Kerry Group, a scholarship programme has been established for those students who are active on ‘flag day’ and in their community.

Some 170 years on from its first flying by Meagher, the time has now finally arrived to give a permanent home to tell the story of the Irish