The History Teachers’ Association
The story of our flag offers us a treasure trove of classroom content, writes Deirdre MacMathúna
It was intended that it would be a symbol of peace and unity. But the study of Irish history has shown that, for some, it became a symbol for violence and disunity.
‘IRISHMEN AND IRISHWOMEN: In the name of God and of the dead generations from which she receives her old tradition of nationhood, Ireland, through us, summons her children to her flag and strikes for her freedom.’ (1)
The opening lines of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic was a statement by the insurgents of the 1916 Rising asserting their right to national freedom and sovereignty. The flag was used as a unifying symbol whose aim was to embrace and cherish all Irishmen and Irishwomen as citizens of the
Island of Ireland. It was intended that it would be a symbol of peace and unity. But the study of Irish history has shown that, for some, it became a symbol for violence and disunity. Therefore, the study of the history and legacy of the Irish flag and Thomas F. Meagher who presented it to the Irish people in 1848 provides an opportunity for students to explore and forge links to the Republican Tradition of the 18th century right through to the present day. Teachers can avail of a wide variety of sources that have become available thanks to the vast array of projects and events that have come about in this Decade of Commemorations . Working with evidence will help students develop a sense of historical consciousness and enhance their experience of exploring the past by viewing people, issues and events in their historical context.
The story of the Irish flag provides a narrative of a sequence of events in Irish, European and American history that can be explored in the classroom in a multifaceted way.
1. Chronology: The History of Revolutionary Movements: 1798-1916
Students can be introduced to the origins of the physical force movement in Irish history from the United Irishmen of 1798, to the rise of Nationalism and the Young Irelanders in 1848, the Fenians in 1867 and right up to the IRB and the 1916 Rising in 20th century.
Students can be guided through the sequence of events that preceded Thomas Meagher and influenced him in his actions to become a member of the Young Ireland Movement. They will be given the skills to contextualize his actions and trace the emergence of the flag as a national symbol that has resonated through time and subsequently became a centerpiece of the formal address of President John .F Kennedy to the combined Houses of the Oireachtas in 1963.
2. The Vocabulary of History
Like all academic subjects, there is a specific vocabulary associated with the discipline of History. Teachers will be able to explore key concepts and phrases such as Primary and Secondary sources; objective and subjective; Bias; Prejudice; Propaganda; Republicanism; Nationalism. As a result, students will be engaging in the skills of the historian in an informed and productive way.
Key phrases used in the assessment of students’ work include some of the following adverbs:
Evaluate-Examine-Explore-Identify-Illustrate-Investigate. By working with evidence be it a diary, a newspaper or a painting, students will be introduced to the job of the historian including how he/she finds evidence to form historical judgments.
3. Key Personalities
Thomas F. Meagher was described by Arthur Griffith as: ‘Chivalrous, eloquent, generous, ardent and handsome, he inspired personal affection and public trust.’ (2)
And on his political speeches Griffith said the following:
‘They are the authentic and eloquent voice of Irish Nationalism’. (3)
A special study could focus on the life and times of Thomas F. Meagher who was a lawyer, rebel, soldier, writer, journalist and politician and whose life embraced three continents (Europe, Australia and America) all in the space of 44 years.
This topic could be approached by the study of the life and times of other famous people in History from Wolfe Tone in the 18th century up to Patrick Pearse in the 20th. The journey of the flag in Irish history touches upon the lives of Charles Gavan Duffy, Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa, Countess Markievicz and Terence Mac Swiney to name but a few.
Students could also be encouraged to research a local history project by investigating key figures in their own area who were connected with the revolutionary movement.
4. Links
A study of the life of Thomas F. Meagher would include his role in the Irish Brigade in the American Civil War in 1860s. This in turn could forge a link overtime with the visit of JFK to Ireland a hundred years later when he celebrated the significance of Meagher, the role of the Irish in that civil war and emphasised the huge emotional connection that links the Irish to America which was embodied in the Irish flag.
5. The Flag – A Reflection
‘…a national flag is the most sacred thing a nation can possess…’ Discuss. The Scoilnet website has an excellent presentation by Dr. Pat Callan on the origins of the flag. It also explains the various protocols associated with this symbol of nationhood. An appreciation of these protocols will provide students with the opportunity to reflect on its history, its symbolism and its role in our 21st century republic. The recent commemorative ceremonies of the 1916 Rising in schools all over Ireland allowed students and communities to witness at first hand the unifying experience of the flag. However, the flag also has a history of division. The historian Eamon Phoenix has observed that Ireland north and south may have a shared history, but not a shared memory. As President of Ireland, Mary Mc Aleese also observed that:
‘The Flag is a statement of intent. It holds aloft our aspiration to be a peaceful country where all traditions are respected and reconciled.’
The controversy surrounding the flying of flags over Stormont in the 21st century is a potent example of the divisive nature of national symbols.
There has also been a renaissance of the display of the flag at sporting venues, concerts and other social events. Reflections on the flag will provoke students into re-examining their past, their own concept of identity and to raise awareness of the diversity of people that attach themselves to the flag and its vision.
1. The Proclamation of the Irish Republic. 1916
2. Arthur Griffith, ‘Meagher of the Sword’. (M.H. Gill & Son, LTD. 1916)
3. Ibid, vi.
*The author is President of the History Teachers’ Association of Ireland, a history teacher and school archivist at Dominican College, Muckross Park, Donnybrook, Dublin.