BRATACHA 2013

[Gulliver]

The following press release was issued today:-

Bratacha 2013
Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Ireland

PRESS RELEASE – July 17th 2012

Ireland’s first ever international symposium on the history, heritage and culture of flags and emblems will be held in Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, in May 2013.

Jointly organised by the Genealogical Society of Ireland and the National Maritime Museum of Ireland, the symposium will open on Europe Day, May 9th and run until Sunday May 11th 2013 and will feature lectures, workshops, exhibitions and public events celebrating the cultural diversity of flags and emblems.

Coinciding with Ireland’s presidency of the European Union, Bratacha 2013, will delve into the history and meaning of the flags and emblems of the member states of the European Union and of the Council of Europe, according to Breasal Ó Caollaí, General Secretary of the newly reopened National Maritime Museum in Dún Laoghaire.

“In a Town with historically strong maritime and naval links to a Harbour with some of the country’s finest yacht clubs and a world-class marina, Bratacha 2013 will showcase this unique heritage in Dún Laoghaire” said Mr. Ó Caollaí.

This inaugural event will also explore Ireland’s heraldic heritage and the use of coats-of-arms today by sporting bodies, schools, colleges, professional bodies, local authorities, clan associations, organisations and companies throughout Ireland.

According to Michael Merrigan, General Secretary of the Genealogical Society of Ireland, “Bratacha 2013 will feature lectures and workshops on themes such as ‘Flags &
Insignia of Battle’, ‘Trades Unions – Banners & Flags of Protest & Syndication’, and aspects of our political history in ‘Flags of Aggression, Rebellion, Dissent, Unity and Reconciliation’ and under the theme ‘Flag Wavers & Followers’ we will explore ways of researching genealogical links with historical events and movements.”

The flags and emblems associated with our rich and varied military history will involve veterans’ organisations, military historians, commemorative organisations and hopefully, members of the Irish Defence Forces, according to Mr. Merrigan.

Mr. Merrigan explained that “Bratacha 2013 will be an opportunity for the development of an interdisciplinary exploration of the history, heritage and culture of flags and emblems involving academics, students, historical societies, trades unions, heraldists, genealogists and our national cultural institutions”.

Bratacha 2013, according to the organisers “aims to bring the fascinatingly colourful and very skilful artistries associated with the design, creation and formal use of flags and emblems to the public through exhibitions, workshops and displays. Bratacha 2013 will be very much a peoples’ celebration of the diverse heritage of flags and emblems”.

Mr. Ó Caollaí said that “a full programme of events is currently in preparation and will be published before the end of the year, possibly on a dedicated website and on Facebook”.

END of Press Release


You heard it here first, folks..... get out your flags and wave them.......

[Micheál]

Thanks for flagging it Gulliver

M.

[Toss]

Great idea, I hope it gets the support it deserves.

[Gulliver]

Vexillology
That's the ology associated with flags.

[spudseamus]

will this post be flagged then?

[Enviro500]

Gang,
I am getting very "VEXED" over all this dosh being spent on flags.......I am blowing away !!!
Enviro500

[spudseamus]

Gang,
I am getting very "VEXED" over all this dosh being spent on flags.......I am blowing away !!!
Enviro500

Must be a sign of the times then!!

[Denis Cromie]

I think having a Flag Day for the event would be very appropriate.

[Micheál]

And they should invite some Poles

[Micheál]

An engineer, a mathematician, and a physicist were standing around the one of the flagpoles in Dun Laoghaire when a carpenter wandered by. “What are you doing?” he asked. “We need to know the height of the flagpole,” said one, “and we’re discussing the formulas we might use to calculate it.” “Watch!” said the chippie. He pulled the pole from its fitting, laid it on the ground, borrowed a tape measure and duly announced “24 feet.” Then he replaced the pole and walked 0n.

“bloody carpenters!” sneered the mathematician, “We ask him for the height, and he gives us the length.”

[Gulliver]

I was down in the harbour yesterday and the place seemed full of flags - there was some type of youth activity which had flags of all nations. The Yacht clubs had a riot of flags flying and there were a few boats with flags. What a wonderful place for a symposium on flags

[Rocker]

Gulliver,

I'm not into sailing but, that is the most exciting event. It took four years of hard slog to get them to come to DunLaoghaire it is the equivalent of the Youth Olympic in sailing. I saw it on Nationwide the other evening. Even the wind and rain were a bonus. The best young sailors in the world are here and it is putting DunLaoghaire on the stage.

Micheál,

I know those four lads..worked with them..but, as the clerk it would be down to me to measure the pole...the others would be too busy pontificating.........

[Sinead]

Gulliver,

As Rocker says an EVENT took place in the harbour, very much an international one. Well done to all who worked, over many years, to get this for The Borough. A friend of mine was 'minder' for the Canadian Team. The teams looked good as they paraded from the Marine Hotel to the Harbour last week proundly marching behind their national flags.

Sinéad

[Denis Cromie]

It was a great international ad for Dun Laoghaire. Congrats to all those involved.

[Micheál]

Beware anyone offering help with this gig who previously worked in Hampden Park at Olympic Ladies Footie.

M.

[grammer]

Ahhhh Micháel
there was/is no flag waving there-or is/was there.

[Gulliver]

Back on topic

I am glad to report that a widespread support for this 3-day event is developing, and includes DLRCOCO
Initially, I had difficulty in considering such an obscure topic as the lynch-pin of an international event, but then when one considers the range of flags and emblems that you meet in everyday life, it is a wide-ranging topic
*--- The country has a national flag and various national symbols - the harp, the shamrock etc, and there is a range of historic flags which purported to represent Ireland in the past - Erin Go Bra flag, Green Harp Flag, De Valera Flag, Fenian flags, Repeal flag, Joseph Holt's Flag, Maid of Erin flag, Meagher's flag, Mitchell's flag, Father Murphy's flag, The 'Green Flag', The Starry Plough, Sons of Erin, St Patrick's Cross, Irish Volunteers, etc.
*--- The various organs of state have their own sets of flags and emblems - Army, Navy, Air Corps, Gardai, and many more state institutions
*--- The various county, city, and urban councils
*--- The GAA creates county and local loyalties through the use of county and club colours - and so does every other sporting body
*--- Trade unions all have invested in flags and banners
*--- Organisations such as the Orange order, AOH, etc are persistent banner carriers
*--- There are coats of arms and flags for many families
And a similar range of flags and banners exist in each country, not to mention the international flags and banners of the United Nations, Red Cross, EU, etc

There are protocols, laws, and traditions associated with each banner and each country

[Rocker]

Gulliver,

I'm warming to the subject too. At first I thought "so what" but it actually could be very good. I remember the first time I went to Brussels after we joined the E.E.C (as it was then) we saw a huge array of flags flying they were huge and hung on tall flag poles and it was so impressive the idea has stayed with me. I must get my friends to search their attics. Remember during the processions each house put out flags they must all be about somewhere. Better get out me sewing machine too to repair them!!

[Micheál]

While were on the subject of Flags, am I the only one who is irriated/frustrated/annoyed/insulted (pick one) at the way people treat our own Tricolour - esp., but not exclusively, at sporting events.

examples

disfigured with Ads and messages (if someone burned the flag, we'd be up in arms. But 5,000 people can spray paint it with details of their favourite pub/club/town and they' are regarded as great ambassadors of their country)
deployed at games not involving, or hosted in, Rep of Ireland (a common error in Rugby circles)
Dirty ragged & not replaced
flying at the same level as other lesser flags
being left out at night.
being used as a Cape (& specially manufactured for this purpose - hood and all)
mounted inversely (orange/white/green)
wrong colours (Green/White/Yellow)
& (my latest irritant) A washing powder company claiming some sort of official appointment to being "proud keeper of the Irish tricolour"

http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/eng/Youth_Zone/About_the_Constitution,_Flag,_Anthem_Harp/The_National_Flag-PDF.pdf

[Gulliver]

We were never taught respect for the national flag when we were young as is done in the US
Very few schools have one
...........How, where, when the flag should be flown
...........How and when it should be raised or lowered
...........How to fly a flag at half-mast

[Micheál]

Just in case this was overlooked at the bottom of my previous post.

http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/eng/Youth_Zone/About_the_Constitution,_Flag,_Anthem_Harp/The_National_Flag-PDF.pdf

[Rocker]

I have to say I came from a family who were very,very fond of our Tricolour. I worked for a large semi-state company and when the older staff retired no one had a idea how to fly our flag. They hung in flitters, 24 hours a day from some of the most important buildings in Dublin. I made it a personal campaign to get them to comply, printing out that document from the Department of the Taoiseach, but, the difficulty I had !!!!. I was seen as a "big Moan", "vert fussy" etc. Their solution - they took the Tricolour off the buildings.

[Strum]

I haven't commented here before, just reading. What an amazing topic it has turned into. Really informative folks thanks all.

BIG respect Rocker!

[Gulliver]

Just in case this was overlooked at the bottom of my previous post.

http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/eng/Youth_Zone/About_the_Constitution,_Flag,_Anthem_Harp/The_National_Flag-PDF.pdf

Micheál
I did not miss that piece - it's an excellent document.... but your earlier post about the Procter & Gamble use of the Tricolour in a commercial left me stunned... and I put a comment to that effect on YouTube. But YouTube is a moderated site, and it seems that the moderator did not accept my comment. It has not seen the light of day

[Micheál]

UK Ariel Ad is different - being GB/NI, they cant specify which precise country -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jipn-MGg0DA