Lots of flags around at the moment, some like this are left over from the Jubilee celebrations, others are flying in support of sporting events like the Olympics and the football. The Union Jack is not symmetrical and is often (accidentally) flown upside down, here the folks at the central library are taking no chances and have hung the flag downwards to cover all bases.
The UK flag is made up of the crosses of St George (England), St Andrew (Scotland) and St Patrick (Ireland). Ireland became a member of the United Kingdom after Scotland. If St. Patrick's cross had been centred on the diagonal stripes, then St. Andrew's cross would have been relegated to an inferior position. The solution was to divide the diagonal stripes so that the red St. Patrick's cross would take up only half of each stripe, and the half devoted to St. Andrew would take the place of honour.
Still with me? If so the flag is the right way up if the side next to the flagpole has the thick broad white diagonal stripe above rather than below the red stripe.
Great composition!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you, our neighbors!:)
The Jubilee has happened, the Olympics will surely take place, but I fear the footballers will need all the support they can get! Hope I'm wrong!
ReplyDeleteGoing to be a good game against Italy tomorrow. Not sure who I will support. and thanks for the explanation about the flag.
ReplyDeleteI never noticed that it wasn't symmetrical. No Welsh saint?
ReplyDeleteSt David is the Welsh saint but the Welsh dragon does not appear on the Union Flag. When the first Union Flag was created in 1606 the Principality of Wales was already united with England.
DeleteI don't know that I followed that at all! But I never noticed before that the Union Jack is not symmetrical, so I learned something new after all.
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