Red Hand Of Ulster
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Red Hand of Ulster ( gle, Lámh Dhearg Uladh), also known as the Red Hand
Uí Néill The Uí Néill (Irish pronunciation: ; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who died c. 405. They are generally divided into the ...
, is a symbol used in
heraldry Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branch ...
to denote the Irish province of
Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United King ...
and the
Northern Uí Néill The Northern Uí Néill is any of several dynasties in north-western medieval Ireland that claimed descent from a common ancestor, Niall of the Nine Hostages. Other dynasties in central and eastern Ireland who also claimed descent from Niall wer ...
in particular. However, it has also been used by other Irish clans across the island, including the Connachta, the ruling families of western
Connacht Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delbhn ...
(e.g. the O'Flahertys and McHughs) and the
Southern Uí Néill The Southern Uí Néill ( ga, Uí Néill an Deiscirt, IPA: iːˈnʲeːl̪ʲˈanˠˈdʲɛʃcəɾˠtʲ were that branch of the Uí Néill dynasty that invaded and settled in the Kingdom of Mide and its associated kingdoms. In the initial decades t ...
, chiefs of the Midlands (e.g.
Clann Cholmáin Clann Cholmáin is the dynasty descended from Colmán Már mac Diarmato, son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. Part of the Southern Uí Néill — they were the kings of Mide (Meath) — they traced their descent to Niall Noígiallach and his s ...
etc.). It is an open hand coloured red, with the fingers pointing upwards, the thumb held parallel to the fingers, and the palm facing forward. It is usually shown as a right hand, but is sometimes a left hand, such as in the coats of arms of
baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...
s.


Historical background

The Red Hand is rooted in
Gaelic culture The Gaels ( ; ga, Na Gaeil ; gd, Na Gàidheil ; gv, Ny Gaeil ) are an ethnolinguistic group native to Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man in the British Isles. They are associated with the Gaelic languages: a branch of the Celtic languag ...
as the sign of a great warrior. It is believed to date back to
pagan Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...
times. The Red Hand is first documented in surviving records in the 13th century, where it was used by the Hiberno-Norman de Burgh
earls of Ulster The title of Earl of Ulster has been created six times in the Peerage of Ireland and twice in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Since 1928, the title has been held by the Duke of Gloucester and is used as a courtesy title by the Duke's elde ...
. It was
Walter de Burgh Walter de Burgh, 1st Earl of Ulster, 2nd Lord of Connaught (; ; 1230 – 28 July 1271) also spelt Burke or Bourke, was an Irish peer from the House of Burgh. Biography De Burgh was the second son of Richard Mór de Burgh, 1st Lord of Conna ...
who became first
Earl of Ulster The title of Earl of Ulster has been created six times in the Peerage of Ireland and twice in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Since 1928, the title has been held by the Duke of Gloucester and is used as a courtesy title by the Duke's eld ...
in 1243 who combined the de Burgh cross with the Red Hand to create a flag that represented the Earldom of Ulster and later became the modern
Flag of Ulster The flag of Ulster is a historic banner based on the coat of arms of Ulster, used to represent Ulster, one of the four provinces of Ireland. It consists of a red cross on a gold background with a red hand on a white shield in the centre. Histo ...
. It was afterwards adopted by the
O'Neills O'Neills Irish International Sports Company Ltd. is an Irish sporting goods manufacturer established in 1918. It is the largest manufacturer of sportswear in Ireland, with production plants located in Dublin and Strabane. O'Neills has a long re ...
when they assumed the ancient kingship of Ulster, inventing the title ''Rex Ultonie'' (king of Ulster) for themselves in 1317 and then claiming it unopposed from 1345 onwards. An early Irish heraldic use in Ireland of the open right hand can be seen in the seal of Aodh Reamhar Ó Néill, king of the Irish of Ulster, 1344–1364. An early-15th-century poem by Mael Ó hÚigínn is named , the first line of which is a variation of the title: ''"'"'', translated as "The Úí Eachach are the 'red hand' of Ireland". The Uí Eachach were one of the
Cruthin The Cruthin (; mga, Cruithnig or ; ga, label= Modern Irish, Cruithne ) were a people of early medieval Ireland. Their heartland was in Ulster and included parts of the present-day counties of Antrim, Down and Londonderry. They are also said ...
tribes (known as the
Dál nAraidi Dál nAraidi (; "Araide's part") or Dál Araide, sometimes Latinised as Dalaradia or Anglicised as Dalaray,Boyd, Hugh AlexanderIrish Dalriada ''The Glynns: Journal of The Glens of Antrim Historical Society''. Volume 76 (1978). was a Cruthin kin ...
after 773) that made up the ancient kingdom of
Ulaid Ulaid (Old Irish, ) or Ulaidh (Modern Irish, ) was a Gaelic over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages made up of a confederation of dynastic groups. Alternative names include Ulidia, which is the Latin form of Ulaid, and in ...
. The Red Hand symbol is believed to have been used by the O'Neills during its
Nine Years' War The Nine Years' War (1688–1697), often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg, was a conflict between France and a European coalition which mainly included the Holy Roman Empire (led by the Habsburg monarch ...
(1594–1603) against English rule in Ireland, and the
war cry A battle cry or war cry is a yell or chant taken up in battle, usually by members of the same combatant group. Battle cries are not necessarily articulate (e.g. "Eulaliaaaa!", "Alala"..), although they often aim to invoke patriotic or religious ...
''!'' ("the Red Hand of Ireland to victory") was also associated with them. An English writer of the time noted "The Ancient Red Hand of Ulster, the bloody Red Hand, a terrible cognizance! And in allusion to that terrible cognizance—the battle cry of Lamh dearg abu!" The Order of Baronets was instituted by
letters patent Letters patent ( la, litterae patentes) ( always in the plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, president or other head of state, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, titl ...
dated 10 May 1612, which state that "the Baronets and their descendants shall and may bear, either in a canton in their coat of arms, or in an
inescutcheon In heraldry, an escutcheon () is a shield that forms the main or focal element in an achievement of arms. The word can be used in two related senses. In the first sense, an escutcheon is the shield upon which a coat of arms is displayed. In the s ...
, at their election, the arms of Ulster, that is, in a field argent, a hand gules, or a bloody hand." The oldest baronets used a dexter (right) hand just like the O'Neills; however, it later became a sinister (left) hand.


Dispute over ownership

The exclusive rights to the use of the Red Hand symbol has proved a matter of debate over the centuries, primarily whether it belonged to the
O'Neills O'Neills Irish International Sports Company Ltd. is an Irish sporting goods manufacturer established in 1918. It is the largest manufacturer of sportswear in Ireland, with production plants located in Dublin and Strabane. O'Neills has a long re ...
or the
Magennis Magennis ( ga, Mac Aonghusa), also spelled Maguiness, Maginnis, Magenis, McGinnis, or McGuinness, is an Irish surname, meaning the "son of Angus", which in eastern Ulster was commonly pronounced in Irish as ''Mac Aonghusa''. A prominent branch o ...
es. The O'Neills became the chief dynasty of the
Cenél nEógain Cenél is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Cenél Conaill, the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history *Cenél nEógain (in English, Cenel Eogan) is ...
of the
Northern Uí Néill The Northern Uí Néill is any of several dynasties in north-western medieval Ireland that claimed descent from a common ancestor, Niall of the Nine Hostages. Other dynasties in central and eastern Ireland who also claimed descent from Niall wer ...
and later the
kings of Ulster The King of Ulster (Old Irish: ''Rí Ulad'', Modern Irish: ''Rí Uladh'') also known as the King of Ulaid and King of the Ulaid, was any of the kings of the Irish provincial over-kingdom of Ulaid. The title rí in Chóicid, which means "king of ...
, whilst the Magennises were the ruling dynasty of the Uí Eachach Cobo, the chief dynasty of the Cruthin of Ulaid, and also head of the Clanna Rudraige. A 16th-century poem noted disagreement between the ''"'"'' (an alias for Clanna Rudraige) and the Northern Uí Néill. A dispute, dated to 1689, arose between several Irish poets about whose claim to the Red Hand was the most legitimate. * Diarmaid Mac an Bhaird, one of the last fully trained Irish bardic poets, admonishes the claim of the O'Neills to the Red Hand, arguing that it rightly belongs to the Magennises, who should be allowed to keep it. He supports his statement citing several medieval texts attributing it to
Conall Cernach Conall Cernach (modern spelling: Conall Cearnach) is a hero of the Ulaid in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He had a crooked neck and is said to have always slept with the head of a Connachta, Connachtman under his knee. His epithet is normal ...
, the legendary ancestor of the Uí Eachach Cobo. *
Eoghan Ó Donnghaile Eoghan Ó Donnghaile (Owen O'Donnelly) (fl. c. 1690) was an Irish poet. Eugene O'Curry wrote of Ó Donnghaile in his ''Manners and Customs '', saying that: "About 1680 a controversy sprang up among some of the bards of Ulster as to what race by ...
refutes the (Clanna Rudraige) right to the symbol. He cites a story based on the ''
Lebor Gabála Érenn ''Lebor Gabála Érenn'' (literally "The Book of the Taking of Ireland"), known in English as ''The Book of Invasions'', is a collection of poems and prose narratives in the Irish language intended to be a history of Ireland and the Irish fro ...
'' claiming that it belongs to the descendants of
Érimón Érimón, (modern spelling: Éiremhón), commonly Anglicised as Heremon, son of Míl Espáine (and great-grandson of Breoghan, king of Celtic Galicia), according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions, was one of the chieftains who ...
, from whom
Conn of the Hundred Battles Conn Cétchathach (; "of the Hundred Battles"), son of Fedlimid Rechtmar, was a semi-legendary High King of Ireland and the ancestor of the Connachta, and, through his descendant Niall Noígiallach, the Uí Néill dynasties, which dominated Irela ...
and thus the O'Neills are said to descend. *Niall Mac Muireadhaigh dismisses both these claims and states that the symbol belongs to the (Clandonnell, descended from the
Three Collas The Three Collas ( Modern Irish: Trí Cholla) were, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, the fourth-century sons of Eochaid Doimlén, son of Cairbre Lifechair. Their names were: Cairell Colla Uais; Muiredach Colla Fo Chrí ( ...
, the legendary ancestors of the
Airgíalla Airgíalla (Modern Irish: Oirialla, English: Oriel, Latin: ''Ergallia'') was a medieval Irish over-kingdom and the collective name for the confederation of tribes that formed it. The confederation consisted of nine minor kingdoms, all independe ...
). Mac Muireadhaigh derides Ó Donnghaile as a fool and finds it deplorable that he is an author. Further poetic quatrains in the dispute were written by Mac an Baird, Ó Donnghaile, as well as by Mac an Bhaird's son Eoghain. The
Mac an Bhaird The Mac an Bháird family ( ga, Clann an Bháird) was one of the learned families of late medieval Ireland. The name has evolved over many centuries, the anglicised forms coming down as ''MacAward'', ''McWard'', ''MacEward'', ''MacEvard'', ''Macan ...
s appear to deride Ó Donnghaile as not having come from a hereditary bardic family and that he is of very low rank without honour, as well as hinting at his family's genealogical link to the O'Neills. Writing in 1908, the then head of the O'Neill clan says of the Red Hand: "History teaches us that already in pagan days it was adopted by the O'Neills from the Macgennis, who were princes in the north of Ireland region inhabited by them".


Possible origins

Those involved in the bardic dispute of 1689 claimed that the Red Hand symbol came from a legendary ancestor who put his bloodstained hand on a banner after victory in battle: *Diarmaid Mac an Bhaird claimed that Conall Cernach (a mythical Ulaid hero from the
Ulster Cycle The Ulster Cycle ( ga, an Rúraíocht), formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the Ulaid. It is set far in the past, in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly coun ...
) put his bloodied hand on a banner as he avenged the death of
Cú Chulainn Cú Chulainn ( ), called the Hound of Ulster (Irish: ''Cú Uladh''), is a warrior hero and demigod in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore. He is believed to be an incarnation of the Irish god Lugh, ...
(another mythical Ulaid hero), and it has belonged to the descendants of Conall since then. This he says is backed up by medieval texts such as the ("
The Tale of Mac Da Thó's Pig ''The Tale of Mac Da Thó's Pig'' (Old Irish: ''Scéla Muicce Meicc Da Thó'') is a legendary tale in the Ulster Cycle. The story tells of a dispute between the Connachta, led by Ailill and Medb, and the Ulaid, led by Conchobar mac Nessa, ...
"), the (also known as the and ), and Ó hÚigínn's poem beginning . *Eoghan Ó Donnghaile, basing his tale on the , claimed that after the Milesians defeated the
Tuatha Dé Danann The Tuath(a) Dé Danann (, meaning "the folk of the goddess Danu (Irish goddess), Danu"), also known by the earlier name Tuath Dé ("tribe of the gods"), are a supernatural race in Irish mythology. Many of them are thought to represent deity, ...
, they are granted three precious objects, amongst them a banner bearing the red hand. This banner eventually ended up without contest in the hands of the descendants of Míl's son
Érimón Érimón, (modern spelling: Éiremhón), commonly Anglicised as Heremon, son of Míl Espáine (and great-grandson of Breoghan, king of Celtic Galicia), according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions, was one of the chieftains who ...
, from whom Conn of the Hundred Battles and thus the O'Neills are said to descend. The surviving texts of the mention four treasures but not a banner. *Niall Mac Muireadhaigh claimed that when the Three Collas defeated the Ulaid, that one of the Collas placed their bloodied hand on a banner taken from them. He then states the Clann Domhnaill have used the symbol within his own time, and accepts the poem . However, according to historian Gordon Ó Riain, Mac Muireadhaigh has mistaken the element to mean the descendants of Echu Doimlén, father of the Collas, when in fact it is in reference to Echu Coba, legendary ancestor of the Magennises. Historian Francis J. Bigger notes the use of a right hand by the O'Neills around 1335, and surmises that it may have been for them a symbol signifying divine assistance and strength, whilst also suggesting that the ancient
Phoenicia Phoenicia () was an ancient thalassocratic civilization originating in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily located in modern Lebanon. The territory of the Phoenician city-states extended and shrank throughout their histor ...
ns may have brought the symbol to Ireland. In medieval Irish literature, several real and legendary kings were given the byname 'red hand' or 'red handed' to signify that they were great warriors.Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí. ''Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopaedia of the Irish folk tradition''. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. pp.36-37 One is the mythical High King of Ireland, Lugaid Lámderg (Lugaid the red handed), who, according to
Eugene O'Curry Eugene O'Curry ( ga, Eoghan Ó Comhraí or Eoghan Ó Comhraidhe, 20 November 179430 July 1862) was an Irish philologist and antiquary. Life He was born at Doonaha, near Carrigaholt, County Clare, the son of Eoghan Ó Comhraí, a farmer, and hi ...
, is cited in one Irish legend as being king of the Cruthin of Ulaid during the reign of the mythical
Conchobar Mac Nessa Conchobar mac Nessa (son of Ness) is the king of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He rules from Emain Macha (Navan Fort, near Armagh). He is usually said to be the son of the High King Fachtna Fáthach, although in some stories hi ...
. The O'Neills believed in the Middle Ages that a messianic 'red handed' king called Aodh Eangach would come to lead them and drive the English out of Ireland. In a 1901 edition of the ''All Ireland Review'', a writer called "M.M." suggests that the Red Hand is named after the founder of the Clanna Rudraige,
Rudraige mac Sithrigi Rudraige mac Sithrigi ( ga, Ruairí; en, Rory mac Sitric), was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. The son of Sitric, he took power after killing his predecessor, Crimthann Coscrach, and ruled f ...
, and that Rudraige's name may mean "red wrist". In another edition a "Y.M." suggests likewise, arguing that Rudraige's name means "red arm". They also suggest that the (Red Branch) of ancient Ulaid may actually come from and (red hand). In another legend which has become widespread, the first man to lay his hand on the province of Ulster would have claim to it. As a result, the warriors rushed towards land with one chopping off his hand and throwing it over his comrades and thus winning the land. In some versions of the tale, the person who cuts off his hand belongs to the O'Neills, or is
Niall of the Nine Hostages Niall ''Noígíallach'' (; Old Irish "having nine hostages"), or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. ...
himself. In other versions, the person is the mythical
Érimón Érimón, (modern spelling: Éiremhón), commonly Anglicised as Heremon, son of Míl Espáine (and great-grandson of Breoghan, king of Celtic Galicia), according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions, was one of the chieftains who ...
.


'Red Hand' as a byname

In medieval Irish literature, several real and legendary kings were given the byname 'red hand' or 'red-handed' ( or ). It signified that they were a great warrior, their hand being red with the blood of their enemies. *The ancient Irish god Nuada Airgetlám (Nuada the silver-handed) was also known by the alias Nuada Derg Lamh, the red-handed, amongst other aliases. Nuada is stated in the
Book of Lecan The (Great) Book of Lecan (Irish: ''Leabhar (Mór) Leacáin'') (RIA, MS 23 P 2) is a medieval Irish manuscript written between 1397 and 1418 in Castle Forbes, Lecan (Lackan, Leckan; Irish ''Leacán''), in the territory of Tír Fhíacrach, n ...
as being the ancestor of the Eoganachta and
Dál gCais The Dalcassians ( ga, Dál gCais ) are a Gaelic Irish clan, generally accepted by contemporary scholarship as being a branch of the Déisi Muman, that became very powerful in Ireland during the 10th century. Their genealogies claimed descent fr ...
of
Munster Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following the ...
. * Lugaid Lámderg is a legendary figure who appears in the
Book of Leinster The Book of Leinster ( mga, Lebor Laignech , LL) is a medieval Irish manuscript compiled c. 1160 and now kept in Trinity College, Dublin, under the shelfmark MS H 2.18 (cat. 1339). It was formerly known as the ''Lebor na Nuachongbála'' "Book ...
and the "chaotic past" of the descent of the Dál gCais. His epithet meaning "red hand", was transferred to Lugaid Meann around the start of the Irish historic period. *Labraid Lámderg (red hand Labraid) is a character in the
Fenian Cycle The Fenian Cycle (), Fianna Cycle or Finn Cycle ( ga, an Fhiannaíocht) is a body of early Irish literature focusing on the exploits of the mythical hero Finn or Fionn mac Cumhaill and his warrior band the Fianna. Sometimes called the Ossian ...
of
Irish mythology Irish mythology is the body of myths native to the island of Ireland. It was originally passed down orally in the prehistoric era, being part of ancient Celtic religion. Many myths were later written down in the early medieval era by C ...
. *The Annals of the Four Masters mentions "Reachta Righdhearg" (
Rechtaid Rígderg Rechtaid Rígderg ("red king"), son of Lugaid Laigdech, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He took power after killing Macha Mong Ruad, daughter of his father's killer, Áed Rúad. He ruled f ...
) as a
High King of Ireland High King of Ireland ( ga, Ardrí na hÉireann ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and later sometimes assigned ana ...
. He gained the name "Righdhearg" according to Geoffrey Keating as he had an arm that was "exceeding Red". Reachta is listed as the great-grandson of "Lughaigdh Lamdhearg" (Lugaid Lámderg). *
Cathal Crobhdearg Ua Conchobair Cathal Crobhdearg Ua Conchobair (Anglicised as Cathal O'Connor/O'Conor and Cathal the Red-handed O'Conor) (1153–1224), was a king of Connacht. He was the youngest son of the High King of Ireland Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair and brother to the ...
, otherwise known as "Cathal the Red-Handed O'Conor", was a king of
Connacht Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delbhn ...
in the early 13th century. There is a poem that is attributed as having been composed between 1213 and Cathal's death in 1224, which makes frequent reference to Cathal's red hand. *A Dermott Lamhdearg is cited by
Meredith Hanmer Meredith Hanmer (1543–1604) was a Welsh clergyman, known as a controversialist, historian, and translator. He was considered embittered, by the Lord-Deputy William Russell, 1st Baron Russell of Thornhaugh; but he appears now as a shrewd observer ...
in his "Chronicles of Ireland" (first published in 1633), as being a
king of Leinster The kings of Leinster ( ga, Rí Laighín), ruled from the establishment of Kingdom of Leinster, Leinster during the Irish Iron Age, until the 17th century Early Modern Ireland. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as th ...
who fought a battle around the start of the 5th century against an army of marauders at Knocknigen near Dublin. *The Kavanaghs of
Borris, County Carlow Borris (, formerly ''Buirgheas Ó nDróna'') is a village on the River Barrow, in County Carlow, Ireland. It lies on the R702 regional road. Borris has views of the neighbouring countryside with Mount Leinster and the Blackstairs Mountains to ...
, descend from Dermot Kavanagh Lamhdearg, lord of
St Mullin's St Mullins (, formerly anglicised as ''Timoling'' or ''Tymoling'' - 'homestead of Moling')St Mullin's
Placenames Database of I ...
, the second son of Gerald Kavanagh, Lord of Ferns in 1431. Gerald was descended from
Domhnall Caomhánach Domhnall Caomhánach (Domhnall mac Murchada or Domhnall Caomhánach mac Murchada, anglicized as Donal Kavanagh) is the ancestor of the Caomhánach line of the Uí Ceinnselaig dynasty and was King of Leinster from 1171 to 1175. Domhnall was the ...
, a son of
Diarmait Mac Murchada Diarmait Mac Murchada ( Modern Irish: Diarmaid Mac Murchadha), anglicised as Dermot MacMurrough, Dermod MacMurrough, or Dermot MacMorrogh (c. 1110 – c. 1 May 1171), was a King of Leinster in Ireland. In 1167, he was deposed by the High King ...
,
king of Leinster The kings of Leinster ( ga, Rí Laighín), ruled from the establishment of Kingdom of Leinster, Leinster during the Irish Iron Age, until the 17th century Early Modern Ireland. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as th ...
. *The Cavenaghs of Kildare that became part of the
Protestant Ascendancy The ''Protestant Ascendancy'', known simply as the ''Ascendancy'', was the political, economic, and social domination of Ireland between the 17th century and the early 20th century by a minority of landowners, Protestant clergy, and members of th ...
are kin of the Kavanagh's of Borris and according to their own traditions claim descent from a Cathair Rua Caomhánach who was said to descend the Lámhdhearg (Red Hand) branch of the Caomhánach clan. *Quatran 78 of the classical Irish poem , makes mention of the "", translated as 'a descendant (lit. 'daughter') of the red-handed kings of Leinster'. This poem, as well as the related poem , mention a Carn Lámha, the burial place of Fraoch's hand. *Gleoir Lamhderg, or Gleoir the red-handed, was a king of the Lamraighe and allegedly the step-father of
Fionn mac Cumhaill Fionn mac Cumhaill ( ; Old and mga, Find or ''mac Cumail'' or ''mac Umaill''), often anglicized Finn McCool or MacCool, is a hero in Irish mythology, as well as in later Scottish and Manx folklore. He is leader of the ''Fianna'' bands of ...
from the
Fenian Cycle The Fenian Cycle (), Fianna Cycle or Finn Cycle ( ga, an Fhiannaíocht) is a body of early Irish literature focusing on the exploits of the mythical hero Finn or Fionn mac Cumhaill and his warrior band the Fianna. Sometimes called the Ossian ...
of Irish mythology. The Lamraighe are claimed as descending from Lamha, a son of
Conchobar mac Nessa Conchobar mac Nessa (son of Ness) is the king of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He rules from Emain Macha (Navan Fort, near Armagh). He is usually said to be the son of the High King Fachtna Fáthach, although in some stories hi ...
, a legendary king of Ulster.


Similar symbols

The
Dextera Dei The Hand of God, or in Latin, also known as (the "right hand of God"), is a motif in Jewish and Christian art, especially of the Late Antique and Early Medieval periods, when depiction of Yahweh or God the Father as a full human figure was con ...
, or "Right Hand of God", is a symbol that appears on only three high crosses in Ireland: the Cross of Muiredach at
Monasterboice The Monasterboice ( ga, Mainistir Bhuithe) ruins are the remains of an early Christian monastic settlement in County Louth in Ireland, north of Drogheda. The ruins are a National monument of Ireland and also give their name to the local villag ...
; the Cross of King
Flann Flann is both an English surname and an Irish masculine given name, but has also been used as a feminine given name. It might refer to: * Flann Fína mac Ossu, another name for King Aldfrith of Northumbria (died 704 or 705) * Flann mac Lonáin ( ...
(also known as the Cross of the Scriptures) at
Clonmacnoise Clonmacnoise (Irish: ''Cluain Mhic Nóis'') is a ruined monastery situated in County Offaly in Ireland on the River Shannon south of Athlone, founded in 544 by Saint Ciarán, a young man from Rathcroghan, County Roscommon. Until the 9th ce ...
; and the Cross in the Street of Kells. The former two have the full hand with fingers extended similar to the Red Hand. The form and position of the Kells Dextera Dei is of a pattern usually found on the Continent, whereas that used at Monasterboice and Clonmacnoise appears to unique within Christendom. The Dextera Dei is suggested by Francis J. Bigger as representing the old-world figurative expression of signifying strength and power, and such hand symbols can be found in ancient civilisations including amongst others the
Assyria Assyria (Neo-Assyrian cuneiform: , romanized: ''māt Aššur''; syc, ܐܬܘܪ, ʾāthor) was a major ancient Mesopotamian civilization which existed as a city-state at times controlling regional territories in the indigenous lands of the A ...
ns,
Babylonians Babylonia (; Akkadian: , ''māt Akkadī'') was an ancient Akkadian-speaking state and cultural area based in the city of Babylon in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq and parts of Syria). It emerged as an Amorite-ruled state c. ...
,
Carthaginians The Punic people, or western Phoenicians, were a Semitic people in the Western Mediterranean who migrated from Tyre, Phoenicia to North Africa during the Early Iron Age. In modern scholarship, the term ''Punic'' – the Latin equivalent of the ...
, Chaldeans and Phoenicians. It is also used by Jews, Muslims, and can be found in use in
Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
and
Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...
.
Aboriginal Australians Aboriginal Australians are the various Indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and many of its islands, such as Tasmania, Fraser Island, Hinchinbrook Island, the Tiwi Islands, and Groote Eylandt, but excluding the Torres Strait Islands ...
revered the hands of their deceased chieftains. Another historian, F. J. Elworthy, according to Bigger, conclusively proved the ancient character and widespread usage of the symbol amongst early pagan civilisations. According to
Charles Vallancey General Charles Vallancey FRS (6 April 1731 – 8 August 1812) was a British military surveyor sent to Ireland. He remained there and became an authority on Irish antiquities. Some of his theories would be rejected today, but his drawings, fo ...
in 1788, a red hand pointing upwards was the armorial symbol of the kings of Ireland, and that it was still in use by the O'Brien family, whose motto was , meaning "the strong hand up" or "the strong hand will prevail". Hands feature prominently in Dermot O'Connor's 18th-century publication "Blazons and Irish Heraldic Terminology", with the
Ó Fearghail Ó Fearghail is a family name of the Irish nobility from County Longford who were historically the Princes of Annaly. The patronym means "descendant of Fearghail", whose name means "man of valour". Fearghail was a great-grandson of Angaile, th ...
sept bearing the motto .


References to Galicia

In some Central European
armorial A roll of arms (or armorial) is a collection of coats of arms, usually consisting of rows of painted pictures of shields, each shield accompanied by the name of the person bearing the arms. The oldest extant armorials date to the mid-13th centur ...
s of the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, the
Kingdom of Galicia The Kingdom of Galicia ( gl, Reino de Galicia, or ''Galiza''; es, Reino de Galicia; pt, Reino da Galiza; la, Galliciense Regnum) was a political entity located in southwestern Europe, which at its territorial zenith occupied the entire north ...
is represented by a
coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
with a red hand or a red glove. It may be due to the phonetic similarity between ''Gaelic'' and ''Galician'' ('
canting arms Canting arms are heraldic bearings that represent the bearer's name (or, less often, some attribute or function) in a visual pun or rebus. French heralds used the term (), as they would sound out the name of the armiger. Many armorial allus ...
' used to do this deliberately or by confusion, such as Galice-
Calice Calice may refer to: * CALICE (Calorimeter for Linear Collider Experiment), a research and development organization * , an Austrian nobility, Austrian noble family * Calice Becker (fl. 1990–2014), French perfumer * Calice, an alternative name fo ...
or D'
Aragón Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises th ...
- Dragón), or by the assimilation of the Galician people with the Milesians (people of
Breogán Breogán (also spelt Breoghan, Bregon or Breachdan) is a character in the ''Lebor Gabála Érenn'', a medieval Christian history of Ireland and the Irish (or Gaels). He is supposedly the son of Brath, and is described as an ancestor of the Gael ...
). The most common heraldic shield in Galicia, as an autonomous region or as a kingdom, is a
grail The Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) was an American lunar science mission in NASA's Discovery Program which used high-quality gravitational field mapping of the Moon to determine its interior structure. The two small spacecraf ...
with crosses or shamrocks from the 13th century to the present day. In the 17th century St. James of Compostella (
Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of St ...
) became, according to the bishop Thomas Strong (uncle of Thomas White, founder of the Irish College of Compostela after the
Flight of the Earls The Flight of the Earls ( ir, Imeacht na nIarlaí)In Irish, the neutral term ''Imeacht'' is usually used i.e. the ''Departure of the Earls''. The term 'Flight' is translated 'Teitheadh na nIarlaí' and is sometimes seen. took place in Sep ...
) the '' " true capital of the
Irish people The Irish ( ga, Muintir na hÉireann or ''Na hÉireannaigh'') are an ethnic group and nation native to the island of Ireland, who share a common history and culture. There have been humans in Ireland for about 33,000 years, and it has been c ...
in exile "''. File:Escudo da Galiza no armorial Miltenberg (c. 1486-1500).jpg, Coat of arms of
Kingdom of Galicia The Kingdom of Galicia ( gl, Reino de Galicia, or ''Galiza''; es, Reino de Galicia; pt, Reino da Galiza; la, Galliciense Regnum) was a political entity located in southwestern Europe, which at its territorial zenith occupied the entire north ...
in ''Miltenberg'' armorial, c. 1486–1500. File:Escudo da Galiza no Sammelband mehrerer Wappenbücher (c. 1530) - 2.jpg, Coat of arms of Galicia in ''Sammelband mehrerer Wappenbücher'', c. 1530. File:Escudo da Galiza no Hofkleiderbuch (1508-1551) - 2.jpg, Coat of arms of Galicia in ''Hofkleiderbuch'', 1508–1551. File:Escudo da Galiza num armorial alemám (1).jpg, Coat of arms of Galicia in another German armorial, 17th century


Modern usage

The form in common use is an open right ( dexter) hand coloured red, with the fingers pointing upwards, the thumb held parallel to the fingers, and the palm facing forward. The Red Hand features in other Irish clan
coats of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its wh ...
including the
O'Donnelly Donnelly is a surname of Irish origin. It is the anglicized form of the Gaelic ''Ó Donnghaile'' meaning ‘descendant of Donnghal’ a given name composed of the elements "donn" (dark or brown), plus "gal" (valour). O'Donnelly is derived from t ...
s,
O'Cahan The O'Cahan (Irish: ''Ó Catháin'' 'descendants of Cahan') were a powerful sept of the Northern Uí Néill’s Cenél nEógain in medieval Ireland. The name is presently anglicized as Keane, O'Kane and Kane. The O'Cahan's originated in Laggan ...
s, the
McHugh McHugh is a common surname of Irish language, Irish origin. It is an anglicisation of the original Irish ''Mac Aodha'', meaning literally "Son of Aodh". Aodh (given name), Aodh was a popular male given name in mediaeval Gaelic Ireland. It was tradi ...
s of County Galway and their fellow Connacht kinsmen the Flahertys, Dalys, Melaghlins and Kearneys. On the O'Neill and Donnelly coat of arms the motto is (Red Hand of Ireland). The arms of the chiefs of the Scottish
Clan MacNeil Clan MacNeil, also known in Scotland as Clan Niall, is a highland Scottish clan of Irish origin. According to their early genealogies and some sources they're descended from Eógan mac Néill and Niall of the Nine Hostages. The clan is particula ...
(of
Barra Barra (; gd, Barraigh or ; sco, Barra) is an island in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, and the second southernmost inhabited island there, after the adjacent island of Vatersay to which it is connected by a short causeway. The island is name ...
) contain the Red Hand; the clan has traditionally claimed descent from
Niall of the Nine Hostages Niall ''Noígíallach'' (; Old Irish "having nine hostages"), or Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the Uí Néill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries. ...
. Many other families have used the Red Hand to highlight an Ulster ancestry. The head of the
Guinness family The Guinness family is an extensive Irish family known for its accomplishments in brewing, banking, politics, and religious ministry. The brewing branch is particularly well known among the general public for producing the dry stout Guinnes ...
, the
Earl of Iveagh Earl of Iveagh (pronounced —especially in Dublin—or ) is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, created in 1919 for the businessman and philanthropist Edward Guinness, 1st Viscount Iveagh. He was the third son of Sir Benjamin Guin ...
, has three Red Hands on his arms granted as recently as 1891. The Red Hand is present in the arms of a number of Ulster's counties, such as Antrim,
Cavan Cavan ( ; ) is the county town of County Cavan in Ireland. The town lies in Ulster, near the border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. The town is bypassed by the main N3 road that links Dublin (to the south) with Enniskillen, Bally ...
, Londonderry,
Monaghan Monaghan ( ; ) is the county town of County Monaghan, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It also provides the name of its Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish and Monaghan (barony), barony. The population of the town as of the 2016 census was 7 ...
and Tyrone. It also appears in the Ulster Banner, and is used by many other official and non-official organisations throughout the province. The arms of The Irish Society that carried out the
Plantation of Ulster The Plantation of Ulster ( gle, Plandáil Uladh; Ulster-Scots: ''Plantin o Ulstèr'') was the organised colonisation (''plantation'') of Ulstera province of Irelandby people from Great Britain during the reign of King James I. Most of the sett ...
feature the Red Hand. The Red Hand can be regarded as one of the very few cross-community symbols used in Northern Ireland (which makes up six of Ulster's nine counties) crossing the sectarian political divide. Due to its roots as a Gaelic Irish symbol,
nationalist Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: The ...
/
republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
groups have used (and continue to use) it—for example, the republican
Irish Citizen Army The Irish Citizen Army (), or ICA, was a small paramilitary group of trained trade union volunteers from the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union (ITGWU) established in Dublin for the defence of workers' demonstrations from the Dublin M ...
, the republican
National Graves Association, Belfast The National Graves Association, Belfast ( ga, Cumann Uaigheann na Laocradh Gaedheal, Béal Feirste) is a private Irish republican organisation which undertakes to care for and maintain the graves of some Irish Republican Army volunteers who are ...
, the
Irish Transport and General Workers Union The Irish Transport and General Workers Union (ITGWU), was a trade union representing workers, initially mainly labourers, in Ireland. History The union was founded by James Larkin in January 1909 as a general union. Initially drawing its mem ...
, and GAA clubs in Ulster. Other organisations within the nine counties of Ulster and also supported within the political sectarian divide, use it happily in the six Ulster counties within Northern Ireland, such as the
Ulster Hockey Union The Ulster Hockey Union is the governing body for field hockey in Ulster. It is affiliated to Hockey Ireland. It organises a number of leagues and cup competitions for clubs and schools in the province. These include the Ulster Senior League, t ...
, these are supported from both sides of the community—nationalist and unionist. As the most identifiable symbol of Ulster, at the start of the 20th century it has also been used by Northern Ireland's unionists and
loyalists Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cr ...
, such as its use in the
Ulster Covenant Ulster's Solemn League and Covenant, commonly known as the Ulster Covenant, was signed by nearly 500,000 people on and before 28 September 1912, in protest against the Third Home Rule Bill introduced by the British Government in the same year. ...
(1912) and in the arms of the
Government of Northern Ireland The government of Northern Ireland is, generally speaking, whatever political body exercises political authority over Northern Ireland. A number of separate systems of government exist or have existed in Northern Ireland. Following the partitio ...
(from 1922 and now abolished), the Ulster Banner (the former flag of the Northern Ireland government), the
Ulster Volunteers The Ulster Volunteers was an Irish unionist, loyalist paramilitary organisation founded in 1912 to block domestic self-government ("Home Rule") for Ireland, which was then part of the United Kingdom. The Ulster Volunteers were based in the ...
and loyalist paramilitary groups based only within Northern Ireland such as the
Ulster Volunteer Force The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) is an Ulster loyalist paramilitary group. Formed in 1965, it first emerged in 1966. Its first leader was Gusty Spence, a former British Army soldier from Northern Ireland. The group undertook an armed campaig ...
and
Ulster Defence Association The Ulster Defence Association (UDA) is an Ulster loyalism, Ulster loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in September 1971 as an umbrella group for various loyalist groups and Timeline of Ulster Defence Association act ...
among others.


Baronets

A left (
sinister Sinister commonly refers to: * Evil * Ominous Sinister may also refer to: Left side * Sinister, Latin for the direction " left" * Sinister, in heraldry, is the bearer's true left side (viewers' right side) of an escutcheon or coat of arms; see ...
) Red Hand is an option for
baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...
s to add to their arms to indicate their rank. The
College of Arms The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional Officer of Arms, officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the ...
formally allowed this in 1835, ruling that the baronets of England, Ireland, Great Britain or the United Kingdom may "bear either a canton in their coat of arms, or in an escutcheon, at their pleasure, the arms of Ulster (to wit) a Hand Gules or a Bloody Hand in a Field Argent." It is
blazon In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The vis ...
ed as follows: ''A hand sinister couped at the wrist extended in pale gules''.Collins, Arthur, ''The English Baronetage: Containing a Genealogical and Historical Account of all the English Baronets now Existing'', Volume 4, London, 1741, p.28

/ref>
King James I of England James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...
established the hereditary Order of Baronets in England on 22 May 1611, in the words of Collins (1741): "for the plantation and protection of the whole Kingdom of Ireland, but more especially for the defence and security of the Province of Ulster, and therefore for their distinction those of this order and their descendants may bear (the Red Hand of Ulster) in their coats of arms either in a canton or an escutcheon at their election". Such baronets may also display the Red Hand of Ulster on its own as a
badge A badge is a device or accessory, often containing the insignia of an organization, which is presented or displayed to indicate some feat of service, a special accomplishment, a symbol of authority granted by taking an oath (e.g., police and fi ...
, suspended by a ribbon below the shield of arms.''Debrett's Peerage'', 1968, p.1235
Baronets of Nova Scotia Baronets are a rank in the British aristocracy. The current Baronetage of the United Kingdom has replaced the earlier but existing Baronetages of England, Nova Scotia, Ireland, and Great Britain. Baronetage of England (1611–1705) King James ...
, unlike other baronets, do not use the Red Hand of Ulster, but have their own badge showing the
Royal Arms of Scotland The royal arms of Scotland is the official coat of arms of the King of Scots first adopted in the 12th century. With the Union of the Crowns in 1603, James VI inherited the thrones of England and Ireland and thus his arms in Scotland were now Qua ...
on a shield over the
Saltire of St Andrew The flag of Scotland ( gd, bratach na h-Alba; sco, Banner o Scotland, also known as St Andrew's Cross or the Saltire) is the national flag of Scotland, which consists of a white saltire defacing a blue field. The Saltire, rather than the Ro ...
. The left-hand version has also been used by the
Irish National Foresters The Irish National Foresters' Benefit Society (''Coillteoirí Náisiúnta na hÉireann'' in Irish) is an Irish friendly society. The INF began in 1877 as a breakaway from the Ancient Order of Foresters after political disagreements. The INF grew ...
, the Irish Citizen Army and the
Federated Workers' Union of Ireland The Workers' Union of Ireland (WUI), later the Federated Workers' Union of Ireland, was an Irish trade union formed in 1924. In 1990, it merged with the Irish Transport and General Workers Union to form the Services, Industrial, Professional and ...
.


Examples

File:Flag of Ulster.svg, The flag of the province of Ulster File:Four Provinces Flag.svg, Four Provinces Flag of Ireland File:Ulster banner.svg, The flag of the Northern Ireland parliament (1953–1972) File:BaronetUK-cropped.jpg, Badge worn by baronets of the United Kingdom File:Curti-Siegel 1699 Anna Helena v. Curti geb. Schenck zu Schweinsberg-Carl Wilhelm v. Curti.JPG,
Seal Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, or "true seal" ** Fur seal * Seal (emblem), a device to impr ...
with left hand for the Curtius baronets File:RailwayGNRsymbol colored.jpg, The coat of arms of the GNR. File:Sean Gaynor Grave Milltown.jpg, Republican National Graves Association, Belfast File:Arms of ONeill.svg, Arms of O'Neill Hall at the
University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin founded the school in 1842. The main campu ...
File:Arms of McGuinness.svg, Arms of
Magennis Magennis ( ga, Mac Aonghusa), also spelled Maguiness, Maginnis, Magenis, McGinnis, or McGuinness, is an Irish surname, meaning the "son of Angus", which in eastern Ulster was commonly pronounced in Irish as ''Mac Aonghusa''. A prominent branch o ...
of
Iveagh Iveagh ( ; ) is the name of several historical territorial divisions in what is now County Down, Northern Ireland. Originally it was a Gaelic Irish territory, ruled by the ''Uí Echach Cobo'' and part of the overkingdom of Ulaid. From the 12th ...
File:Arms of MacCartan.svg, Arms of
McCartan McCartan is a surname of Irish origin. It is the anglicized form of ''Mac cArtáin'' of Irish origins. The surname denotes the son of Artán, diminutive of the personal name Art, an old Irish word for "bear". They are the Lords of Kinelarty, a ...
, a branch of the Magennis


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


References


See also

*
Saint Ultan Ultan was an Irish monk who later became an abbot. He was the brother of Saints Fursey and Foillan. He was a member of Fursey's mission from Ireland to East Anglia in c. 633, and lived there both as a monastic probationary and later alone as an ...
*
National symbols of Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland Symbols of Ireland are marks, images, or objects that represent Ireland. Because Ireland was not partitioned until 1922, many of the symbols of Ireland predate the division into Southern Ireland (later Irish Free State and then Ireland) and Nor ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Red Hand Of Ulster Heraldic charges Northern Irish heraldry Ulster Hand of Ulster, Red