The Colors Of the Counties Of Ireland
There are two types of county flags which must be distinguished: firstly the flags which are commonly used by private individuals as a symbol of the county; secondly, flags which are used by the county councils, not as a symbol of the county, but of the council itself.
The flags in popular use are based on the colours of the county teams in Gaelic football and hurling - the most popular spectator sports. These flags are entirely unofficial and the designs vary. These flags have outgrown their sporting origins and are now widely used on festive occasions, flown alongside the European Union, national and provincial flags at shopping centres, hotels, etc. In relation to the six counties which constitute Northern Ireland, the county colours are only used in nationalist areas - the counties in Northern Ireland have been abolished for administrative purposes and the sports from which the county colours derive are not generally supported by unionists.
* indicates a county in Northern Ireland