Last modified: 2011-10-01 by rob raeside
Keywords: irish lights | commissioner of irish lights | lighthouse | lightship | st patricks cross |
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by Martin Grieve, 30 March 2008
Source: British Flags and Emblems (Bartram, 2004)
The current flag of the Commissioners of Irish Lights features the St.
Patrick's Cross, not the St. George's Cross as on the old flag.
Source: Graham Bartrum, British Flags & Emblems, Tuckwell Press, 2004
Miles Li, 17 September 2004
Commissioners of Irish Lights is a cross-border body (although its HQ is
actually in Dublin, Eire). Irish Lights vessels in Northern Ireland fly the
defaced blue ensign; vessels in Eire fly the Irish National Flag.
Miles Li, 19 September 2004
image by Martin Grieve, 29 March 2008
image by Martin Grieve, 26 March 2008
image by Martin Grieve, 28 March 2008
Flaggenbuch (1939) also reports there was a
Martin Grieve, 28 March 2008
In 1863 the Port of Dublin Corporation, which was not only the General Lighthouse Authority in Ireland, but also the Corporation for preserving and improving the Port of Dublin, was granted permission to use the Blue Ensign defaced with a badge in the fly. This consisted of a lighthouse on a circular blue background surrounded by a scroll bearing the words "Irish Lights Department". The General Lighthouse Authority became a separate body in accordance with the Dublin Port Act of 1867, and was designated the Commissioners of Irish Lights. At the same time, the design of the badge on the Blue Ensign was changed as shown to that shown above.
The flag of the Commissioners is white, three by two, charged with the red cross of St. George; each quarter comprises a seascape - first and fourth showing a lighthouse on a rock, second and third a lightship, all proper. There seems to be no record of the date of the adoption of this flag. Similar charges, only placed within a circle, are displayed on the blue triangular field bearing the St. George's Cross, of the "Pennant". This is flown at the main masthead, but is replaced with the Commissioners' flag whenever they are embarked. The Commissioners' flag is also flown at all lighthouse stations in the Republic of Ireland; however, those in Northern Ireland fly the Blue Ensign defaced, as described above."
Source: Carr (1961)
Jarig Bakker, 28 August 2001