The emblem of Ireland resembles the uninitiated emblem of an orchestra or music school. Few people know that the image of the harp on it conceals a beautiful old legend.
Ancient symbol
The coat of arms of Ireland is outwardly quite simple. The traditional form of the shield is completely filled with blue (in heraldry it is called azure). It is this color that symbolizes St. Patrick - the patron saint of Ireland, although the whole world believes that this character is correlated with green shades. In the center of the coat of arms is a golden harp with silver strings.
Patrick inherited the blue color from the ancient patroness of Ireland, Eriou, who wore blue clothes.
The coat of arms found this form in 1945. However, the harp is an ancient symbol of Ireland, since the 13th century. And after another three hundred years, the English king Henry VIII approved the coat of arms of Ireland in almost modern form. Since then, the harp has even appeared on coins minted in Ireland.
When Jacob I united England, Ireland and Scotland, a golden harp on a blue field was included in the coat of arms of the United Kingdom. She remained a symbol of the country after the adoption of the constitution. Today, her image can also be found on state seals, official documents and Irish passports.
Harp images can be found today on Irish Euros.
True, the appearance of the coat of arms has changed over the centuries. For example, for some time the base of the harp was depicted as a naked female breast. The harp itself also changed shape, until the prototype for it was the old Gaelic instrument, which is now stored in Dublin.
It is curious that Ireland is the only country on whose coat of arms a musical instrument flaunts. Such a love of the harp is easy to understand if you look at the past of this country, its myths and legends.
