The story/myth about the red hand goes back to ancient times,long before eoghain rua or any other gaelic chieftain that we know of.When Ireland was being discovered by the outside world,two milesian princes were racing to claim the land first.they agreed that first to touch the shore would be the rightful claimant.The O'Neill ancestor lagging behind in the boat race decided to cut of his hand,throw it shore bound,and claim the land by being the first to 'touch' the shore.The red hand has since been a symbol of the O'Neill family and came to represent Tir Eoghain,land of Eoghain,and Ulster in general ever since as the O'Neills based mostly in Tir Eoghain were the ruling family in the province up until the fall of the old gaelic order which went into terminal decline after the "Flight of The Earls".Eoghain Rua did try to re-establish gaelic rule afterwards but alas did not succeed.Tir Eoghain is named after one of the sons of 'Niall of the Nine Hostages'. And 'Tir Conail' was named after his brother.This is todays Dun na gall/Donegal.

seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 05/07/2009 17:56:58    332785

Here's what I think: Galway- A hooker (of the boat type) in the Spanish Arch. Leitrim- Glencar Waterfall, an obvious map of Leitrim. Not sure about the cross but the violin obviously means trad. Mayo- Croagh Patrick's church at the top half, Grace O'Malley's ship in the bottom half. Roscommon- The crown is for the O'Connors, ancient kings of Connacht. The sheep is for the sheepstealers, Rossies nickname. Sligo- Benbulben, the book signifies Yeats and the shell comes from Sligeach which means shelly place. Clare- I'm stumped Cork- The Tower (forgive me, it's name I don't know) and Cobh maybe?? Kerry- Round Tower at Ardfert, mountains in the background. Limerick- Treaty stone, Golden Vale, King John's Castle Tipperary- Rock of Cashel Waterford- Dunno where the round tower is. The ship for the Normans?? Carlow- Dunno Dublin- Dublin Castle and Viking ship. Dublin founded by vikings. Kildare- St. Brigid's cross, she had a church in Kildare Kilkenny- Two bucks wit hurls. Simple enuf lol Laois- The rock of Dunamase is the only thing i know Longford- St. Mel's Cathedral and a county map Louth- Boyne bridge and St. Brigid's cross Meath- Newgrange, Tara Brooch, Boyne and king for the Hill of Tara. Offaly- stumped Westmeath- bridge over the Shannon, swans of Lir on Lough Derravaragh. Dunno what the church is. Wexford- 1798 rebel with pike under Vinegar Hill Wicklow- Glendalough, sugarloaf and giant W in case anyone forgets what county it is. Antrim- Carrickfergus castle and the Red Hand are all i know. Armagh- Apple tree. Dunno bout the book Cavan- just the red hand Derry- oak leaf. derry means oak grove Donegal- not sure Down- dunno either Fermanagh- Maguire family crest and the abbey at Devenish Monaghan- again, dunno Tyrone- red hand. Enlighten me please on those i don't know

joel (Galway) - Posts: 45 - 05/07/2009 20:51:59    333081

i didnt realise meath had good players

dj27legend (Down) - Posts: 641 - 05/07/2009 21:34:49    333150

Its all very mickey mouse. The one tangible thing which the normans left us (french by the way) was the county system which we have maintained. For reasons of copyright and money the various county boards have adopted new 'crests'. God only knows what many of them now mean but its a disgrace. Call me a traditionalist but why change.

Passer_By (Carlow) - Posts: 532 - 05/07/2009 21:54:21    333179

Wexford used to be 3 Vicking long boats on fire which related to a medieval battle whereby Wexford town was taken by the McMurrough Kavanagh clan and the vikings means of escape was destroyed. It now represents the croppy boys at vinegar hill. No problem with that but we are loosing history along the way

Passer_By (Carlow) - Posts: 532 - 05/07/2009 22:02:05    333192

What does the irish at the bottom of the Wexford crest mean? thats the crest that made me create this fourm!

Orlaith (Derry) - Posts: 4282 - 05/07/2009 23:15:14    333270

Joel: Its the cathedral in Mullingar

JuanVeron (Westmeath) - Posts: 1866 - 05/07/2009 23:27:35    333282

with heart and hand

ew1994 (Meath) - Posts: 32 - 05/07/2009 23:48:26    333308

Exemplar Hiberniae means "an example to Ireland"

summerof69 (Cavan) - Posts: 49 - 05/07/2009 23:57:42    333329

LOUTH-the boyne cable bridge at drogheda.the gateway in to the land of the legends.even though most of the bridge is in co.meath it makes up for the amount of employment that wee county offers to its royal neighbours.

MEATH-to commerate king billies victory at the battle of the boyne.meath also picked the colours green and gold because if you mix the two you get orange.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 06/07/2009 00:20:17    333349

Wexford changed the crest used on its jerseys etc. some years ago because the original crest, the three viking boats, is the crest of Wexford Town, and they wanted a new crest more representative of the whole county. A new design featuring Hook Lighthouse (in the very south of the county), and the emblem of Gorey (in the very north of the county), and some pikes with the Latin motto "Exemplar Hiberniae" was introduced.

It wasn't a particularly imaginative design, and so a few years later the county board or whoever decided to change it again, to the current design, featuring - somewhat abstractly - a pikeman, Vinegar Hill, a hurl and football, and the motto "le croí agus lámh". This is an Irish translation of the a line from the 1798 ballad "The Boys of Wexford", meaning 'with heart and hand'.

Personally, I feel the new crest is by far the best we've had - modern in design, but featuring our glorious history. I also really like the "le croí agus lámh" motto, it evokes the spirit of the heroes of '98 - all Wexford teams should give everything on the pitch and fight to the death, just like our ancestors did at Vinegar Hill.

nocky (Wexford) - Posts: 2059 - 06/07/2009 09:25:55    333450

i only found out at the weekend that Laois was formerly known as "Queens County" interesting indeed.

johnjoseph (Derry) - Posts: 158 - 06/07/2009 09:45:27    333479

Joel, the book signifies the battle of books in drumcliffe, that was its meaning on the old crest so I presume its the same on this, its to do with St Columcille. The Land of Hearts Desire is a tribute by WB Yeats about Sligo. All mentioned in my earlier post.

Sligonian (Sligo) - Posts: 1837 - 06/07/2009 09:49:12    333482

Banner-boy the Clare crest may make reference to Brian Boru if its to do with war and Kings? Believe he was based in your part of the country and probably was a deadly hurler!!

Goodfella, Tir (None) - Posts: 1652 - 06/07/2009 09:49:53    333483

Orlaith I think it means 'With the heart and the hand" le croí agus lámh.

Tom1916 (Armagh) - Posts: 2001 - 06/07/2009 10:16:38    333506

Cavan:
Breifne:The ancient Gaelic territory. Modern Cavan was once "O Reilly country" and the ancient gaelic kingdom of Breifne is preserved in the name of the home pitch in Cavan and now on its crest.:

Franciscan Abbey: The mediaeval tower from the Abbey in Cavan Town fills the lower quadrant. Here the O' Reillys invited the Fracciscans to establish a monastery. The O'Reilly chieftains are buried here. Here also lies the remains of Ulster's great leader, Eoghan Rua O'Neill
GAA Logo: The GAA modern logo fills the right quadrant. The logo is representative of all Gaelic games,male and female. It is celtic in design, yet modern and futuristic
Red Hand 1886: The first GAA club founded in the province of Ulster was formed in Cavan. Ballyconnel First Ulsters formed in 1885 and affiliated in 1886. The date is preserved in the crest. A red hand has always appeared on Cavan crests. Early Cavan jerseys proudly sported the red hand. Ulster is where Cavan's heritage lies
Lakes and Hills: Our landscape is dominated by "wee lakes and hills". The environment shapes us and this is reflected on the new crest.

beer baron (Cavan) - Posts: 3916 - 06/07/2009 10:33:29    333530

Breifne:The ancient Gaelic territory. Modern Cavan was once "O Reilly country" and the ancient gaelic kingdom of Breifne is preserved in the name of the home pitch in Cavan and now on its crest.:
_________________

Shouldn't that be the ancient kingdom of Kingspan baron, lol. I always laugh when a reporter says Kingspan Breffni Park, it just sounds wrong!

nocky (Wexford) - Posts: 2059 - 06/07/2009 14:30:23    334102

How did that Tyrone lad manage to keep himself afloat long enough to cut off his hand. You would think he would have been in danger of drowning.

Fredthered (Donegal) - Posts: 1144 - 06/07/2009 14:43:02    334149

As far as I know, the undulating green and gold represents Donegal's green hills and golden beaches. The small shield in the middle stands for the ancient kingdom of Inishowen while the cross represents the O'Donnells and Tir Chonaill. It symbolises both parts of the county uniting as one. That's why it's inaccurate to call Donegal Tir Chonaill in Irish, especially in football. Dun na nGall represents the entire county

Naomh Ultan Abú (Donegal) - Posts: 298 - 06/07/2009 17:57:37    334613

Ollie I think u'll find that ALL of the bridge is in Meath & was put there by MEATH county councel.

Jinxie (Meath) - Posts: 6347 - 06/07/2009 22:05:34    334940