1916 Irish Flag ( Bratach Phoblacht na hÉireann )

Green Flag flown over the General Post Office in 1916.

This green flag with the words IRISH REPUBLIC painted on both sides was hoisted by the rebels over the General Post Office in Dublin on Easter Monday, 24th April. Mary Shannon, a shirt maker in the nationalist co-operative at Liberty Hall, had made the flag not long before the Rising. After the Rising it was seized by British Army soldiers.

The flag was kept in the Imperial War Museum in London until the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising in 1966 when it returned to Ireland. It was given to An Taoiseach (head of Irish government), Seán Lemass, who in turn presented it to the National Museum of Ireland.