Saint Patrick’s Saltire Flag - History, Meaning & Usage #1771741 (License: Personal Use)

This image displays the Saint Patrick’s Saltire, a heraldic flag featuring a red diagonal cross (saltire) on a white field, adopted in the 17th century to represent Ireland within the Union Jack. Though not Ireland’s national flag today, it remains part of the UK’s Union Flag and is used by some Northern Irish institutions and cultural groups. Its design predates modern Irish nationalism and reflects British-Irish unionist heritage.

Used on government websites, educational resources about UK/Irish history, cultural exhibitions, and heritage pages discussing the Union Jack’s components; matches user intent for historical flag identification, academic research, or symbolic representation of Northern Ireland.