[svxistentialist]

Originally posted by green_eyed_lady
I was told years ago by a girl from Ireland that only the Catholic Irish wear green on St. Patrick's day and that the Protestants wear orange, in her words "in honor of some Dutchman". I'm guessing that might be William of Orange. Does anyone know if there's any truth to this rumor?

Diana,

Over here, that can be a loaded question. As in gun.

Yes, basically correct, the nationalist tradition takes green as the colour of choice. The Loyalists tradition who prefer to be part of Britain use orange as their traditional colour. Mostly they are Protestants, but it is unsafe to think of all Catholics as Nationalists or all Protestants as Orangemen or Loyalists.

The national flag of Ireland is coloured Green, White and Orange [not Green White and Gold as sometimes described] It represents the two opposing traditions, with the white centre aspirationally representing peace between the two sides. This is taking a little while to achieve.

The William of Orange bit is historically strange, as the Orange side here take him as hero. Yet there is the possibility his military campaigns may have been geared to achieve certain aims favoured by the Pope of the time. Yet latter day Orange men are fiercely Anti-Papist. Hard to figure, but is probably a product of the social polarisation needed to maintain the status quo after the Plantation of Ulster.

A deep, deep subject that does not lend itself to simplistic colour analysis.

Joe