courtesy flag for Scotland and Ireland

[Sans Bateau]

When I stop off in Ireland in June on passage to Scotland will I need a courtesy flag? Then when I get to Scotland, if I fly a courtesy flag there will it be seen as a nice gesture or will it be seen that I'm taking the 'P'? You know how touchy they can be up there.

 

[toad_oftoadhall]

When I stop off in Ireland in June on passage to Scotland will I need a courtesy flag? Then when I get to Scotland, if I fly a courtesy flag there will it be seen as a nice gesture or will it be seen that I'm taking the 'P'? You know how touchy they can be up there.

Is there room for 2 courtesy flags in the aft cabin of a sub 40ft yacht?

 

[salamicollie]

probably not

 

[Sans Bateau]

Is there room for 2 courtesy flags in the aft cabin of a sub 40ft yacht?

I am hoping I can buy some that will fold up.

 

[Ubergeekian]

When I stop off in Ireland in June on passage to Scotland will I need a courtesy flag? Then when I get to Scotland, if I fly a courtesy flag there will it be seen as a nice gesture or will it be seen that I'm taking the 'P'? You know how touchy they can be up there.

I think it will be generally very much appreciated. A saltire at the crosstrees seems the most common thing, but if you're worried about saying "My vessel is stopped in the water" then a Lion Rampant or a scottish merchant flag (aka scottish red ensign) will do fine.

Jumblie will be sailing under the merchant flag (and to hell with the rules) and I have acquired Welsh, Manx and Irish courtesy flags for the trip up the Irish sea. If you want 'em, cheap, after April, PM me!

 

[Rigger]

If you fly the Irish tricolour don't whatever you do forget to take it down before entering N Irish waters. My ears are still ringing from the shouting at I got when entering Bangor marina flying one !!

 

[saltwater_gypsy]

A nice gesture is to fly a small Scottish Saltire as a courtesty flag.

 

[Quandary]

Flags and Emblems

As a visitor you should fly an Irish courtesy flag, otherwise your red ensign is all you really need.
If 'touchy up there' includes Northern Ireland which is still part of UK, in that case you are correct, I could give you details, if you want, of the political allegiance in each port but you will probably take less risk if you don't fly any flags at all, or you could look at the colour of the kerbstones.
Northern Ireland even has a law (passed at Westminster) that prohibits the flying of the Union flag in the workplace.

 

[kesh]

be aware that the scottish saltire is seen by some as a unionist flag in northern ireland.

crikey flags are awkward over there

 

[Quandary]

be aware that the scottish saltire is seen by some as a unionist flag in northern ireland.

crikey flags are awkward over there

Only by Celtic supporters, but there are a lot of them.

 

[Salty John]

I think you should fly a large St George's flag as prominently as possible. It means "I require assistance" which, I'm sure, will be forthcoming.

 

[Ubergeekian]

I could give you details, if you want, of the political allegiance in each port but you will probably take less risk if you don't fly any flags at all, or you could look at the colour of the kerbstones.

While travelling round NI for work I developed a rule which works pretty well. All small towns in northern Ireland are sh*tholes. The degree of sh*ttiness is directly correlated to the number of unionist banners on display. You can therefore work out the political allegiance of a small northern irish town by working back from its degree of horribleness.

My personal worst? Bushmills. Oh dear me, what a dump, and King Billy posters on every lamp post.

 

[Quandary]

Bushmills

A lot of people like the Giants Causeway though I think it is over rated, The whiskey isn't though.

Bushmills is the seat of the Maclachlans and their grand house there is called after their original castle on Upper Loch Fyne, Dunderave. It is an outpost which explains the working class grafitti.
Suggest you might look at Broughshane as an alternative example of an Ulster village, British representative in the large village category in all those European Entente Florale competitions.

 

[Barnacle Bill]

I brought my UK yacht over to Ireland (southern) 2 years ago, rolled up the red ensign, and haven't flown it or a courtesy flag (or any other flag) since - and nobody seems to mind. (Maybe if that jobsworth from the MCA found out, he might have a fit!)

Technically an Irish courtesy flag should be flown in Irish waters - in my view there are, however, too many actual national flags to worry about, without going for Scottish, Cornish, Welsh, Breton, Basque, Catelan, etc etc etc with all the local enmities that they might stir up ....

 

[doris]

Ireland is a foreign country therefore a courtesy flag is almost obligatory. Scotland is not an independent county so no flag.
However you may remember the Olympics when there were scottish, welsh and irish medals but no English ones. They were all classified as Great Britain.
Our current rulers in Brussels have already decreed that 'English' is not a state of existence, only British, but you can be any one of the celtic bands. Also remember that the irish are only the welsh and scots terrorists who could swim!
In Scotland an ensign is all that you should fly until they have the bottle to accept the independence that we are very happy to give them.

I will now get my coat and tin hat.

 

[Sans Bateau]

No worries guys, I have no plans to go into NI, not unless I get a bit lost. Its mainly for the two weeks we will be anchoring around the Islands of Mull, Coll, Colansay and Islay. We will of course buy local produce wherever we stop, we dont want to upset the natives, whatever the distillery is.

 

[Quandary]

Don't be tempted to buy your malt in the distillery, though it always tastes good in there. Much cheaper in the Co-op.

 

[Sans Bateau]

What, you mean you dont get it cheaper 'at the factory'?!

 

[Ubergeekian]

What, you mean you dont get it cheaper 'at the factory'?!

It's only distilled there. Most of the maturing, and the bottling, happens in bonded warehouses in Glasgow. Anyway, everybody knows you buy your whisky at Bowmore Co-Op.

 

[Sans Bateau]

It's only distilled there. Most of the maturing, and the bottling, happens in bonded warehouses in Glasgow. Anyway, everybody knows you buy your whisky at Bowmore Co-Op.

Well that has spoiled the dream, I might even cancel the trip now, whats the point in coming all that way?