Culture

Celtic Countries

Interceltic Countries

Forget about the idea of primitive barbarians because celtic people are the population which travelled the most and conquered the most lands in Europe! As a proof of it celtic people are nowadays present all around the world, from the USA to Japan. But only 8 regions can really claim their celtic roots. Those regions form the celtic belt on the Atlantic Ocean, and we know why when we get to discover the landscapes in here, and share a same identity based on music, languages and traditions!

Inter Celtic Motto: « C'hwec'h Bro, un Ene : Six countries, one soul. »

Inerceltic Flag

  

This is a collage of the 6 or 8 flags of the celtic countries and it emerged as the rallying sign for all the celtic countries. From top left we can identify the official flags of Brittany, of the Isle of Man flag, of Scotland, of Ireland, of Cornwall and of Walesg.

Other versions exist which include the flag of Galicia and the flag of Asturias, also recognised as celtic countries.

Britanny, Breizh (Breton)

Britanny

Status: region of France
Official languages: Breton and French
Main Towns: Rennes, Brest, Vannes
Area: 27,208 Km2
Population: 3,103,000

Gwenn Ha Du 

The Gwenn ha du (black and white) is the official Breton flag. The field of ermines remains an ancient blazon of Brittany. The four white stripes represents four bishoprics within Britanny which are Léon, Trégor, Cornouaille and Vannes, and the black ones stands for five others bishoprics: Nantes, St Brieuc, St Malo, Dol and Rennes.

Wales, Cymru (welsh)

Wales

Status: Country of the United Kingdom
Official languages: Welsh and English
Capital: Cardiff
Area: 20 768 Km²
Population: 2,958,600

Welsh flag

The red dragon on Welsh flag is an opposition to Saxons’ white dragon. Moreover Uther Pendragon, Arthur’s father, saw a red dragon in the sky which announced him he would become king, he decided that the red dragon would be the welsh emblem.

Cornwall, Kernow (Cornish)

Cornwall

Status: County of England in the United Kingdom
Official languages: Cornish and English
Main Town: Truro
Area: 3,564 km²
Population: 513,527

 

Cornish flag

Cornish flag represents the cross of St Piran, Cornwall patron saint. It has an inspiration from the ancient Breton flag, a black cross on a white field, but the colours has been reversed.

Scotland, Alba (Scottish)

Scotland

Status: Country of the United Kingdom
Official languages: Scottish and English
Capital: Edinburgh
Area: 78,783 Km²
Population: 5,145,000

Scottish flag

« The cross of St Andrew » is the national flag of Scotland. The legend says that King Hungus, leader of Picts, prayed for a miracle that would save his army from Saxons. That night he dreamt that Saint Andrew came to him and told him that his army would not only be saved but would be victorious over Saxons. During the battle Hungus and his men saw a white cross in the blue sky. It gave them the motivation to fight and they won the battle. Hungus decided that the cross of St Andrew would become the emblem of Scotland.

Ireland, Eire (Irish)
Total Area :  84,412 Km²

Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Status: Republic
Official languages: Irish and English
Capital: Dublin
Area: 70,273 Km²
Population: 4,420,000

Northern Ireland

Status: Country of the United Kingdom
Official languages: English
Capital: Belfast
Area: 14,139 Km² 
Population: 1,680,000

Irish flag

The Irish flag uses a combination of three colours as a reference to the French revolution flag. The white stripe refers to the peace between English-Norman and Gaelic communities, which are symbolised by the green stripes, and the protestant community symbolised by the orange stripe.

Isle of Man, Ellan Vannin (Manx)

Isle of Man

Status: Crown dependency
Official languages: Manx and English
Main Town: Douglas
Area: 572 Km²
Population: 80,058

Manx flag

Ny Tree Casyn (the three legs) is the official flag of the Isle of Man. It uses the triskelion to refer to Manannan Mac Lyre, the sea god whose home is the Isle of Man, because he protected the island from Vikings invasion by changing himself into a three legs triskelion and ran down a hill raising dust and scaring enemies. 

Galicia, Galiza (Galician)

Galicia

Status: Autonomous community
Official languages: Galician and Spanish
Capital: Santiago de Compostela
Area: 29,574 Km²
Population: 2,760,179

Galician flag

The flag of Galicia is a white field with a blue stripe; it has existed since the 19th century and comes from the flag of the police port authority of La Coruna.

 Asturias, Asturias (Asturian)

Asturias

Status: Autonomous community
Capital: Spanish
Main Town: Oviedo
Area: 10,604 Km²
Population: 1,076,896

Asturian flag

The flag of Asturias shows the "Cruz de la Victoria" (Victory Cross) in gold over blue.This Cross was carried by Don Pelayo (later King Pelayo), in the decisive battle of Covadonga against the Moors in 722. The greek letters Alpha and omega hang from its horizontal axis. This is a direct reference to the Book of Revelation 1:8, 'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.'