Bratacha 2013Festival of Flags and Emblems -

Dún Laoghaire   May 9th. – 11th. 2013

The Flag Project

• Brief - Aims and Objectives: 1. To design a Flag to signify and Commemorate the

upcoming ‘Bratacha’ Conference and Festival in Dún Laoghaire 2013.

2. That it should be Significant, Distinctive, and Contemporary. It should be easily recognisable, and identifiable when seen in high wind or at rest.

• Design parameters: A) Format 1 by 2. [ie. Horizontal orientation -1 unit vertically at Flagpole, by two units horizontally. Scale - not defined, variable] B) 3 Colours - Green/Blue/and Yellow (Gold).

Arms of Dún Laoghaire (1930-1993)

• Symbolism• Bishop’s Mitre (more probably an

Abbot’s Mitre) from Monkstown (Civil Parish) and its association with St. Mary’s Abbey in Dublin

• Ancient Crown to signify association with Ard Rí Laoghaire (Not the ‘Imperial Crown’ used by Kingstown UDC)

• Viking Ship and coastal fortification (symbol of the ‘Dún’ (demolished c. 1834) and the Martello Towers (c. 1804/5) along the coast and, of course, the Harbour (c. 1825) etc)

Arms of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown (1994 - )

• Symbolism • Ancient Crown for Ard Rí Laoghaire

(note not the British Royal Crown of Kingstown)

• Oak for original wooded area• Trefoil (shamrock) from Rathdown

No. 1 District• Mountain (green triangle) • Viking Ship – associations with areas

of settlement & trade• Motto ‘Ó Chuan go Sliabh’ – ‘from

harbour to mountain’• Arms granted by the Chief Herald of

Ireland – designed by Fergus Gillespie

‘Logo’ of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown

• Symbolism• Taken from the ‘motto’

on the Arms of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council – Ó Chuan go Sliabh – ‘from Harbour to Mountain’ – sometimes rendered as ‘From the Mountains to the Sea’.

Dún Laoghaire ‘logo’ (2011/12)

• Symbolism• This ‘logo’ was designed as

part of the ‘Brand Project’ for use by all of the ‘stakeholders’ in the Town of Dún Laoghaire.

• Without the words ‘Dún Laoghaire’ it is essentially meaningless

• Community organisations are not using this ‘logo’

Dún Laoghaire Peoples’ Heritage Flag (2002 -)

• Symbolism• Sacred Bull of the ancient

Irish ‘Celtic’ religion• Gold – “Kingship” land

associated with Ard Rí Laoghaire

• Celtic Cross – coming of Christianity in 5th century across the Irish Sea.

• Dawn of Irish recorded history (written heritage)

Original Flag in the National Maritime Museum of Ireland

Recap on Design Brief• Brief - Aims and Objectives: 1. To design a Flag to signify and commemorate the upcoming ‘Bratacha’

Conference and Festival in Dún Laoghaire 2013. 2. That it should be Significant, Distinctive, and Contemporary. It should

be easily recognisable, and identifiable when seen in high wind or at rest.

• Design parameters: A) Format 1 by 2. [ie. Horizontal orientation -1 unit vertically at Flagpole, by two units horizontally. Scale - not defined, variable] B) 3 Colours - Green/Blue/and Yellow (Gold).

- Initial design Concept -As is often the case, the simplest and most elegant designs are

intuitive and direct... Derived from and referring to the Motto of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown –

“ From The Mountains to the Sea” ...

Design Concept: Andrew Gerard Ball

First Draft... • Format: 1 by 2• Colours: Green, Blue, Yellow (Gold) – primary colours on Arms & ‘Logo’

Bratacha Flag Project Artwork & Graphics: Frank Lee Cooper

Shamrock added as specifically ‘Irish’ Identifier... and, of course, taking an element from the Arms of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown

Final Design: First draft Finished Artwork

Final Design: Finished Artwork

Flying the Flag... an Impression

Bratacha Flag – Design Concept: Andrew Gerard Ball. Project Artwork & Graphics: Frank Lee Cooper