The harp has been recognised as a symbol of Ireland since the 13th century and was used on Irish coinage by kings John and Edward I. It is sometimes referred to as the harp of Brian Boru, High King of Ireland. It has appeared in the third quarter of the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom since the union of the crowns of Ireland and England to that of Scotland by James VI of Scotland in March 1603. Prehistoric Ireland saw the arrival of humans after 8000 BC. Gaelic Ireland had emerged by the 1st century and lasted until the early 17th century. The island was converted to Christianity from the 5th century onward. Following the Norman invasion in the 12th century, England claimed sovereignty over Ireland. However, English rule did not extend over the whole island until the 16th–17th century Tudor conquest. This led to colonisation of Ireland by settlers from Britain. In the 1690s, a system of Protestant English rule was designed to materially disadvantage the Catholic majority and Protestant dissenters, and was extended during the 18th century. In 1801, Ireland became a part of the United Kingdom. A war of independence in the early 20th century was followed by the partition of the island, creating the Irish Free State, which became increasingly sovereign over the following decades, and Northern Ireland which remained a part of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland saw much civil unrest from the late 1960s until the 1990s. This subsided following a political agreement in 1998. In 1973, both parts of Ireland joined the European Economic Community.

Northern Ireland; на ирландски: Tuaisceart Éireann; на ълстърски скотски: Norlin Airlann) е една от четирите съставни части на Обединеното кралство. Северна Ирландия е разположена в североизточната част на остров Ирландия, и е единствената част от Обединеното кралство, която има сухоземна граница с друга страна ( Република Ирландия). Given at our Court of St. James in the 15th year of our reign 2nd August 1924 by His Majesty's command.Cyrillic: Се̏ве̄рна̄ И̑рска̄ f ( Ekavian ), Сје̏ве̄рна̄ И̑рска̄ f ( Ijekavian ) Roman: Sȅvērnā Ȋrskā f ( Ekavian ), Sjȅvērnā Ȋrskā (sh) f ( Ijekavian ) The flag is used within the unionist community, along with the Union Flag. A variation of the flag places the Union Flag in the Canton, and defaced with the red hand and the outline of a map of Northern Ireland on the Union Flag. It is regularly displayed by fans of the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also used to represent Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games, the Northern Ireland national football team.

The harp on the 1928 coinage was based on the Galway and Trinity College harps, whilst a much modified version was introduced on 1939 coinage, and the present Irish euro coins are largely based on this.

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The Coat of Arms of Northern Ireland was granted to the Government of Northern Ireland in 1924, after the Irish Free State had separated from the United Kingdom. In Gaelic bardic tradition Ireland is also known by the poetical names of Banbha (meaning piglet) and Fódhla. In Gaelic myth, Ériu, Banbha and Fódla were three goddesses who greeted the Milesians upon their arrival in Ireland, and who granted them custodianship of the island. Leprechauns . A leprechaun looks like a little old man and dresses like a shoemaker with a crooked hat and leather apron. Aloof and unfriendly, leprechauns live alone and pass the time by mending the shoes of Irish fairies. They also have a hidden pot of gold! Belarusian: Паўно́чная Ірла́ндыя f ( Paŭnóčnaja Irlándyja ), Паўночная Ірля́ндыя f ( Paŭnóčnaja Irljándyja ) ( Taraškievica ) In Gaelic bardic tradition Ireland is also known by the poetical names of Banbha (meaning piglet) and Fódhla. In Gaelic myth, Ériu, Banbha and Fódla were three goddesses who greeted the Milesians upon their arrival in Ireland, and who granted them custodianship of the island