An Lámh Dhearg, the red hand of Ulster, is a famous symbol of Northern Ireland. And it’d be hard to find a more dramatic object to put on a flag.

But the roots of the Hand are tied to a mysterious origin story that may go back as far as pagan times in Ireland.

The icon itself is quite literally a red hand, palm facing the viewer, fingers pointed upwards. Usually it is a right hand, but in some variations a left hand is used.

As a documented heraldic emblem, the red hand first appears in the 13th century. However, historians don't really know the exact origin or reasoning for how the symbol of the hand came to be. In this video, Erik recounts the history and the exciting legend of how the Red Hand of Ulster came to be.

*** Explore the history and legends of Ireland with these books:

Over Nine Waves: A Book Of Irish Legends by Marie Heaney
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

In Search of Ancient Ireland: The Origins of the Irish from Neolithic Times to the Coming of the English by Carmel McCaffrey, Leo Eaton
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...

Modern Ireland, 1600 1972 by R.F. Foster   / 195520.modern_ireland_1600_1972  





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