88 Comments

• Irish1798 | May 02, 2012, 11:16 AM EDT

  It is inane to think that flying the flag of the nation that did everything it could to starve my ancestors into submission would be a good idea. No Union Jacks in Ireland EVER!!!

• Bythebay | May 02, 2012, 10:55 AM EDT

  pilib04, flying the Union Jack in France is not comparable to flying it in Ireland. You need to learn some Irish history so you'll understand what the difference is.

• TayandCake | Jan 30, 2012, 11:36 AM EST

  bullcrap, I,seen plenty of english,scottish,welsh flags inside and outside many pubs around dublin.

• DanOLoingsigh | Jan 13, 2012, 05:49 PM EST

  Seano – You posted comments on this subject on Jan 05 at 06:13 PM and on Jan 06 at 05:38 PM – how could this be if you only read one post? Some posters may find your explanation rather incredible, in the literal sense….

• seanomelbourne | Jan 11, 2012, 06:30 PM EST

  The only post I read was posted at 04:21.no apology needed.

• DanOLoingsigh | Jan 10, 2012, 10:25 AM EST

  Seano - ONE - read pilib04 comment Jan 08 04:13 PM - TWO - Ask yourself, Does or does it not say 'I find the idea of the Union Jack flying anywhere on the island of Ireland to be offensive'. THREE - If yes, I guess YOU owe ME an apology...FOUR - Remember, When in hole, stop digging!!

• seanomelbourne | Jan 09, 2012, 05:38 PM EST

  pilib04 been demonised by Dan accusing him falsely of finding the UJ offensive.Maybe an apology is in order.

• DanOLoingsigh | Jan 08, 2012, 07:24 PM EST

  pilib04 - Please explain why you find the UK flag flying in the UK offensive? Do you deny one group on the island the same respect and rights as another? If so, again, why?

• pilib04 | Jan 08, 2012, 04:21 PM EST

  Pittsburghkid, since I rarely agree with you I thought I would followup on your post. I agree, my English cousins don't travel to France three times a year with the expectation that they will see the Union Jack. In fact, knowing them, they would probably make a disparaging remark. This flag nonsense sounds like it is emanating from Northern Ireland or the USA. Ireland and England are not big flag flyers. Probably as we get closer to the Centennial celebration of the Easter Rising etal, we will see more Tricolours. However, I don't think that will be the case in England. Now St. George's flag has had a real revival in England, but that may have more to do with sports. On the other hand, I have never traveled outside of Northern England and will have to communicate with cousins who have. But in the North flags are simply a rarity or novelty.

• pilib04 | Jan 08, 2012, 04:13 PM EST

  I find the idea of the Union Jack flying anywhere on the island of Ireland to be offensive.

• joemccullough | Jan 07, 2012, 11:25 AM EST

  Moronic. Who would possibly think that this was a good idea!

• mamaginnty | Jan 06, 2012, 08:27 PM EST

  A new study, by experts.....how much did it cost to come up with dribble like that.

• ciaradexy | Jan 06, 2012, 06:00 PM EST

  Sirpeter-Patriot isnt even in THIS country so we're grand!

• ciaradexy | Jan 06, 2012, 06:00 PM EST

  Sirpeter-patriot isnt in THIS country so we're grand!

• sirpeter | Jan 06, 2012, 05:51 PM EST

  Patriot lol.Where did you come from?!!You can't have genocidal thoughts and start whipping every Brit that comes into the country.

• ciaradexy | Jan 06, 2012, 05:51 PM EST

  GeorgeDillon, I dont eat carbs and follow the paleo diet so i'll leave McDonalds for degenerates like you to frequent and sell as US culture. Patriot is one of those Americans who probably doesnt have a passport and should never be given one. Stay in Hicksville you moron. Well said Sparklet by the way.

• seanomelbourne | Jan 06, 2012, 05:38 PM EST

  Patriot is out of order

• Sparklet | Jan 06, 2012, 03:56 PM EST

  Patriot gets the prize for the most racist, bigoted, and moronic posts Ive ever read. Ranting about Government policies is one thing but your hate filled diatribe is aimed at a whole nation of people, and that kind of stuff shouldnt be allowed on here. My English friends who have had a vacation in Ireland return time after time because they love the country and they love the people - and they're made welcome because thankfully most Irish people have more than one brain cell and treat people as individuals, not as a race, and not as though they are there to be blamed for the actions of their Government or their ancestors.

• GeorgeDillon | Jan 06, 2012, 03:54 PM EST

  Pittsbrghkid: "I am not going to fly from America to eat at a McDonalds"---Don't tell that to poster Ciaradexty. She thinks MacDonalds is gourmet cuisine. The Irish love to wolf down their burgers and "chips". Makes 'em feel sophisticated!

• ciaradexy | Jan 06, 2012, 12:33 PM EST

  SirPeter, the Arlington Hotel in Dublin has the tricolour. British, German,French, US, Australian flags flying most of the year round.

• sirpeter | Jan 06, 2012, 12:20 PM EST

  Who would be daft enough to hang the butchers apron over their business in Ireland.haha

• Jamcelt | Jan 06, 2012, 09:51 AM EST

  No.

• seanomelbourne | Jan 05, 2012, 06:13 PM EST

  Well said Pittsburghkid.The half full glass brigade will accept crunbs from the British table.Irish and proud.

• ciaradexy | Jan 05, 2012, 06:00 PM EST

  Pittburghkid-Do me a favour then and write to my government and ask them to take down the American flags from anywhere they may be.

• Pittsburghkid | Jan 05, 2012, 05:44 PM EST

  On vacations, people like different. If they wanted the same, then they would stay home. So the idea of making Ireland a suburb of the UK defeats the purpose of going on a vacation. A vacation is an excape from everyday life. The French understand this. The French are alway fighting to keep France unique. Ireland should do the same. Chains are the enemy of Ireland maintaining it's unique status. I am not going to fly from America to eat at a McDonalds, or sleep in a Holiday Inn. Although, it would be nice to drive on the right side of the road. Do you have "left of way", instead of "right of way"? I digress. Keep Ireland Irish should be the tourist moto of Ireland.

• ancavker | Jan 05, 2012, 04:12 PM EST

  Actually my English relatives might like to see the Cross of Saint George flown instead. I see lots of them in England. By the way the Irish in England are a much happier and fun bunch to be around than so many of the Irish in Ireland, always happy to see you, good times lots of fun. And no droning on about Americans and how bad we are. Manchester Irish festival always a great time.

• citizen69 | Jan 05, 2012, 03:17 PM EST

  Taking a look at the tired bigoted ramblings of 'Patriot' one realizes there are more than a few out of touch idiots who visit this site. What makes it worse is i suspect he doesn't even live in Ireland and doesn't even know the opinions of the vast majority of people here... Oh dear! Most Irish & British people get on just fine. They come here, enjoy themselves & have a good time. I can only hope they never have the misfortune to bump into bigots like Patriot and his ilk. Britain provides five times more visitors to Ireland than America. In fact as much tourists as every other country in the world combined, adding billions to the Irish economy. Each year there are as many British visitors to the Republic as there are people who live there!

• michaelcollins | Jan 05, 2012, 09:15 AM EST

  yea john o neill......nothing else to print so why not this complete load of crap.......i suppose its better than reading ANYTHING about jedward........jaysus i hate them muppets

• GeorgeDillon | Jan 05, 2012, 08:20 AM EST

  Good note, JohnONeill. One angle would be to involve those countless prominent people in Britain, be it in the arts, the media, sports or wherever, who are of Irish heritage.

• ciaradexy | Jan 04, 2012, 07:22 PM EST

  Aul Mick Collins there needs to remember that it was his fellow Corkonians who work in the 'English 'Market who made the Queen feel especially welcome! And Sean, youve left. game over. Patriot, the Brits are in Ireland every single day but we are owned by the Germans. Deal with it! Ive never heard a Brit say anything nasty about the Irish. I lived with a group of Irish and English in Sydney in '99 and there was never a bad word spoken about each other so sorry to ruin your illusion there! Saoirse, get over yourself love! No British tourists asked for this to me done and no Dubs did either. It was merely a concoction some randomers came up with. Jaysis you lot are easily upset arent you!?

• canadianirish | Jan 04, 2012, 07:04 PM EST

  @michaelcollins - :))

• Saoirse9 | Jan 04, 2012, 07:00 PM EST

  Has everyone in Ireland completely lost their minds?!? A Butcher's Apron, with the cross of St. Patrick on it, flying on Irish soil in order to mollify British tourists? I guess Dubliners must be awfully keen on being called Jackeens for eternity.

• patriot | Jan 04, 2012, 06:27 PM EST

  WE DON'T WANT BRITS IN IRELAND IN ANY FORM. I'D RATHER DIE EATING GRASS.

• patriot | Jan 04, 2012, 05:43 PM EST

  Another way to solve this is to wait for some mouthy british tourist to say something nasty about the Irish (usually within the first pint) and then take them outside for a good old fashioned whipping. That way there will be no tourists from england and no need to put up their flag. See! problem solved and it would be fun too! : )

• patriot | Jan 04, 2012, 05:28 PM EST

  The Union Jack is not called THE BUTCHER'S APRON for nothing!

• seanomelbourne | Jan 04, 2012, 05:05 PM EST

  So Ciara Irish born people living over seas have no right to comment unless they agree with you,I'll purchase a blue shirt for you next xmas.

• ciaradexy | Jan 04, 2012, 12:20 PM EST

  Citizen69-Most of the people on here who have issues with Ireland accepting migrants dont even live in Ireland either so youre 100% correct!

• citizen69 | Jan 04, 2012, 11:58 AM EST

  an expected over-reaction from the usual crew, egged-on by Irish-Central's usual sensationalist baiting headlines. It's not like the Dublin Business Assoc. are asking to put the Union flag over the GPO or the Dáil. The UK is the single biggest market for Irish tourism. 50% of all Irish visitors come from there. If the Irish hotels (& economy as a whole) are willing to take British tourist's cash, maybe it would be nice if they afforded the same welcome to the British visitors as they reserve for German, American & other visitors. I'd make a fair guess that most of the people opposed to it here don't even live in Ireland.

• DrTrelawney | Jan 04, 2012, 11:10 AM EST

  I can't really believe flying the Union Flag would make much difference to tourism. But it still seems enormously petty that so many hotels -- while proudly displaying German, US, French flags -- refuse to fly the British flag. You see the Irish flags outside quite a few hotels in London and nobody regards this as a sign of Irish dominance over that country.

• dublinbunny | Jan 04, 2012, 09:11 AM EST

  There is an Irish History museum inside the General Post Office, Dublin. It's called the An Post Museum. You can see the Proclamation and other items on display.

• Caoimhin1937 | Jan 04, 2012, 09:08 AM EST

  Dear Niall, your suggestion of the Union Jack flying over Dublin brings back old memories. On V-Day (Archie Bunker's WW2) the students of Trinity raised the Union Jack over the college in Dublin. Now you have to remember, 99% of them were protestant. The students from UCD marched over and took the flag down and raised the Tricolor. There was a brawl on the roof. Now you have to remember that at that time the Archbishop of Dublin John Charles McQuaid forbid Catholics to attend Trinity College. If they did, they committed a big mortal sin and were ex-communicated from the church. We jave come a long way from that, I hope. They were the good old days in one way and the bad old days. I had to laugh at your question. It already occurred 60 years ago.

• aronrona | Jan 04, 2012, 07:14 AM EST

  Seeing as Tim Geithner bullied the poor IRISH PEOPLE INTO REPAYING YANK BONDHOLDERS, we should burn the American embassy and it's rubbish flag.Screwed by uncle Sam, don't irish Americans love it !

• michaelcollins | Jan 04, 2012, 05:28 AM EST

  let them put up the flags........i will just set fire to them

• IrelandNorth | Jan 04, 2012, 05:25 AM EST

  More plaumause by the proto-unionist crypto-revisionists. The difference between the Union flag and all others flown in the south is that they dont contain a Saint Patrick's Cross representing a nation that, as a whole, is no longer a part of their United Kingdom. We'll fly the pre-Union flag.

• cillowen | Jan 03, 2012, 09:14 PM EST

  Shure they may as well - the irish go gaga for their overlord(s). Its was the same in the height of the Great Hunger with Victoria. Thereafter they were into saving the world mode, and then began bringing 'em home, and now their young 'uns are fleeing the insane asylum. The same brights who will challenge Irish they find as not being irish enough - met too many of these savants for tens of years now. Such diaspora discouraging fools, in time they may get to thinking but by then the accumulation of damage is a lock.

• CountyKilburn | Jan 03, 2012, 07:58 PM EST

  The Union Jack represents the Irish by including St Patrick's Saltire in its design. Wouldn't it be a wonderful gesture if we incorporated the Polish flag into the tricolour? We could add a red bit in top of the middle white bit. I think modern Ireland needs to reflect its new diversity and represent all communities rather than being stuck in a boring monocultural past.

• ciaradexy | Jan 03, 2012, 06:47 PM EST

  Mayolady-''The irish history of the famine is no longer taught in Irish schools''. What a crock! It is! My friend teaches history and science and I can assure you that Irish History is very well taught in schools here. Its also compulsory up until Junior cert level and then its an optional subject so I dont know where you are getting your info from. As for your points in regards to irish Americans, this is about British visitors to ireland not Americans. Whatsyour issue with the museum of Ireland? My 8 year old nephew loves it! He loves all the army displays and the tanks, planes etc and thats who its there for. Its there for the kids to enjoy so they learn and foster an appreciation for their country and their local amenities. Not everything in Ireland is created for the benefit of Americans. I visit Kilmainham Gaol at least once every 6-8 weeks and my nephew asks me to take him to the Museum after we go to the cinema once a month so if an Irish child is enjoying it and learning and asking questions then thats what really matters.

• Mercenary | Jan 03, 2012, 06:44 PM EST

  This is a complete load of BS. (1) I've travelled to the UK twice in the last year and not once did I whinge about not seeing the Tricolour. (2) Why don't we hear about UK tourists making similar demands on other countries? In conclusion, I think that this study is a fabrication made up by people from South Dublin with inferiority complexes who want an excuse to fly the flag. Why not the French one, or the German one?

• Mayolady | Jan 03, 2012, 06:24 PM EST

  This is fostered by the Anglo-Irish who still live and own property in Ireland. The Blackwater River near New Ross is owned by a British Lord and to fish there, Irish or tourist, must pay 80 U a day! Does that foster tourism? The Museum of Ireland is a joke and is grossly inaccurate in what it presents. The Cobh display and others are not revised to show the cause of the Great Hunger. Such pro-British displays are offensive to Irish American tourists as would be a British flag flying over Dublin! Do the British have an Irish flag flying over London? The Irish history of the famine is no longer taught in Irish schools. Irish Americans want to find their ancestors and see a real workhouse and visit museums like exist in Stokestown. You are missing the boat in attracting the Irish American tourist and the diaspora of global Irish to Ireland as tourists. Stop being manipulated by the powerful Anglo-Irish who deny the facts of the Famine and want to tie Ireland to England. It is disgusting!

• Sparklet | Jan 03, 2012, 05:37 PM EST

  I asked an English friend for her opinion and she said she would hate to see the UJ in Dublin, because it would just be so wrong.

• Yardleypa | Jan 03, 2012, 05:23 PM EST

  I thought Ireland hoisted the white flag when the IMF took over and the young left.

• merefalow | Jan 03, 2012, 04:57 PM EST

  beat a drum,fly a flag,preach hatred and march around goose stepping and any amount of lemming like sheep can be induced to follow,causing chaos death ,destruction,it has been this way for ever,and its not changing anytime soon.flags,bugles,uniforms,bands,equal the death of moderation,common sense,reason,having said that,some wounds can be so raw,and some wrongs so bad,that the sight of an enemy flag can arouse passions so strong,as to be almost unbearable.

• seanomelbourne | Jan 03, 2012, 04:49 PM EST

  I doubt that an increase in tourism would eventuate with the flying of any flag.Casey and O'Rourke need to get a real job. I agree with Jamie,the above article is a" slow news day" piece.

• jamieLM | Jan 03, 2012, 04:33 PM EST

  I doubt any rational Brits give a hoot whether the Union Jack is flying in Ireland or not. For the Brits who do want to see their flag, stay home. I've traveled to Ireland several times and the only flag I expect to see is Ireland's.

• ciaradexy | Jan 03, 2012, 04:17 PM EST

  Georgie, I have many British friends and they visit me quite a lot as do my Spanish, Italian, Argentinian, Indian and Swedish friends! They pretty much love this place. Ancavker, when I started visiting mates in the UK around '94 and met their parents, they actually asked if there was a war on and how dangerous was it for English people to visit. The first time I visited the US, I was handed money by my cousins neighbour who told me to 'give this to the boys back home to help the cause' and when I lived in Australia, they were amazed that the Irish and English staff were best of friends! So there is an older generation and a generation in certain countries who are oblivious to what actually happens in Ireland and anything that dispels that misconception can only be a good thing.

• ancavker | Jan 03, 2012, 04:05 PM EST

  ciara: English tourists were coming to Ireland even during the height of the troubles. Most new enough to stay away from the North and perhaps the border areas. But most come for the rural aspects (or what is left of it now)., and for the cultural the music language etc, both those who have Irish connections, and may who do not, but are interested in language and music, and old Celtic (Newgrange, Tara etc.) sites. They don't come all that much to the cities, because it is too similar to home, BBC, English supermarkets, department stores etc, British Newspapers and the like. What they do not like and I know from my own family is the feeling of being ripped off, and the take it or leave it attitude so many in the Irish tourism industry seem to have.

• GeorgeDillon | Jan 03, 2012, 03:58 PM EST

  Sparklet, I'm afraid you're slightly misquoting me. The source of what I referred to is an article in Dublin's Irish Times of Oct 15 2011. I'll quote just a little to avoid copyright problems: "SURVEY: Many British tourists no longer regard Ireland as sufficiently different to merit holidaying here, research shows. The loss of British visitors in the last five years is of serious concern to Irish tourism. UK tourists peaked in 2006 at 3.8m but in 2010 the figure was 2.5m. British visitors account for almost half of all tourists to Ireland and a recovery in this market is essential for the industry. According to the research for Tourism Ireland, this country is “almost an extension of a home holiday” and, with the cost of flights and ferries rising, it is cheaper for British people to holiday in Britain." We can see what they mean when we read the rather monotonous and humorless postings by the Irish here. Why would anyone pay money to go to Ireland to meet people like ciaradexy and sirpeter?

• ciaradexy | Jan 03, 2012, 03:13 PM EST

  Most of our tourists are from the UK. Alot of the older generation were actually afraid to come here for years because they thought theyd be murdered. Thankfully, once the Queen had visited, they realised that we are a decent lot and that they are welcome here.

• Sparklet | Jan 03, 2012, 03:07 PM EST

  George, where does the idea come from that Brits aren't interested in holidaying in Ireland? Ireland has always been a very popular destination and the main reason they would be put off is the cost. Ireland has always been expensive, but it's still somewhere that the British go to, enjoy, and return to. I doubt many of them, if any, give a toss about flags.

• ciaradexy | Jan 03, 2012, 03:06 PM EST

  Ah Walter ( Lovely German name by the way)Im not moving to the UK because my family and my job is here in Ireland. My brother who is just home from New Zealand was wondering why the US flag was being flown outside the patriot pub in Kilmainham when we popped into the Gaol yesterday. The group of about 40 of us were intrigued as to the reason the random American woman kept applauding when our tour guide stopped talking. He obviously was too when he asked her to stop! The owner of the pub is taking the flag down. He said it was just there to get the yanks to spend their money there after the tour. Now thats good economics!

• waltergmccarthy | Jan 03, 2012, 02:50 PM EST

  Ah Ciara is at it again! (little "Git") Why don't you just move to the U.K. or Belfast, they'd love you, you'd fit right in and we'd all be rid of you. You are not going to see Union Jacks flying in Ireland anytime soon, much to your disappointment.

• GeorgeDillon | Jan 03, 2012, 01:38 PM EST

  "The theory is that seeing their own flag would make British visitors feel more comfortable in Ireland". Other posters have pretty much ripped this one to shreds. All I would add is that a recent survey showed that one of the reasons the British are not very interested in vacationing in Ireland is that they find it too SIMILAR to Britain. If they loved to see the Union flag flying, they could of course vacation in the North of Ireland. Sandy Row in Belfast, for example, Union Flags everywhere. Or maybe a long, a very long weekend in Portadown. As above article demonstrates, Ireland currently appears to be producing more fools than at any other time in its history. Perhaps that could be turned into a tourist marketing strategy---"Come to Ireland and Meet Some of the Stupidest People in the World"....

• awoken32 | Jan 03, 2012, 01:29 PM EST

  A new study lol,what type of frauds are these people,a country should change its flag to promote tourism,what a load of rubbish,im sure people that come to ireland do so to come to ireland,why not bring back the famine so tourists can see the people in real struggle for life,why not just call ireland a zoo? i swear to god you do read some BS propaganda on this site,ireland would get more tourists if we keep our traditions alive an our culture going,an not to replace our own people with immigrants to create ghettos,all these so-called think tanks are nothing more than facist think tanks,by the way RON PAUL FOR THE USA PRESIDENT to all irish americans

• robbie.oh | Jan 03, 2012, 01:20 PM EST

  to get tourism going here they need to reduce Vat,and thr price of drink in hotels and bars,to grt people to come to ireland,not just Vat on hotel rooms we have cheap hotel rooms put you get screw on food and drink .

• ancavker | Jan 03, 2012, 01:15 PM EST

  I don't think British tourism has dropped because they do not see the Union Jack flying, in fact I do not think the thought even crosses their mind, or the mind of any other tourist from any other country. And besides if you were going to fly a flag, then fly the Cross of Saint George; that is the flag English people would like to see, if they even cared.

• passageyank | Jan 03, 2012, 01:15 PM EST

  I think the Union Jack has been flown throughout Ireland's history long enough. As far as making the British "more comfortable" that's fine as long as the Tricolours can be flown over Stormont to make the Irish feel "more comfortable".

• FastEddy | Jan 03, 2012, 01:11 PM EST

  Better: IRA flag or "Tropical Fish For Sale" flag ...

• DaithiSuibhne | Jan 03, 2012, 01:04 PM EST

  This is what happens when you get half tanked and then you go back to work, you came up with some really absurd ideas. Who's editing these lads anyway?

• ciaradexy | Jan 03, 2012, 12:40 PM EST

  You crowd should read this article as its written in thejournal.ie. Read the comments and you'll see that a massive majority of Irish people do not have an issue with this if it were to happen. As someone said, the IRA used the Irish flag during its bombing campaign and you don't hear about British people having massive issues with the tricolour being flown outside hotels and bars etc in the UK.

• Sparklet | Jan 03, 2012, 12:11 PM EST

  Ridiculous and surely not true anyway?

• McSpartacus | Jan 03, 2012, 11:56 AM EST

  Isn't it time that the Americans were mature enough to rejoin the British Commonwealth? Shouldn't the Latvians get past their silly hangups and display the Russian flag more prominently? Can't we all just get along, and let the Sons of Confederate Veterans association join hands in harmony with the good people of Harlem , 'neath the flowing furls of the Dixie Flag? I tell you, this is why people don't travel anymore - but of course there will always be some tribal throwbacks who want to spoil it. Simple logic, really.

• canadianirish | Jan 03, 2012, 11:49 AM EST

  What a RIDICULOUS idea!

• ciaradexy | Jan 03, 2012, 11:25 AM EST

  Most tourists are intelligent enough to do their research into a country before visiting so they are aware that they are visiting the REPUBLIC of Ireland. We fly many other countries flags here so why should this be any bigger of an issue than flying a US flag or a Canadian flag? The English, Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh flags are flown during the football or rugby so why not the Union flag which combines them all?

• Marcella | Jan 03, 2012, 11:16 AM EST

  I am at a loss as to the time spent on such unmittigated gall - the questionaire must have had such narrow and closed ended questions that one couldn't help but answer what I suspect might have been what was being looked for; an answer to the authors own (and very simple)hypothesis. It is all of what some have said already; bullocks, insulting to the people of Ireland and even britain but most certainly is ignorant of the history of a people and country who have been used as a doormat and worse by the 'Union Jack'. In the states that would be like hanging a confederate flag or worse to get southerners to visit!? Saying that Ireland is better than a knee jerk reaction as are its people - I am sure there is a way to welcome people from a country that tyranized Ireland for centuries without prostituting the heart and soul of it. And yes it all comes down to money and what people can afford.

• Phrinchas | Jan 03, 2012, 10:55 AM EST

  What the hell is wrong with you people who see nothing wrong with flying the Jack in Dublin? A plague on you who would even contemplate such a thing. How many of our ancestors have died to rid Ireland of this symbol of butchery and repression?

• faberm1 | Jan 03, 2012, 10:35 AM EST

  In America we fly the Union Jack, Mexican Flag, Irish Tri-Color, Canadian Flag or any other flag (other than maybe N. Korea or Cuba) as a courtesy to other countries and their citizens. We don't fly it above the Stars and Stripes, but we are not threatened by it (even though we too were once a British Colony). Get over it. By flying it outside of hotels, etc. in a position lower than the 'tri-color" Ireland can show it is bigger than the repression it endured.

• thomaso | Jan 03, 2012, 10:25 AM EST

  Marvelous! While we're at it, why nnot fly the Chinese flag, there's more of them than anybody else, and maybe they'll feel more comfortable visiting Ireland too.

• TriciaG28 | Jan 03, 2012, 10:25 AM EST

  Ah yes, and lets include a pic of the Union Jack flying over the GPO to really rile people up. Come on! Lets actually put this in perspective. Having the Union Jack fly (along with other flags) outside a hotel, but with the Tricolour as the main flag shouldn't and I don't believe would be a big deal. That said, to suggest that the reason UK tourist numbers are down is in ANY WAY connected to the Union Jacks lack of prominence is nonsensical. We are in a recession and Ireland is an expensive place to visit. THAT'S what tourist numbers are down. Yet another attempt to generate faux outrage where none exists. Honestly, who writes this crap?

• antoman | Jan 03, 2012, 10:23 AM EST

  People should'nt be left next to or near it. More often than not it is flown incorrectly, upside down.

• BGAndersson | Jan 03, 2012, 10:21 AM EST

  Simple marketing concept, really. Provided that animosity could be put aside, of course.

• stephendoyle | Jan 03, 2012, 09:53 AM EST

  What IDIOT thought of this idea? I want people to know they are in IRELAND, not britian. We did not fight and struggle for such a long time to voluntarily put up a union jack.

• RockNReel | Jan 03, 2012, 09:50 AM EST

  Don't see why not . The Irish flag flies over many hotels in London so why not visa versa . ? The Irish have already taken a leap of faith with the peace process and its working well. The queen took a leap of faith by coming to Ireland and was welcomed with open arms. So include the flag along with all other nations flags. No Big Deal anymore!!

• BrendanDunphy | Jan 03, 2012, 09:46 AM EST

  As the Brits would say, this is "complete rubbish".

• Springfield9 | Jan 03, 2012, 09:41 AM EST

  Michael Collins, himself, would rise to tear down the Butcher's apron.

• SeamusMor | Jan 03, 2012, 09:36 AM EST

  After fighting for 800 years to get to Brits out, it wold be ironic to see the bloody butcher's apron flying above Dublin again.

• Robertblckwd | Jan 03, 2012, 09:32 AM EST

  Simply ridiculous!

• WayneTalbot | Jan 03, 2012, 09:25 AM EST

  Eh Experts in what ? Bad taste and insult ! , This is easily the dumbest and most insulting thing I have read in a long time , I think the fall off of British tourists to Ireland has got nothing to do with whatever flag they see waving over their heads, but to do with the fact that they have zero cash as we are all feeling the pinch at the moment. There would be uproar if the union Jack was seen flying over government buildings, considering it isn't the official British flag but a flag of the commonwealth which would then imply that Ireland is once again part of it.

• ciaradexy | Jan 03, 2012, 08:25 AM EST

  As visitors from the UK make up the majority of our tourists and we fly many other nations flags, I dont see why not.