Irish Civic & Regional Coats of Arms (Updated 7 July 2004)

Ireland
This coat of arms was granted to Ireland by Henry VIII when he declared himself "King of Ireland". Up to that time, the accepted coat of arms was the same as that now bourne by the province of Munster. However, Henry felt that the three crowns were too reminiscent of the triple tiara of the Pope for his liking. The harp as I depict it above left is the insignia of the modern Irish government and the design taken from "Brian Boru's Harp". Previously the harp was shown with a female figure, as above right.

Connacht or Connaught
A province generally encompasssing the western part of the country.

Leinster
A province generally encompasssing the eastern part of the country.

Munster
A province generally encompasssing the southern part of the country.

Ulster
A province generally encompasssing the northern part of the country including the six counties of Northern Ireland. The arms are an amalgamation of the bearings of the great families of O'Neill and Burke.

County Arms

Antrim

Armagh

Carlow

Cavan

Clare

Cork
These are really the arms of Cork City. I'm not aware if Cork county has any coat of arms.

Derry

Donegal

Down

Dublin
These are the old county arms of Dublin, no longer in use since Dublin has been divided into the City and three county regional administrations.

Fermanagh

Galway
The are the new Galway County Arms. Up until recently the county used the city arms.

Kerry

Kildare

Kilkenny

Laois

Leitrim

Limerick
These are the arms of the county and are quite distinct from those of the city.

Longford

Louth

Mayo
Of recent vintage. The county previously used the arms of Castlebar.

Meath
The ancient arms of the Kingdom of Meath which encompassed a lot more territory than the modern county. The above are still used by the Meath GAA but the County Council has adopted a new design.

Monaghan

Offaly
Another recent coat of arms for a county which used to use the arms of Tullamore.

Roscommon

Sligo

Tipperary

Tyrone

Waterford

Westmeath

Wexford

Wicklow

Dublin Coats of Arms

Until the late 20th century Dublin was administratively divided into the City and County. Today, however, the county has been further divided into three adinistrative zones and each has adopted a new coat of arms.

Dublin City
The three burning castles will be familiar to all Dublin residents and visitors. The flames were originally archers defending the city from attack.

Dun Laoghaire - Rathdown Council

Fingal County Council
(where I was born)
Nice to see that they have kept the crow from the original arms.

South Dublin County Council

Dublin
These are the old county arms of Dublin.

Arms of some other cities and towns some of which were formerly used as county arms.

Athlone

Belfast

Birr

(London)Derry City
Granted in 1623. The top potion represents the arms of London.

Edenderry

Ennis

Galway City

Limerick City

Portlaoise

Tullamore

County Councils all over Ireland are adopting new arms all the time. Here are some examples

Leitrim County Council

Meath County Council

Longford County Council

Wexford County Council

Kerry County Council

The GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) which is organised on a county basis. Most of the counties use the county arms shown above, but a few use different ones. Below are some of these.

Below is another Armagh County coat of arms. I have no idea regarding it's history or origin

Laois GAA

Donegal GAA

Derry GAA

Armagh

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Ireland This coat of arms was granted to Ireland by Henry VIII when he declared himself "King of Ireland". Up to that time, the accepted coat of arms was the same as that now bourne by the province of Munster. However, Henry felt that the three crowns were too reminiscent of the triple tiara of the Pope for his liking. The harp as I depict it above left is the insignia of the modern Irish government and the design taken from "Brian Boru's Harp". Previously the harp was shown with a female figure, as above right.		Connacht or Connaught A province generally encompasssing the western part of the country.	Leinster A province generally encompasssing the eastern part of the country.	Munster A province generally encompasssing the southern part of the country.	Ulster A province generally encompasssing the northern part of the country including the six counties of Northern Ireland. The arms are an amalgamation of the bearings of the great families of O'Neill and Burke.


Antrim	Armagh	Carlow	Cavan	Clare	Cork These are really the arms of Cork City. I'm not aware if Cork county has any coat of arms.

Derry	Donegal	Down	Dublin These are the old county arms of Dublin, no longer in use since Dublin has been divided into the City and three county regional administrations.	Fermanagh	Galway The are the new Galway County Arms. Up until recently the county used the city arms.

Kerry	Kildare	Kilkenny	Laois	Leitrim	Limerick These are the arms of the county and are quite distinct from those of the city.

Longford	Louth	Mayo Of recent vintage. The county previously used the arms of Castlebar.	Meath The ancient arms of the Kingdom of Meath which encompassed a lot more territory than the modern county. The above are still used by the Meath GAA but the County Council has adopted a new design.	Monaghan	Offaly Another recent coat of arms for a county which used to use the arms of Tullamore.

Roscommon	Sligo	Tipperary	Tyrone	Waterford	Westmeath

		Wexford	Wicklow
Dublin Coats of Arms
Until the late 20th century Dublin was administratively divided into the City and County. Today, however, the county has been further divided into three adinistrative zones and each has adopted a new coat of arms.
	Dublin City The three burning castles will be familiar to all Dublin residents and visitors. The flames were originally archers defending the city from attack.	Dun Laoghaire - Rathdown Council	Fingal County Council (where I was born) Nice to see that they have kept the crow from the original arms.	South Dublin County Council	Dublin These are the old county arms of Dublin.
Arms of some other cities and towns some of which were formerly used as county arms.

Athlone	Belfast	Birr	(London)Derry City Granted in 1623. The top potion represents the arms of London.	Edenderry	Ennis

Galway City	Limerick City	Portlaoise	Tullamore
County Councils all over Ireland are adopting new arms all the time. Here are some examples

Leitrim County Council	Meath County Council	Longford County Council	Wexford County Council	Kerry County Council
The GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) which is organised on a county basis. Most of the counties use the county arms shown above, but a few use different ones. Below are some of these.					Below is another Armagh County coat of arms. I have no idea regarding it's history or origin

Laois GAA	Donegal GAA	Derry GAA			Armagh