nocky
County: Wexford
Posts: 187

333450 Wexford changed the crest used on its jerseys etc. some years ago because the original crest, the three viking boats, is the crest of Wexford Town, and they wanted a new crest more representative of the whole county. A new design featuring Hook Lighthouse (in the very south of the county), and the emblem of Gorey (in the very north of the county), and some pikes with the Latin motto "Exemplar Hiberniae" was introduced.

It wasn't a particularly imaginative design, and so a few years later the county board or whoever decided to change it again, to the current design, featuring - somewhat abstractly - a pikeman, Vinegar Hill, a hurl and football, and the motto "le croí agus lámh". This is an Irish translation of the a line from the 1798 ballad "The Boys of Wexford", meaning 'with heart and hand'.

Personally, I feel the new crest is by far the best we've had - modern in design, but featuring our glorious history. I also really like the "le croí agus lámh" motto, it evokes the spirit of the heroes of '98 - all Wexford teams should give everything on the pitch and fight to the death, just like our ancestors did at Vinegar Hill.

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"Exemplar Hiberniae" I believe this means something along the lines of 'An Example for Ireland' or 'A model for Ireland'.

With the original 3 buring boats there also was a motto in Latin that was something along the lines of 'Per aquam et ignem' (this is probably spelt wrong) which means 'Through fire and water'.

ColinWex (Wexford) - Posts: 901 - 06/07/2009 22:58:07    335010

jinxie-not all of the bridge is in meath but its most of it.look at ordance survey map of drogheda and you will see that yourself.but cheers to the meath county council for a fantastic structure.its a pity they dont look after the roads south of that bridge.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 07/07/2009 13:47:16    335584

Antrim's shows a castle, the red hand of Ulster, a round tower and a lion rampant. Despite the association with Tyrone, there were various O'Neill septs across Ulster (and further afield). The symbols on the Antrim crest relate to the Clandeboy O'Neills who had castles at Antrim town (Shane's Castle) and Belfast (the old castle not the current one). The red hand and lion rampant come from the O'Neills crest and the castle and round tower symbolise those in Antrim town. There are various red hand stories, but, as far as I know, the inauguration chairs of the O'Neills had hands carved into them (like Tullyhogue in Tyrone and the destroyed one at McArts Fort overlooking Belfast).

pearsesabu (Antrim) - Posts: 663 - 07/07/2009 16:25:45    335880

I never realised that the crests have so much history!

Orlaith (Derry) - Posts: 4282 - 09/07/2009 18:12:30    339457

Up to about 10 years ago Kilkenny and Tipperary had neraly the same looking crests. It was the Butler family crest, who lived in Kilkenny castle in the 12th century. Some years later , some of the Butler clan moved to the Rock of Cashel. So for years Tipp had a Kilkenny's family's crest on their jersey, they switched it to the Rock of Cashel when they realised the Butlers themselves came from Kilkenny. It was the Butlers who introduced hurling to Tipp , thats how they got so good at it!

richiescats (USA) - Posts: 420 - 11/07/2009 04:01:43    341441

ricjiescats we got so good that ye haven't beaten us in an all ireland for about 80 years

premierman21 (Tipperary) - Posts: 429 - 11/07/2009 11:20:51    341485

Is it just me or has the Carlow one changed?

Orlaith (Derry) - Posts: 4282 - 17/07/2009 22:52:01    350327

06/07/2009 00:20:17
OLLIE
County: Louth
Posts: 1261

333349 LOUTH-the boyne cable bridge at drogheda.the gateway in to the land of the legends.even though most of the bridge is in co.meath it makes up for the amount of employment that wee county offers to its royal neighbours.

MEATH-to commerate king billies victory at the battle of the boyne.meath also picked the colours green and gold because if you mix the two you get orange.


Excellent post Ollie. Put jinxie in her place anyway. She can't even spell council!!! The bridge is in both counties hence the signage on either side of the motorway saying "Welcome to Co. Louth/ Meath" depending on the direction you are travelling. But as you said it is the least they could do to repay us for all the employment that we provide for their emigrants!!! They needed a good bridge to cater for the mass exodus from there to Louth.

Interesting how she struck first though. Things must be really bad in Meath at the moment. But jinxie, bitterness is a terrible disease to live with. You'll have to get over it and enjoy life some more.

To the Kildare poster as St. Brigid is from Co. Louth it would seem the practice of taking inspiration and skill from outside is a long held tradition in Kildare!!

Real Louth fan (Louth) - Posts: 3157 - 18/07/2009 11:01:58    350497

johnjoseph
County: Derry
Posts: 30

333479 i only found out at the weekend that Laois was formerly known as "Queens County" interesting indeed.

In the 16th century the English under Queen Mary and her husband King Philip removed the lands from the local Irish chieftains because of their rebellious nature these lands were handed over to English soldiers while the locals were banished to Kerry . Laois was then called " The Queens County " and Offaly called "The Kings County" the town of Portlaoise was called Maryborough after Queen Mary and Dangan in Offaly (I think ) was called Philips Town after King Philip.

This also explains why Kerry have such a good football team to this day and we don't .

chainsaw (Laois) - Posts: 712 - 18/07/2009 12:35:57    350552

Limericks has the treaty stone, king johns castle, the river shannon and the golden vale. Nothing too remarkable there. What is interesting though is the writing. Chuimhnigh ar Luimneach. This was a battle cry from Patrick Sarsfield - Remember Limerick. Modern day translations might be leave yer mark! or lower the blade!!

S Man (Limerick) - Posts: 229 - 18/07/2009 13:55:57    350592

ha ha real louth fan keep her lit.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 18/07/2009 14:08:22    350606

joel
County: Galway
Posts: 25

333081 Here's what I think:


Laois- The rock of Dunamase is the only thing i know.
correct. Also has st feargal and timahoe round tower

dhorse (Laois) - Posts: 11374 - 19/07/2009 15:28:25    351569

Just some other notes regarding crests especially older ones:

Some of todays crests are actually that of the 'County Council' and the best example of this is Wexford.

Check Wexford crest pre 1996, its actually 3 ships!!

Coastal counties with similar crests or depicting a ship. Dublin (new Viking ship), Wexford (old 3 ships), Waterford, Cork, Galway, Mayo.

Note:
Before St Brigids cross Kildare had a strange lookin branch thing and acorns, before that they had a snake!!

Derry, some images depict a Castle, a skeleton sitting down lookin bored and a St Georges cross flag.

Old KK and Tipp crests were very similar, what did they mean, remember the tiny triangle things with the chequered across the middle kinda thing?!

Galway, old Armada style ship like most outer counties now have a copy of the ship picture that The Simpsons have in their sitting room.

Louth, didnt they once have a bird sitting on a gate as a crest before they went for the bridge in meath?!

By the way, Dublin 3 castles crest is actually 3 towers, the flames denote the 'castle' under attack! Viking ship is obvious, Raven for Fingal, Book denotes manuscript by St. Tamlacht (Tallaght).
Dublin GAA wanted a crest they could copywright as the '3 castles' was used by so many organisations from Lansdowne RFC to Dublin Fire Brigade and beyond!

Regards,

Snufalufagus.....Laochra Gael

Snufalufagus (Dublin) - Posts: 8100 - 21/07/2009 15:43:39    355405

i think the skeleton one wasnt used for GAA it's just our real crest the st georges cross for the london that is supposed to be in derry

Doireegurlie (Derry) - Posts: 337 - 21/07/2009 15:53:18    355432

Roscommon - The colour green represents the name of the county, Ros as in Ros Comain. The cross is to recall St Coman and the Abbeys of Roscommon in particular. The antique crown signifies Rathcroghan, according to Mc Fibris "most of the kings of the race Hereman are buried here". The rams head signifies the importance of the county as the centre of sheep rearing(not stealing!!! lol). In representing the county in the present day the oak branch was introduced, it signifies the fact that the first president of Ireland, Douglas Hyde hailed from Roscommon. It is in memory of "An Craobhin Aoibhinn", the motto "Constans Hiberniae Cor" suggest the physical location of the county but it also sums up the enduring character of the themes involved in the design.

ced1980 (Roscommon) - Posts: 62 - 21/07/2009 16:09:11    355474