The LIBA Badge
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The London Irish Bowling
Association. The arms of Ireland as used in
our badge are formed by a quartered shield
displaying the arms of each of the four provinces.
Hallowed by time, steeped in history and tradition,
those of Leinster, Connaught and Munster appear to
be continuations or adaptations of arms that have in
earlier times, wholly or in part, been used for the
whole of Ireland. Ulster would seem to be the odd
one out in this respect, but they can also be said
to have royal connections by combining the arms of
the O'Neills and the De Burgos. |
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Leinster-green-harp
of gold with silver strings. This is simply the arms
of Ireland as used now and for the past four
centuries, with green field instead of blue. The
harp was often shown in the past with part of the
frame as a winged female figure, as in the Royal
Standard, but in modern times the harp is of a
Celtic type associated with Brian Boru |
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Ulster-gold-red
cross with small silver shield at centre, on which
is a red hand couped at the wrist, thus combining
the red cross of De Burgos with the red hand of the
O'Neills. There is a stirring legend concerning the
origin of the red hand passed down from Viking days.
As the longboats of a party of Norsemen approached
the coast of Northern Ireland their Chief cried out,
`The first one to touch land shall be given wealth
and great estates', whereupon, a certain O'Neill
drew his sword, hacked off one hand at the wrist and
hurled it on to the shore. The legend does not tell
whether he lived to reap the reward for such
initiative. |
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Munster-blue-three
antique crowns of gold. This was without any doubt
regarded as the arms of the whole of Ireland prior
to the adoption, by Henry VIII and Elizabeth, of the
harp motif used today. |
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Connaught-pale
silver and blue-on the left side a black dimidiated
eagle conjoined with a bent arm on the right side,
grasping a sword held erect. It has often been said
that two powerful families were represented (but
never identified); this can be discounted. It is
known that some time prior to 1575 a dimidiated
eagle and a hand holding a dagger were recognised as
the arms for the whole of Ireland. It would appear,
therefore, that the arms of Connaught are also a
variant of previous national arms. |
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City of London-the
cross of St George with the red sword of St. Paul in
the canton. It is said that this was adopted as the
city's arms 1380. The current Arms of the City of
London, the cross of St. George with dragon
supporters, are an invention of the 17th Century.
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| The Shamrock as
shown on our badge is internationally recognized as
the emblem of Ireland. Although our skips may
sometimes disagree, it is supposed to bring good
luck. It has been associated with Ireland since the
time of St Patrick (AD461 ) It is said he used the
shamrock to explain the concept of the Trinity to a
non-believer. Three leaves on the one stem-hence the
indivisible three-in-one. |
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