Mide or Meath, a medieval Irish province, is sometimes represented by a coat of arms comprising a monarch "in majesty": that is, seated on a throne on a field of azure (blue).[1][2] The arms of Mide appear alongside those of the four modern provinces on a 1651 map of Galway. The arms reflect the fact that Tara, the seat of the High King of Ireland, was in Mide.[1] This symbolism is derived from iconography rather than classical heraldry;[1] mediaeval royal seals portrayed a majesty on the obverse and the arms of the sovereign on the reverse. The sceptre, here shown to have six oval nodules, represented power, and the outstretched right hand justice; both of these were royal prerogatives.[1] The old province of Meath is nearly coextensive with the present-day Diocese of Meath. The arms of Meath were apparently used at one time as the arms of Ireland, but with the majesty on a field of sable (black) instead of azure.[1]
Meath GAA uses a logo incorporating the arms. The arms of Meath County Council are an unrelated design.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Carragin, Eoin (18 April 2007). "Heraldry in Ireland". National Library of Ireland. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
- ^ "Archived copy". archives.library.nuigalway.ie. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Irish Civic & Regional Coats of Arms". heraldry.ws. Archived from the original on 3 May 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
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