Easter Lily Enamel Pin Badge - Irish Republican Rising

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The fleur-de-lis, a stylised depiction of a lily, became the official emblem of Florence in the eleventh century. In Italian cities, as in much of medieval Europe, the new year used to be celebrated on March 25, the feast day of the Annunciation, nine months before Christmas. Also known as “Lady Day,” unlike Easter, it was fixed in the calendar. In Britain, the new year began on March 25 until 1752, when our calendar changed from the Julian to the Gregorian and the dates were adjusted so that the new new year started on April 5, which became an important feast day for accountants and tax lawyers. A year later, the Easter Lily Commemoration Committee was formed. It continued in existence until 1965. One of its founder members was Sighle Humphreys. No Irishman worthy of the name dare accept less than the fundamental claims laid down in the Proclamation.

Issued from the Publicity Department, Easter Lily Committee, Cumann na mBan, 12, St. Andrew Street, Dublin. Since the 1930s, successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael governments attempted to suppress sales of the Easter Lily. Over the decades many republicans have been harassed, arrested and jailed for keeping alive the memory of the men and women of the Easter Rising through promotion of the Easter Lily. The green represents the ancient Celtic people, and the orange represents the Protestant settlers. With the white in between symbolises the peace and respect between the two.The opening paragraphs of the proclamation stated: ‘Irishmen and Irishwomen: In the name of God and the dead generations from which she received her old tradition of Nationhood, Ireland through us summons her children to her flag and strikes for freedom. The Easter Lily, with its colours of green, white and orange is a symbol long associated with the Easter Rising of 1916 and one with a long and fascinating history.

A few stems of lilies tied with ribbon are always a lovely present whatever the occasion, but it is true that some associate these flowers more with death than life. In depictions of the Annunciation, the angel Gabriel sometimes arrives clutching a spray of lilies. Did the Virgin Mary flinch slightly when her bouquet was delivered, laden with meaning? Both the Officials and the Provisionals also saw the Easter Lily as a symbol of remembrance for their members who died on "active service". With the decline in the Official IRA, the Easter Lily became more and more associated with the Provos. [3]

Hanukkah 

Having organised and trained her manhood through her secret revolutionary organisation, the Irish Republican Brotherhood, and through her open military organisations the Irish Volunteers and the Irish Citizens Army, having patiently perfected her discipline, having resolutely waited for the right moment to reveal itself, she now seizes the moment, and supported by her exiled children in America and by the gallant allies in Europe, but relying in the first on her own strength, she strikes in full confidence of victory. The Easter Lily is sold to remember the people who have lost their lives fighting for their country, and what they believed to be right. Its colouration of green, white and orange perfectly mirror the tricolour, the Republic of Ireland flag. Michael Collins, leader of the IRA, then signed the Anglo-Irish Treaty. The treaty allowed Ireland status as a free state, but as a dominion of the British Empire. This was unacceptable to some members of the IRA and the organisation split. The anti-treaty began fighting with their former comrades, the pro-treaty. This led to the Irish Civil War, during which Michael Collins was assassinated. Today, republicans continue to honour the heroic sacrifice made in 1916, when republican revolutionaries, outnumbered and ill-equipped, took on the might of the British empire and asserted in arms Ireland’s right to freedom. On this badge, you can see a crescent moon and a star side by side. These symbols have been used together all over the world for centuries , and some people associate them with Muslim traditions and festivals . You can also see a R amadan F anous , a lantern that's used in some countries to decorate people’s homes during Ramadan . During Ramadan and Eid, p eople come together to celebrate in lots of ways . M any women decorate their hands with beautiful designs in henna for Eid . A nd in many Muslim countries you’ll hear the Ramad an drummers sounding a beat to wake people up before dawn so that they can eat some food before beginning a day of fasting. Diwali