IT HAS BECOME an essential part of many Irish fans’ kit when travelling abroad to a major tournament — so you can bet there will no shortage of custom-made flags on show in France over the next few weeks.
From the weird and wonderful to the downright idiotic, you get the feeling that you’ve seen every possible variation over the years — until the next one comes along.
Get it right and you make international headlines, as the ‘Angela Merkel Thinks We’re At Work’ lads discovered four years ago.
Fly it proudly for long enough and you become part of the country’s footballing furniture, like the globe-trotting Davy Keogh.
Our friends over at DailyEdge.ie have already picked out some of this year’s best efforts but here is a brief history of the greats from years gone by.
The flags weren’t always so complicated
A simple “Duff Em Up” back in 2003
And who cares if Ireland aren’t even playing in the tournament?
We couldn’t be the 33rd team, so Niall Keogh and Niall Mallin brought this to the 2010 World Cup
And these fans were feeling nervous at the 2013 U17 World Cup
You know you’re truly loved as a player or manager when you have your own flag
A Richard Dunne tribute at a 2012 friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina
We all dream…
The man, the myth, the legend
In Trap we trust(ed)
Some of the most iconic moments in Irish football history in one place
One of our favourites, flown high in Warsaw last October
These days you can be sure to find a few Father Ted references
Herzog's Child / Twitter
Herzog's Child / Twitter / Twitter
Euro 2012 was when flag fever reached its height… until now
And last but not least…
Davy always says hello — fair play to him
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