Historic 1916 Easter Rising flag is unveiled in New York

One of the two original  tricolor flags which was flown from the GPO during the 1916 rising, has been unveiled at the American Irish Historical Society.

The highly symbolic relic of Irish independence has been given on long-term loan to the organization.

The hand stitched green, white and gold flag is made of Irish linen and measures 74 x 159cm.

Today the flag, almost one hundred years old, is insured for $1 million. The flag failed to sell in March of last year, when it was put up for auction in New York. It had been expected to fetch up to $700,000, however did not make the reserve price of $500,000.

In the days following the Easter Rising the flag was taken by a British soldier after the surrender and was later given to a doctor in Lisburn County Antrim, in turn his son-in-law donated the iconic flag to John Sweetman, one of the founding members of Sinn Fein. It has since remained in the ownership of the the Sweetman family....