"Irish Flags for the 9 Years War" Topic

Is there any evidence of Tyrone's army using flags? I would think that with the introduction of pike into his army that flags would be an important element, but my goggle-foo has so far failed me; the only reference (and I'm not sure how good it is) are the two black and white drawings in the old George Gush book "Renaissance Armies" in his chapter on the Irish.

I would prefer historical flags rather than simply speculative.

Any ideas?

Excellent question…..add me to the list of those who would like to know please…

There's a picture-map of the Battle of the Yellow Ford – at link and elsewhere – which, if you look carefully at bottom left, seems to show a couple of flags with red saltires on white.

Have you read James O'Neill's book on the war – link – does that help at all?

Can't remember the source but I seem to recall that the Irish carried captured English flags into battle (in a "look what we've got" provocation). This seems to have been during the earlier part of the war where the grand ambush by light units was the preferred tactic.
With the introduction of a more continental way of fighting with pikes and such, they likely did carry colours, but I am not sure any are known.

link

I have it on good authority, that some form of the O'Neill coat-of-arms, was carried in that battle.

Flags of War have some great 1500/1600s Irish flags.