Do you know that on the coat of arms of Ireland there is a picture of a red right hand? Why does Ireland have a picture of a hand on its coat of arms?
It happened 3,000 years ago. Two Viking chieftains went with their men in two big boats to Ireland. The first chieftain's name was Heremon O'Neill, the name of the other we do not know. "The first of us who will touch the Irish land will be the king of it," They said.
At last they were near the Irish coast. The two boats were going faster and faster. But the boat of Heremon O'Neill was not so fast as the boat of the other chieftain.
When the boats were quite near the land, O'Neill quickly cut off his right hand and threw it over to the land. His hand touched the land, and he became the king of Ireland. That is why there is a picture of a hand on the coat of arms of Ireland.
This legend shows courage and cleverness. The red hand is a symbol of Ireland's history.
