WOTAN CITY, LADONIA — As St. Patrick’s Day celebrations take place worldwide on March 17, many people associate the day with the color green. This has led to a recurring case of mistaken identity: the green and green flag of the Royal Republic of Ladonia is frequently misidentified as an Irish emblem, particularly by those unfamiliar with Nordic cross designs.
Although Ladonia does not officially observe St. Patrick’s Day, the micronation’s flag — a green field with a green Nordic cross — often finds itself drawn into the festivities. Reports from Ladonian citizens and officials indicate that people in other countries, particularly in the United States, frequently assume the Ladonian flag is connected to Ireland due to its prominent green color.
This confusion arises despite the stark differences between the two flags. Ireland’s national flag is a vertical tricolor of green, white, and orange, whereas Ladonia’s flag follows the Scandinavian tradition of a cross design, similar to the flags of Sweden, Denmark, and Norway — albeit with a unique origin story.
The Ladonian Flag, also known as “the Glorious Green”, is a green field with a green cross. The background and the cross have the same color, which is expressed in sRGB: 0, 144, 0 (#x009000). As is the nature of the Fibonacci numbers, the flag proportion 21:13 is near the Golden Ratio 1.618. (See https://www.ladonia.org/about/symbols-currency/ for more information about the flag and other national symbols.)
The national flag of the Republic of Ireland is a tricolour vertical flag of green, white, and orange. It is also known as the Irish tricolour. The flag proportion is 1:2 (length twice the width). Its meaning is not explained in the Irish Constitution. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Ireland for more about the flag of the Republic of Ireland)
The Ladonian flag, as legend holds, was created by boiling a Swedish flag until the blue and yellow colors blended together into green. This transformation is said to symbolize Ladonia’s commitment to upcycling and environmental consciousness. Furthermore, the monochromatic green design represents the unity of the Ladonian people, emphasizing that they do not separate individuals by color.
This historic act is commemorated annually in Ladonia on June 5th, known as ‘The Day of Boiling,’ celebrating the first time a Swedish flag was boiled to create a Ladonian flag. The holiday serves as a tribute to Ladonia’s artistic heritage and commitment to sustainability.
“The Ladonian flag is an expression of our nation’s artistic and cultural independence,” noted a government spokesperson. “While we welcome curiosity about Ladonia, it is amusing to see how often people assume we are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day just because of the color.”
Though Ladonia does not officially participate in St. Patrick’s Day events, its citizens have occasionally leaned into the mix-up, using the opportunity to educate others about Ladonia’s unique history and status as an independent cultural and artistic micronation.
As celebrations continue worldwide, Ladonia remains distinct in its traditions — green flag and all. While those wearing green for St. Patrick’s Day may not be honoring Ladonia, the confusion serves as a reminder of the micronation’s global presence, even if by accident.
