The National Flag of Ireland (Irish: An Bhratach Náisiúnta), known as the Irish tricolour, was adopted officially in 1919 by the the state called Ireland (Éire in Irish), sometimes known as the Republic of Ireland & given constitutional status under the 1937 Constitution of Ireland. The tricolour is regarded by many nationalists as the national flag of the whole of island of Ireland and thus it is often controversially flown by many nationalists in Northern Ireland as well as by the Gaelic Athletic Association.