There are 132 nations affiliated to the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and 131 of them play under their own national flag.

The one exception is Ireland because they play their international hockey representing the whole island of Ireland; that is to say the four provinces of Ireland including Ulster, which, of course, is also known as Northern Ireland.

The Irish hockey flag therefore incorporates the badges of the four provinces – Munster, Leinster, Connaught and Ulster – although there has been confusion on occasions when the Republic of Ireland’s tricolour has inadvertently appeared!