Florida Town Lifts Ban on Non-US Flags Ahead of St. Patrick's

Irish pub can put Ireland's flag back up
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 13, 2013 2:03 PM CDT
Florida Town Lifts Ban on Non-US Flags Ahead of St. Patrick's
A Florida Irish pub has once again hoisted its flag.   (Shutterstock)

Just days ahead of St. Patrick's Day, a northeast Florida Irish pub has won the right to fly the Irish flag again. On February 20, Culhane's Irish Pub was told it had 24 hours to "cease display of flags other than American flag." The rule was the result of a confusingly-worded 1990s law meant to improve the looks of a commercial area in the city of Atlantic Beach. The measure stated that no flags were allowed, with the exception of the US flag, Reuters reports.

The law didn't make much of an impression at first. Recently, however, a Greek restaurant got into trouble because its Greek flag got in the way of the sidewalk. When the restaurant said it had been treated unfairly, officials went after Culhane's, too, according to the acting mayor. That frustrated people across the pond in Ireland, who sent town officials angry letters. Last night, however, commissioners voted unanimously to stop enforcing the flag rule until an edited version—which could allow national flags to fly freely—gets approval. (More American flag stories.)

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