The Presidential Standard is a banner of the arms of Ireland, i.e. a golden harp on a blue field. These arms have been in use since the reign of Henry VIII in the 16th century. A harp which is preserved in Trinity College, Dublin - the 'Brian Boru harp' as it is commonly called - was selected as the state emblem on the establishment of the Irish Free State, although it was not officially registered as the arms of the state until 9 November 1945.

From left to right: the arms of Ireland; the Brian Boru harp; and the shield that used to hang above the speaker's chair in the Irish parliament until the Act of Union.