Flag of the Isle of Man Flag of the Isle of Man The flag of the Isle of Man or flag of Mann () is a triskelion, composed of three armoured legs with golden spurs, upon a red background. It has been the official flag of Mann since 1 December 1932 and is based on the Manx coat of arms, which dates back to the 13th century. The three legs are known in Manx as "" ("the three legs"). The triskelion is an ancient symbol, used by the Mycenaeans and the Lycians. It is not known for certain why the symbol was originally adopted on the
British Isles the island called Great Britain. The earliest known use of the phrase "Brytish Iles" in the English language is dated 1577 in a work by John Dee. Today, this name is seen by some as carrying imperialist overtones although it is still commonly used. Other names used to describe the islands include the "Anglo-Celtic Isles", "Atlantic archipelago", "British-Irish Isles", "Britain and Ireland", "UK and Ireland", and "British Isles and Ireland". Owing to political and national associations with the word "British", the Government of Ireland does not use the term "British Isles" and in documents drawn up jointly between the British