CASCADE Sutherland's new flag has caused controversy

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Sutherland’s new flag, featuring a swooping eagle on a yellow and red background with three stars, or “mullets”, has not gone down well with some local people, who are questioning what it has to do with their county. One of them, Blair Grant, said the flat might suit “an Outer Mongolian third division football team”. Another said the bird looked more like a budgie. Andrew Richert described it as “communist-style” and Carey Kerr said: “It is horrific. The last place I think of when I see that flag is Sutherland. There is absolutely nothing Scottish about it. A very sad outcome.” Sutherland’s Lord Lieutenancy team had organised a competition with the aim of finding a flag that would “unify” the county.

It is horrific. The last place I think of when I see that flag is Sutherland. There is absolutely nothing Scottish about it. A very sad outcome. Andrew Richert

The flag will be officially launched at an event later in the year, to be attended by the Lord Lyon, Scotland’s heraldry authority, who has given his seal of approval to the design. Sutherland’s Vice Lord Lieutenant, Lt Col Colin Gilmour, has hailed it as “eye-catching”. Sutherland is only the fifth of the 34 Scottish counties to secure a distinct flag and the third mainland county to do so, following Caithness and Kirkcudbrightshire in 2016. There were 328 entries for the contest, which launched in September and ended in November.

CASCADE Andrew Gilmour of the flag selection committee defended the flag

An 11-strong selection panel comprising members of the Lord Lieutenancy and representatives of youth and other groups spent a day sifting through entries, guided by flag expert Philip Tibbett and Dr Joseph Morrow, the current Lord Lyon. The panel eventually chose three winners with the final design an amalgam of all three. Criticism of the design centres on the yellow and gold colour and the use of the eagle rather than a wildcat – seen as the traditional emblem of Sutherland. Brighter Brora secretary and former Brora Community Council chairman Kathleen Cunningham, said: “I’m somewhat disappointed. “It’s way too strident and in no way reflects the atmosphere of Sutherland landscapes.

“How about green, or purple for heather, or blue?” Lt Col Gilmour, spokesman for the flag selection committee, said: “In response to some of the comments raised, and for clarity, the following facts should to be considered. “Regarding the wildcat, the land of the cat is properly Caithness, not Sutherland. “The original land of the Cat or ‘Cait’ (from about 800 AD) centred on Caithness and just included a small part of south-east Sutherland.

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