<Tr> <Th> Adopted </Th> <Td> 1945 (registered: Arms of Ireland) c. 1541 (recorded: Kingdom of Ireland), c. 1280 (recorded: King of Ireland) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Escutcheon </Th> <Td> Azure a harp Or, stringed argent (Irish: Ar ghorm cláirseach órga na sreanga airgidí) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Earlier versions </Th> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Use </Th> <Td> The harp is used on all Acts of Oireachtas; the seal of the President; the cover of Irish passports; various government departments; the obverse of Irish euro coins . It is also used in the United Kingdom, where it appears in the lower - left quadrant of the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom and is incorporated as a badge into devices used by official bodies in Northern Ireland . </Td> </Tr>

Why is the harp a symbol of ireland