Scotland's Highland Council Unveils New Flag For Caithness

The Highland Council has unveiled the winning design for a new Caithness flag. Caithness (Scottish Gaelic: Gallaibh)  is in the far northeast of the Scottish mainland with the Orkney Islands to the north. The Caith part of the name Caithness comes from Cait or Cat, which was a Pictish kingdom (25–871 AD) that was located in this area. The other part of the name -ness, comes from Old Norse which means "headland". The Norse knew the area as Katanes which is the "headland of the Catt people" after the Pictish inhabitants, but over time the area became Caithness.

These Norse ties are acknowledged in the new flag of Caithness which was launched yesterday. A nordic cross and galley with the raven image on the sail symbolising the ancient ties to the Vikings are part of the design of the flag. The Flag Order of Ceremony was held in the Town Hall of Wick (Scottish Gaelic: Inbhir Ùige) with the Lord Lyon King of Arms and Caithness Members of The Highland Council being piped in to the ceremony by bagpiper Cllr David Bremner.