The Red Hand of Ulster
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
See ULSTER. Red-haired persons have for centuries had the reputation of being deceitful and un- reliable— probably owing to the tradition that Judas Iscariot (q.v ) had red hair.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The Red Hand of Ulster” mean?
See ULSTER. Red-haired persons have for centuries had the reputation of being deceitful and un- reliable— probably owing to the tradition that Judas Iscariot (q.v ) had red hair.
Is “The Red Hand of Ulster” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.