Northern Ireland and it's Flags

One thing you notice driving around Northern Ireland, are the flags! There must be more Union Jacks here than in the whole of England. Some towns are so crazy, they paint their curbs and electricity poles red, white and blue. Haven't spent much time in Belfast, but heard that in some parts, people actually paint their houses in the union jack colours. People don't really talk about it here, and kind of clam up when you ask about the flags and the whole unionist/republican thing. But it seems so obvious as you drive through these towns that their message is clear... We are Protestant unionists and if you're not of a like mind, then you're not welcome! Not so common is the Republic of Ireland flag (orange, white and green) which people hang outside their houses, which I guess means they are catholic republicans. Saw a few more of these in Southern Ireland. I thought flying a flag to be a proud and peaceful gesture, but here it is done in such blatent abundancy, that it just highlights the nation's tensions, which would otherwise be simmering below the surface. It seems that for a nation with such a history of conflict, the flags are definately not a way of showing peaceful intentions toward one another, but instead are used to piss each other off.