St. Patrick's blue is a name applied to several shades of blue associated with Saint Patrick and Ireland. The colour blue's association with Saint Patrick dates from the 1780s, when it was adopted as the colour of the Anglo-Irish "Order of St. Patrick". In British usage, it refers to a sky blue used by the Order of St. Patrick, whereas in Irish usage it is often a dark, rich blue. While green is now the usual national colour of Ireland,St. Patrick's blue is still the official colour of state. St. Patrick's blue is still found in symbols of both the state and the island.