Editing Battle of the Boyne (section)

==Commemoration==
Originally, the [[The Twelfth|Twelfth of July]] commemoration was that of the [[Battle of Aughrim]],<ref name=Lenihan/> symbolising British Protestants' victory in the [[Williamite war in Ireland]]. At Aughrim, which took place a year after the Boyne, the Jacobite army was destroyed, deciding the war in the Williamites' favour. The Boyne, which, in the old [[Julian calendar]], took place on 1 July O.S., was treated as less important, third after Aughrim and the anniversary of the Irish Rebellion of 1641 on 23 October O.S.

In 1752, the [[Gregorian calendar]] was also [[Calendar (New Style) Act 1750|adopted in Ireland]].<ref>[https://www.ucc.ie/celt/Calender_Rome.pdf ''‘The Pope’s new invention’: the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in Ireland, 1583–1782,'' page 9] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161214150714/http://www.ucc.ie/celt/Calender_Rome.pdf |date=14 December 2016 }} History Department, [[University College Cork]], 1 April 2006</ref> However, even after this date, "The Twelfth" continued to be commemorated at Aughrim, on 12 July NS,<ref name=Lenihan>{{cite book |last=Lenihan |first=Padraig |date=2003 |title=1690 Battle of the Boyne |publisher=Tempus |pages=258–259 |isbn=9780752425979}}</ref> following the usual historical convention of commemorating events of that period within Great Britain and Ireland by mapping the Julian date directly onto the modern Gregorian calendar date (as happens for example with [[Guy Fawkes Night]] on 5 November). But, after the [[Orange Order]] was founded in 1795 amid [[Battle of the Diamond|sectarian violence in County Armagh]], the two events were combined in the late 18th century.<ref name=Lenihan/>
<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px">
File:King William Statue 1.jpg|Statue of William of Orange on [[College Green, Dublin|College Green]], in [[Dublin]], erected in 1701. It was destroyed in 1929.
File:Boyne Obelisk.jpg|View of the commemorative [[Boyne Obelisk]] prior to 1883 (erected in 1736). It was destroyed in 1923.
File:Medal Struck to Commemorate the Battle of the Boyne (Robert Chambers, p.8, July 1832) - Copy.jpg|Medal struck to commemorate the Battle of the Boyne (Robert Chambers, p.&nbsp;8, July 1832)<ref name=Chambers>{{cite book |last1=Chambers |first1=Robert |title=The Book of Days: A Miscellany of Popular Antiquities in Connection with the Calendar, Including Anecdote, Biography, & History, Curiosities of Literature and Oddities of Human Life and Character, Volume 2 |date=1832 |publisher=W. & R. Chambers Limited |location=London |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K0UJAAAAIAAJ&q=Robert+Chambers+1832 |access-date=7 January 2016 |archive-date=7 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307034824/https://books.google.com/books?id=K0UJAAAAIAAJ&q=Robert+Chambers+1832 |url-status=live }}</ref>
</gallery>

==="The Twelfth" in Northern Ireland today===
{{Main article|The Twelfth}}

The Battle of the Boyne remains a controversial topic today{{when|date=December 2024}} in [[Northern Ireland]], where some Protestants remember it as the great victory over Catholics that resulted in the sovereignty of [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]] and the Protestant monarchy.<ref name="Irish Post">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=The Irish Post |url=https://www.irishpost.com/uncategorized/twelve-things-know-marching-season-northern-ireland-94314 |work=Twelve things you should know about marching season in Northern Ireland on 'The Twelfth' |location=Dublin |date=11 July 2016 |access-date=17 July 2019 |archive-date=17 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717171941/https://www.irishpost.com/uncategorized/twelve-things-know-marching-season-northern-ireland-94314 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In recent decades, "The Twelfth" has often been marked by confrontations, as members of the Orange Order attempt to celebrate the date by marching past or through what they see as their traditional route.<ref>{{cite book |last=Bryan |first=Dominic |title=Orange Parades: The politics of ritual, tradition and control |url=https://archive.org/details/orangeparadespol00brya |url-access=limited |publisher=Pluto Press |pages=[https://archive.org/details/orangeparadespol00brya/page/n156 147]–148 |year=2000}}</ref> Some of these areas, however, now have a nationalist majority who object to marches passing through what they see as their areas.<ref name="Irish Post"/>

Many{{quantify|date=December 2024}} nationalists{{who|date=December 2024}} still see these marches as provocative, whilst Unionist marchers insist that it is part of their historical right to celebrate. Since the start of [[the Troubles]], the celebrations of the battle have been seen as playing a critical role in the awareness of those involved in the unionist/nationalist tensions in Northern Ireland. Better policing and improved dialogue between the sides in the 21st century have made for more peaceful parades.<ref name="Irish Post"/>

=== "The Eleventh Night" in Northern Ireland ===
There are also traditions set to happen on 11 July, the eve of the Twelfth Night, known as the Eleventh Night. On this night, Protestants ignite bonfires all over Northern Ireland to celebrate the commencement of the Twelfth Night.

The reason they use bonfires to symbolize the event dates back to the pagan celebrations of [[Midsummer]], [[Beltane|Bealtaine]] and [[Samhain]], where fire is used as a symbol of celebration.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Corscadden |first=Jane |date=2022-07-06 |title=The reason bonfires are lit on the Eleventh Night in NI |url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/twelfth-july-bonfires-lit-across-24400597 |access-date=2022-12-15 |website=BelfastLive |language=en}}</ref>
[[File:Eleventh_Night_Bonfire.jpg|thumb|Bonfire pyre including the Tricolour flag]]
Many object to the use of bonfires in Loyalist celebrations today, especially because many bonfires now include "the burning of flags, effigies and election posters."<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-07-09 |title=The Twelfth: Why are bonfires lit in Northern Ireland? |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-57745905 |access-date=2022-12-15}}</ref>

===Battlefield preservation===
[[File:River Boyne Oldbridge.jpg|thumb|River Boyne at Oldbridge in 2011]]
[[File:Oldbridge House, Battle of the Boyne Museum.jpg|thumb|Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre]]
The site of the Battle of the Boyne sprawls over a wide area west of the town of Drogheda in [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]. In the County Development Plan for 2000, Meath County Council rezoned the land at the eastern edge of Oldbridge, at the site of the main Williamite crossing, to residential status. A subsequent planning application for a development of over 700 houses was granted by Meath County Council and this was appealed against by local historians to [[An Bord Pleanála]] (The Planning Board). In March 2008, after an extremely long appeal process, An Bord Pleanála approved permission for this development to proceed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://40.127.167.5/casenum/224875.htm |title=224875: Oldbridge, Rathmullen Road, Drogheda, Co. Meath (SA/60260) |website=www.pleanala.ie/ |access-date=31 October 2019 |archive-date=31 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031174625/http://40.127.167.5/casenum/224875.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Further plans have been submitted for hundreds more homes and a link to the River Boyne Boardwalk.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/housing-boom-as-661-homes-planned-on-rathmullen-road-38616332.html |title=Housing boom as 661 homes planned on Rathmullen Road |website=www.independent.ie |date=25 October 2019 |access-date=31 October 2019 |archive-date=31 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031174624/https://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/housing-boom-as-661-homes-planned-on-rathmullen-road-38616332.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre at Oldbridge house is run by the [[Office of Public Works]], an agency of the [[Government of Ireland|Irish government]], and is about {{cvt|1|mi|spell=in}} to the west of the main river crossing point. The battle's other main combat areas, at Duleek, Donore and Plattin, along the Jacobite line of retreat, are marked with [[tourist information]] signs.

On 4 April 2007, in a sign of improving relations between unionist and nationalist groups, the newly elected First Minister of Northern Ireland, the Reverend [[Ian Paisley]], was invited to visit the battle site by the [[Taoiseach]] (Prime Minister) [[Bertie Ahern]] later in the year. Following the invitation, Paisley commented that "such a visit would help to demonstrate how far we have come when we can celebrate and learn from the past so the next generation more clearly understands". On 10 May, the visit took place, and Paisley presented the Taoiseach with a Jacobite musket in return for Ahern's gift at the [[St Andrews]] talks of a walnut bowl made from a tree from the site. A new tree was also planted in the grounds of Oldbridge House by the two politicians to mark the occasion.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6645119.stm |title=Paisley and Ahern visit 1690 site |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date=11 May 2007 |access-date=22 November 2019 |archive-date=20 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520150923/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6645119.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>