So, aside from today being someone’s special day,

I figured why not remind all the [DFO] readers about the gloriousness that is “The Twelfth”.

July 12th commemorates two great victories in the “War of the Two Kings” (if you don’t want your car blown up), the Williamite War (if you do), or the Jacobite War (Éirinn go Brách!). This was all part of the “Glorious Revolution”, when the Protestant William of Orange & his wife (and first cousin) Mary invaded England at the behest of the Protestant Parliament to oust the Catholic King, and Mary’s father, James II.

The first, the Battle of the Boyne,

took place July 1, 1690 across the River Boyne between the Catholic forces of James II

and the Protestant forces of Prince William of Orange.

Outnumbered, the Jacobites (Catholics) fought for James II as he had guaranteed their religious freedom, but they were heavily outnumbered by the combined English – Dutch forces. A number of pitched battles forced James’ forces to give up their ground & retreat south of the River Shannon. It was a resounding victory for William’s forces, and the defeat forced James II to flee from Ireland to France,

ensuring the permanence of a Protestant monarchy in England & guaranteeing Protestant ascendancy in Ireland.

The second battle commemorated on July 12th is the Battle of Aughrim.

It was the final major battle fought on Irish soil in the Williamite Wars, took place on July 12, 1691, and was the bloodiest to have taken place in Ireland – over 7,000 people were killed.

It was mostly decided before it began, as the Jacobites had lost half their army to desertion once James II had fled to France. But once the battle began, the Irish were able to hold off the superior English numbers for most of the day, until attrition wore them down. What ended the day for the Jacobites was their commander, Charles Chalmot de Saint-Ruhe – also known as “Saint Ruth”, having his head blown off by an English cannonball:

There sat the body of St. Ruth indeed, but it was his lifeless corpse – a headless trunk. A cannonshot from the Williamite batteries had struck his head from his body, as if the Tyburn ax and block had done their fearful work. St. Ruth, the vain, the brave, was no more!

Having lost their leader, Irish forces fell into disarray as many abandoned the battlefield & fled English reprisals. This led the English cavalry to run down their opponents & slaughter them on the field, leaving their bodies to be picked at by dogs for days & weeks after the battle.

The Battle of Aughrim effectively ended James II’s efforts to retake his crown from “British” soil.

Now, July 12th is, essentially, the “President’s Day” of the English remembering the beatings they gave the Irish. The Boyne was July 1 & Aughrim was July 12.  However, those were dates under the Julian calendar (a.k.a. the “Orthodox” calendar). When the British switched to the Gregorian calendar in 1752, after the Chesterfield Act of 1750, July 1st became July 11th, and July 12th became July 23rd. Since July 12th lay in the middle, that was the date chosen by the Orange Order – founded in 1795 – for commemoration of the battles.

James II died in 1701, in exile in France. William, titled William III in England, died in 1702 & was replaced on the throne by Queen Anne, the younger daughter of Charles II, also Mary’s father. Since Anne died childless, the line then shifted to the Hanoverian branch, which gave us the Georges, and is the current royal line that continues through today.

The Order was formed in 1795 to defend “the King and his heirs so long as he or they support the Protestant Ascendancy”, and they continue to march today in support of their desire to remain in Britain.

So, on this most Protestant of days, I wish Viva a “Happy Birthday” and, since it’s my birthday too, let’s each pour ourselves a couple & toast the day.

Sláinte!

Tonight’s … entertainment?:

• USL Championship Soccer:
  • Louisville City FC vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds – 5:00PM | ESPN2
    • From Lynn Family Stadium.
• MLS is Back Tournament: Group D matches
  • Sporting KC vs. Minnesota United – 8:00PM | ESPN / TSN
  • Real Salt Lake vs. Colorado Rapids – 10:30PM | ESPN / TSN

Remember – NHL playoffs start August 1. There’s more on the horizon, if we just have faith.