The Site of the Battle of the Boyne

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As part of the Irish Peace Agreement, a new visitor centre has been opened last month at the site of the Battle of the Boyne, to tell the story of the battle and the history of the Williamite and Jacobite campaigns impartially through re-enactors, videos, dioramas, displays and information boards. This was on my must see list, as my Irish grandfather's ancestor was somehow involved in the Williamite campaign and in consequence was given land at Lurgan which would have been forfeited from a Jacobite family under the Distribution by the British Government. He built a cottage which remained in the family for nearly three hundred years and to this day I still have relatives around Lurgan and Portadown, in what is now Northern Ireland. Family lore has it that he was Dutch or Brandenburger by the name of Mewhort who followed King William from Holland, though my own researches support the alternative theory that he was a Scot by the name of McWhirt or McWhirter who changed the spelling of his name in order to better fit in with the native Irish. Until recently, the predominantly Catholic Irish Republic (Eire), in whose territory the battlefield is now situated, had done nothing to encourage visitors to the battlefield. Yesterday I took a day trip across to Eire on Ryanair to visit the battlefield and visitor centre. This replica cannon guards the gate.

Oldbridge House was built on the site in the 18th century. In recent years it had fallen derelict but has now been restored as the main museum building, while other displays are centred round the adjacent stables and courtyard and there is also a good quality tearoom.

Cannon

Display of weaponry in the stable courtyard.

A line up of replica cannon in front of Oldbridge House which will be operated by re-enactors at weekends.

An interpretation board now marks this spot where King William's army crossed the River Boyne, a mile or so upstream of the town on Drogheda.