JULY 12

JULY 12

The is an important date in Irish history. On this date in 1690, Protestant King William of Orange defeated Catholic King James II at the Battle of Boyne and set off the conflict that existed for 300 years. Shortly after this battle, Catholics were excluded from political rights. By the 1860's, half of Ireland was owned by about 750 wealthy protestants. Protestants comprised 10% of the population but became the landlords for almost all of it. The 19th century saw many Irish migrate to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the USA including my great grandparents.