The Battle of Boyne has iconic status in Irish history: William III forced a Boyne crossing to continue on to Dublin, James II fled the battle, and finally Ireland. Although far from being a decisive battle (one of several myths related to the Battle of the Boyne), it became the center of attention of the staunchest supporters of Protestant descent – the Orange Order.
Story
The site of the battle (although it is almost invisible after more than three hundred years of agriculture) has now been rebuilt in cooperation between the government of the Republic and the Orange Order as part of the ongoing peace process. The fabulous new visitor center in the grand renovated Oldbridge Estate home is the flagship here. And a must see.
Why? After all, it is the site of the most iconic battle in Irish history, whichever side you would have been supporting. And the new exhibit offers excellent background information available in multimedia presentations. Add to this relaxing walks on historic terrain and living history demonstrations on summer weekends. And you are on a winner.
The place
That being said, be quick before it disappears … battle site development is ongoing (although it stopped at the end of the real estate boom), and some areas are still threatened by modern housing developments. To be honest, only part of the battle royale site has been preserved or developed for visitors.
In 1690, the sprawling and underdeveloped landscape west of Drogheda provided an opportunity to cross the Williamsmite army. Defended by Jacobite troops, the Boyne became a “last ditch” to protect Dublin from the enemy. The attempt to do so failed, and William III’s victory over James II became iconic, although the Battle of the Boyne was far from decisive. Later, a memorial was erected … but then ever-changing Irish history intervened. And the pro-William tide turned dramatically with the partition and establishment of the Republic of Ireland.
With the independence of Ireland, the site of the Battle of the Boyne became the unloved bastard child among historical places. Seen as a symbol of Protestant-English oppression, the cenotaph marking William’s victory was razed, the site allowed to be seeded. Only in recent years has a new way of thinking established itself: The Battle of the Boyne was stripped of its mythological overtones and the Irish government and the Orange Order agreed to develop the site together.
Today most visitors seem to come from the loyal side of the Northern Ireland divide, but a steady trickle of non-partisan tourists has been observed. These are now in a landscaped park, but nothing to rival the battle sites at Gettysburg or Verdun.
The center
Opened in May 2008, the new Battle of the Boyne Visitor Center repurposes the Oldbridge Estate. Basically you get a landscaped park on (presumably) historic ground and a museum. Dotted around the landscape are some artillery pieces (replica). The exhibition itself is small, made up of some life-size figures, murals, and very few relics. The highlight here is a large model of the Boyne Valley as it was in 1690, with displays showing battle scenes and lasers simulating troop movements. Simply the best representation of a historical battle I have ever seen.
Outside in the courtyard there is an artillery display, replicas of all. Through the courtyard, you will also arrive at the audiovisual show, a spectacular 13-minute action show that manages to recreate the conflict with actors, reenactors and the clever use of CGI. Again, spectacular and well worth the admission.
On summer weekends there are also demonstrations of living history: artillery pieces are fired and cavalry exercises. While these are spectacular enough, they are unfortunately rare.
For more information, visit the Battle of the Boyne information website.
