IRELAND 1690

'Pull the stiff neck of every Papist down!', shouted the loyal citizens of Belfast town shortly after King William had landed at Carrickfergus on 14 June 1690. So heavy were some of the Dutch guns that they damaged the Long Bridge spanning the River Lagan.

This mighty army of 36,000 men was by far the biggest Ireland had ever seen. It included Dutch, Germans, English, Inniskillingers, French Huguenots and a colourful Danish contingent led by the Duke of Wurtemberg-Neustadt and Prince Georg of Daamstadt. They were in confident mood as they marched south against King James who placed his army on the south bank of the River Boyne close to Drogheda.

The decisive battle began on Tuesday 1 July when King William's guns pounded the Jacobite lines at dawn.

Dutch Blue Guards led the main attack, wading up to their armpits in the river at Oldbridge. Meanwhile cavalry galloped upstream and successfully drew the French away from the main battle.

Superior numbers and firepower won the day for King William. King James fled back to France as the victors entered Dublin. The French and Irish Jacobites, however, withdrew in good order to defend the Shannon. In a daring night attack at Ballyneety Sir Patrick Sarsfield destroyed much of His Majesty's siege train on 11 August. As a result King William abandoned his assault on Limerick and returned to England. Baron de Ginkel was left in charge of finishing the war against the forces of King James.

On 3 October 1691 the Treaty of Limerick was signed. As part of the deal, Sarsfield led fifteen thousand Irish soldiers to France where they served in the army of Louis XIV.