The Williamite War in Ireland is a fascinating subject, especially since everyone thinks they know about the main events such as the Boyne!

This talk explores the background to the conflict, major events such as the Siege of Derry and the Boyne, but also the lesser known Siege of the Jacobite garrison at Carrickfergus, and other incidents. In the context of the war, history shows that some hedged their bets and changed sides, while the end of the war resulted in the emigration of ‘the Wild Geese’ – Jacobite officers in James II’s army – to Europe. While the Williamite settlement was intended to be a moderate one, the Penal Laws ended up on the statuette books and further Stuart attempts to claim back the throne would disrupt into the next century.