"The Boyne Water" is an Ulster Protestant folksong by an anonymous lyricist. The lyrics of the song commemorate King William III of Orange's victory over James II at the Battle of the Boyne. Unionists point to this battle as decisive in achieving a constitutional monarchy in the United Kingdom.Modern historians also agree that this conflict, otherwise known as "The Glorious Revolution" and played out in Scotland as well, was the conclusion of the English or British Civil War of 1642 - 1651 (Trevor Royle The British Civil War, 2004). Indeed, King James II as a very young Duke of York was present with his father Charles at the Battle of Edge Hill in 1642. The song is famous, or notorious, for being played by Orange marching bands of the Orange Order in their parades, which have been made inc