Sir, - there were relatively few Ulster Protestants in William's widely assorted army in the Boyne action (1690). The bulk was made up of Dutch, Danes, Brandenburghers, French Hugenots and contingents of English.The battle had only marginally to do with the Ulster Irish: it had even less to do with the "Popish native". It had more to do with offsetting contemporary French victories at Fleurs and Beachy Head and allowing William to return with some credibility to the main seat of war. The Pope was pleased at William's success as it gave the tilt he wanted to the shabby balance of power in Europe.Though James had French troops (inexplicably exchanged with Louis for five crack Irish regiments), his army was inferior to William's both in size and quality. He was beaten before he started (a mess, due to jealousy, was made of Lausanne's well-armed and well-supplied French troops landed in Kinsale in March 1690).The Battle of the Boyne had little to do with Ireland. It's significance was European and that significance quickly vanished like snow. In Ireland, however, it meant that in future the Protestant minority would rule Ireland. The power of the Roman Catholic nobility, which has survived the Elizabethan conquest and was not fully extinguished even by the Cromwellian settlement, was finally overthrown.It is all over 300 years ago. Its place is in history books and in rich mardi gras material: not in the realpolitik would of the European (less Bosnia) community. - Yours, etc., From J.P.Duggan,Cedarmount Road,Mount Merrion,Co Dublin