Aka Orangemen’s Day, this is one of the most controversial dates in the British and Irish calendars. It is an Ulster Protestant celebration to commemorate the 1690 victory of the Battle of the Boyne by protestant King William of Orange over King Catholic James in Northern Ireland. The victory ensured continued Protestant domination in Ireland. The Orange Order and British Unionists hold parades with marching bands and deck out the streets with Union Flags on this day. Not surprisingly, the parades often end in confrontations between British Unionists and Irish Nationalists.