The Office of Public Works (OPW) has reportedly banned tour guides from wearing green or orange clothing at the Battle of the Boyne site in Meath, the location where Protestant King William III defeated Catholic King James II.
This site holds particular importance for unionists, as William’s victory in 1690 solidified Protestant dominance in Ireland. This victory is commemorated annually by the Orange Order with marches held on July 12th.
While the prohibition on green and orange attire at the Battle of the Boyne visitor centre isn’t included in the official OPW Guide Handbook, distributed to guides and information officers at heritage locations,
the directive is communicated verbally to new guides by a supervisor at the visitor center following their hiring, according to information obtained through freedom of information requests.
This instruction, likely intended to respect the sensitivities of both unionist and nationalist visitors, isn’t the only noteworthy dress code regulation established by the OPW for its guides.
A section within the handbook addressing clothing and uniform requirements states, “nudity is prohibited at all sites.” The OPW declined to comment when asked why this specific clause was deemed necessary within its dress code for new tour guides.
The Battle of the Boyne visitor centre was established with €15 million in government funding in 2005. An additional €10 million was allocated to the centre last year under the Shared Island initiative.
The site gained prominence when it was chosen as the venue for Ian Paisley’s inaugural official meeting as Stormont First Minister with Bertie Ahern in 2007. During this meeting, the then-Taoiseach presented the DUP leader with a musket believed to have been used in the Battle of the Boyne.
An email, titled “Welcome aboard,” sent by a supervisor to a newly recruited seasonal guide the previous year detailed the staff dress code at the visitor centre.
The outlined dress code prohibits items like army jackets and clothing featuring “slogans, badges, or emblems.” The email explicitly stated, “green and orange are not permitted on site.”
The OPW provides an annual allowance for guides in cases where colour-coded clothing is mandated by local management. This allowance is €210 for permanent guides and €100 for seasonal staff.
The OPW has chosen not to comment on the reported ban on green and orange clothing within the Battle of the Boyne site.
