7. Holidays and Festivals in July

Tynwald Day

Tynwald Day is the national holiday of the Isle of Man （one of the British Isles in the Irish Sea）.

Orange Men’s Day （Northern Ireland）

Protestant Irish march with drums and pipes to commemorate the Battle of Boyne⁸, which occurred on Ireland’s east coast in 1690. In Northern Ireland, it is a bank holiday. Schools and many businesses and organizations are closed. Some sops may be closed. Public transport services may run on their regular or special holiday timetables.

In 1690, William III of England defeated the exiled Catholic king James II at the Battle of Boyne. James, who had been in France, had invaded Ireland with French troops.

Men wear orange sashes and black suits and bowler hats. Orange Day marches also take place in Birmingham and Liverpool, and in some parts of Canada. This day is known as“Orangemen’s Day”, “Orange Day”, “the Glorious Twelfth” or just “the Twelfth”. The day falls on July 12. However, if July 12 is a Saturday or Sunday, the bank holiday falls on Monday, July 13 or 14.

St Swithun’s Day ⁹ （Also known as St Swithin’s Day）

Saint Swithin was England’s Bishop of Winchester. 40 days of bad weather will follow if it rains on this day.