The busy life of Dublin flows unheeding now around the almost forgotten site of King William III's statue in College Green. Only the other day, reading an old book about Dublin, did I realise to what an extent the statue entered into the political life of the city.
At its inauguration, on July 1st, 1701, a public holiday was proclaimed, with joy bells ringing and all the shops closed, while the city fathers marched solemnly around it three times, to the accompaniment of kettledrums and trumpets. Later, they repaired to a newly-built house nearby to drink toasts and amuse themselves by throwing cakes to the populace outside who were likewise regaled by several hogsheads of claret. Much political acerbity was caused, at a later date, by the annual decoration of the statue, on the 12th July, with orange lilies and streamers, and a flaming cloak and sash for the figure of the King.
One, William Mackenzie, a bookseller, who supplied this equipment, was called "the man milliner to King William." Many an attack, at dead of night, was made on the statue; there was many a fracas around its base, until, with the shifting of political scenes, its significance died out, and now it has passed, unmourned.
The Irish Times, March 6th, 1930.