King Billy bruised before battle

When asked how he gets into character, Mr Adair said: “I get an odd bang around the face.”

He explained that his recent facial injury was sustained in a minor farming accident.

“The black eye will make the fight seem more authentic,” he added.

The Sham Fight at Scarva Demesne is the only remaining one of its kind in Ireland. It sees King Billy re-enact the defeat of King James played by Colin Cairns.

Asked if fighting a losing battle as James was seen as drawing the short straw, Mr Adair said: “Colin has been James maybe for a good 10 or 12 years now. He enjoys it.

“To be one of the two main characters is something a lot of people would love to do.

“It has to be about 25 years that I’ve been doing it.

“I did James for a couple of years before I moved on to Billy.”

He added: “King William is a respected figure and I play him with respect but also add some fun to the role as well to make it a spectacle.”

Sandy Heak, chair of the organising committee, said: “When the pageant comes down the road into the demesne, that’s when you get the whole crowd riled up.

“The Billy boys and the James boys will be shouting at each other, getting the blood up in everybody.

“That’s the whole craic leading up to it.

“They’re just walking with pikes at that stage and there’s horses accompanying them, then they go back and get the guns, then they’ll head back down the field and have two or three battles there.”