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Dragoon Carbines, such as this one, were weapons that would have been used by the mounted infantry.
This piece was made in 1685 by a Gunsmith under Royal Appointment in London. It was made for an officer who later served in the Jacobite army during the war. It is in excellent condition and, if you look closely below the dogleg mechanism, you will see the royal cypher mark of King James II.
This piece also has a link to the improving relations between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
It was presented on loan from the Northern Ireland First Minister, Rev. Ian Paisley, to the Irish Premier or Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, at the opening of the Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre in the Republic of Ireland, in 2008.
The item remained on display there until 2011 when it was returned to its owner in Northern Ireland. The Dragoon Carbine was secured by the Museum of Orange Heritage in 2015.