"The Old Orange Flute" is a song originating in Ireland, often associated with the Protestant Orange Order. Despite this, it had a certain amount of cross-community appeal, especially in the period before the commencement of The Troubles in the late 1960s. The earliest known records of the words appeared in 1907 in two books: A Collection of Orange and Protestant Songs and The Golden Treasury of Irish songs and Lyrics. The latter, published in New York, classifies the song as "anonymous street ballad". The tune itself, often known as "Villikins and His Dinah", after a music hall song of the 1850s (and in America as "Betsy from Pike"), is also the melody for the Irish War of Independence song "The Bold Black and Tans", is also the melody for the bawdy song "The Thrashing Machine" and is related to the jig tune "Paddy Whack". Of the melodies mentioned in the lyric:       "The Protestant Boys" is usually sung to the tune "Lillibulero"       "Kick the Pope" is an Orangemen's marching tune,       "Boyne Water" celebrates the Battle of the Boyne in 1690,       "Croppies Lie Down" is an Orangemen's song from the Rebellion of 1798. It has been recorded by The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem, The Dubliners and others. I learned it from the Clancys.