Carrickfergus Castle, located in Northern Ireland, was built by John De Courcy in 1177 to serve as his base of operations when he captured Ulster and ruled as king. Completed in 1615, the walls of Carrickfergus pre-date Londonderry Walls, and around half of the original circuit remains intact and preserved. Carrickfergus Castle lies on the seafront in the town by the same name, in County Antrim, in Northern Ireland. John de Courcy started building the castle in the twelfth century after arriving from Dublin determined to establish for himself the earldom of Ulster. Carrickfergus Castle is one of the best-preserved medieval structures in Northern Ireland and was besieged by the Scottish, native Irish, English, and French. It is one of the most complete examples of Norman architecture in Northern Ireland, and one of the most complete … [22] Census figures show that the Catholic population of Carrickfergus declined from 16.2% in 1971 to 9.56% in 2011.[23]. Initially de Courcy built the inner ward, a small bailey at the end of the promontory with a high polygonal curtain wall and east gate. Carrickfergus Castle. It became an inhabited town shortly after 1170 when Anglo-Norman knight John de Courcy invaded Ulster. Eight women were charged with bewitching a young girl, and were convicted, despite a strong indication from one of the judges that the jury should acquit. It was of massive construction and would have been considered the most secure part of the castle. Meanwhile, the Andrew Jackson Centre at Boneybefore, Carrickfergus, remains closed due to Covid restrictions. Carrickfergus Castle is Norman castle in Carrickfergus, County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Location. Established in 1182 by John de Courcy, it’s thought that this was a worship site even pre-dating this time. Carrickfergus was built by John de Courcy in 1177 as his headquarters, after he conquered eastern Ulster in 1177 and ruled as a petty king until 1204, when he was ousted by another Norman adventurer, Hugh de Lacy. Of the Ulster ports on the list, Carrickfergus was first, followed by Bangor, Donaghadee, and Strangford. During the Seven Years' War, in February 1760, the whole town was briefly captured and held to ransom by French troops landed from Francois Thurot's naval squadron, after the defenders ran out of ammunition. Segments of the town wall in various states of preservation are also still visible in town. In the 1970s, the town became an important centre for the textile industry. de Lacy was relieved of his command of the town in 1210, when King John himself arrived and placed the castle under royal authority. The US Rangers Centre in nearby Boneybefore pays homage to this period in history. Enniskillen Castle was first built in 1428 and remodeled in 1609 and 1796. Segments of the town wall are still visible in various parts of the town and in various states of preservation. de Lacy oversaw the final construction of the castle, which included the gatehouse, drum towers and outer ward. First, it appeared as de Courcy’s average sized stronghold, it was only a small bailey and an inner ward. It is also a townland of 65 acres, a civil parish and a barony. [16] On 14 October 1797 William Orr was hanged in the town following what was widely regarded as a show trial held in Carrickfergus Courthouse[17] (now the Town Hall[18]) and in 1798 United Irish founder Henry Joy McCracken was captured on the outskirts of the town while trying to escape to America. The walls are a meter thick with several impressive defense features like arrow slits, twin portcullises and a "murder hole" for raining boiling tar down on stranded enemies below. On 8 September 2007, Carrickfergus was the Northern Irish host for the Last Night at the Proms, featuring Alison Balsom, Alfie Boe, and Ulster conductor Kenneth Montgomery. Carrickfergus Castle was established in 1177 and remained a prominent stronghold in Northern Ireland for over 700 years. It was refurbished to include a purpose-built reception desk and improved refreshment, retail and seating areas. According to one tale, his ship ran aground on a rock by the shore, which became known as "Carraig Fhearghais" – the rock of Fergus. 20.23% were aged under 16 years and 14.73% were aged 65 and over; 51.95% of the usually resident population were female and 48.05% were male; 80.70% were from the Protestant or other Christian community backgrounds and 8.35% were from a Roman Catholic community background; 39 years was the average (median) age of the population; 8.49% had some knowledge of Ulster-Scots and 1.99% had some knowledge of Irish; Kristina Grimes, runner up in the final of the, This page was last edited on 28 November 2020, at 01:34. [citation needed]. St. Nicholas' Church is built upon the site of a Franciscan monastery. There are few buildings in Ireland with such long, well chronicled and fascinating histories as Carrickfergus Castle. The Battle of Carrickfergus (fought between the crown forces of Queen Elizabeth I and the Scots clan of MacDonnell) took place in and around the town in November 1597. Carrickfergus Castle was built somewhere between 1177 and 1195 by the Anglo Norman lord John de Courcy. It is situated on the shore of Belfast Lough in the town of Carrickfergus, County Antrim.The castle was built by John de Courcy in 1177. Carrickfergus Castle was built in 3 sections in 10 phases over a long period of time (diagram from Northern Ireland Environment Agency). The defensive earth ditch and bank walls were partially replaced by stone in the late 1500s. The First Battalions of the elite US Rangers were activated and based in Sunnylands Camp for their initial training. The center of the castle is the keep, in which exhibitions divulge intriguing details of medieval life. East Antrim, Northern Ireland(54.716°N 5.809°W), "I wish I was in Carrickfergus, Between 1203 and 1205, De Courcy was ousted from Ulster by another Anglo-Norman knight, Hugh De Lacy. Carrickfergus Town Walls. The castle was built by John de Courcy in 1177, who used it as his base to rule that area of Ulster until he was deposed by fellow Norman, Hugh de Lacy. The Carrickfergus Castle was built on many stages throughout the years The Castle was firstly built in 1177 by Sir John de Courcy. Marine Highway, Carrickfergus BT38 7BG Northern Ireland. Best nearby. In 1177, John de Courcy built Carrickfergus. Durham is a historic city, its Norman cathedral was a centre of pilgrimage. It was at this time that he established the nearby St Nicholas' Church. Answer to: Why was Carrickfergus Castle built? Due to the latest COVID-19 restrictions, Carrickfergus Castle is closed to the public until further notice. United Bus company, Northern Ireland's oldest bus company that dates back to the late 1800s was started in Carrickfergus and has now grown to be the third largest bus and coach company across the entirety of Ireland. [10] The castle, which is the most prominent landmark of Carrickfergus, is widely known as one of the best-preserved Norman castles in Ireland. The core of the castle was built in 1177 by John de Courcy, after he conquered the east of Ulster and ruled as a petty king until 1204, when he was ousted by another Norman adventurer, Hugh de Lacy. John had come to Ireland with Richard de Clare, better known as Strongbow, at the invitation of the former King of Leinster, Diarmait Mac Murchada. The castle is an impressive sight, and even those not planning to visit it but passing through Carrickfergus will spot it on the main road through the town. [5] Carrickfergus was the administrative centre for Carrickfergus Borough Council, before this was amalgamated into the Mid and East Antrim District Council in 2015, and forms part of the Belfast Metropolitan Area. Carrickfergus Castle. In April 1778, during the American War of Independence, John Paul Jones, in command of the American ship Ranger, attempted to capture a British Royal Navy sloop of war, HMS Drake, moored at Carrickfergus. [9][10], The Battle of Carrickfergus, part of the Nine Years War, took place in and around the town in November 1597. Archaeological excavations close to the walls' foundations have yielded many artefacts that have helped historians piece together a picture of the lives of the 12th and 13th century inhabitants. The Castle was strategically useful commanding the lough. De Lacy finished the construction of the castle, building the gatehouse, drum towers and outer ward. From its strategic position on a rocky promontory, originally almost surrounded by sea, the castle commanded Carrickfergus Bay (late… I would swim over the deepest ocean, [11], Sometime between 1203 and 1205, De Courcy was expelled from Ulster by Hugh de Lacy, as authorised by King John. Eight years later, the Anglo-Norman knight John de Courcy invaded Ulster and established his castle on a volcanic dyke at Carrickfergus in 1180. It was strategically useful because 3/4 of its perimeter is surrounded by water. Carrickfergus Castle is an excellent example of a Norman castle in Northern Ireland. Carrickfergus Castle er en normannisk borg i Nordirland, der ligger i byen Carrickfergus i County Antrim, på nordkysten af af Belfast Lough. A contemporary Elizabethan illustration of Carrickfergus shows ten tower-houses, as well as terraces of single-storey houses, some detached cottages and 70 or more Irish beehive-type huts in the town. Carrickfergus Castle is one of Northern Ireland’s best-known historic monuments. Throughout the course of The Troubles, there was a reasonably large paramilitary presence in the town, namely the Ulster Volunteer Force and Ulster Defence Association. 27 Restaurants within 0.3 miles. Saint Nicholas’ Church is a magnificent building originally constructed at the same time as the castle. He used this Castle as his headquarters after he conquered eastern Ulster. Initially de Courcy built the inner ward, a small bailey at the end of the promontory with a high polygonal curtain wall and east gate. [5][9], Carrickfergus became an inhabited town shortly after 1170, when Anglo-Norman knight John de Courcy invaded Ulster, established his headquarters in the area and built Carrickfergus Castle on the "rock of Fergus" in 1177. Diagram from Northern Ireland Environment Agency. [27] In the May 2019 local elections, the following councillors were elected for these wards:-. Courtaulds operated a large rayon works there until the 1980s. Besieged in turn by Scots, Irish, English and French, the castle played an important military role even until 1928 and remains one of the best preserved mediæval structures in Ireland. It’s been enlarged and reinforced over the centuries and remained a military site until 1928, when it was passed into State Care. The town is covered by two of the council's wards, Carrick Castle and Knockagh. By signing up, you'll get thousands of step-by-step solutions to your homework questions. [6], The town is the subject of the classic Irish folk song "Carrickfergus", a 19th-century translation of an Irish-language song (Do Bhí Bean Uasal)[7] from Munster, which begins with the words, "I wish I was in Carrickfergus".[8]. Carrickfergus was built in 1177 as headquarters for John de Courcy. It was strategically useful because 3/4 of its perimeter is surrounded by water. Due to the latest COVID-19 restrictions, Carrickfergus Castle is closed to the public until further notice. Carrickfergus Castle was built by John de Courcy, a Norman lord in the 12th century, as part of his bid to become an independent King of Ulster. He used this stronghold as his headquarters, after he conquered eastern Ulster in 1177. He became the petty king until 1204 after the eastern Ulster was conquered by Courcy in 1177. Knaresborough is a 12th-Century market town perched on the cliffs above the River Nidd. Facts about Carrickfergus Castle 1: who built Carrickfergus Castle? The castle is one of the best preserved medieval structures in Northern Ireland and was besieged by the Scottish, native Irish, English and French. From its strategic position on a rocky promontory, originally almost surrounded by sea, the castle commanded C… Sir John de Courcy (1160–1219) Anglo Norman knight and builder of Carrickfergus Castle; Hugh de Lacy, 1st Earl of Ulster (c. 1176 – c. 1242) Edward Bruce (c. 1280–1319), High King of Ireland and Earl of Carrick, brother to Robert the Bruce, King of Scots. In 1981, Kilroot power station opened and is the largest power station in Northern Ireland. The historical walled town originally occupied an area of around 97,000 square metres, which now comprises the town centre, bordered by Albert Road to the west, the Marine Highway to the south, Shaftesbury Park to the north and Joymount Presbyterian Church grounds to the east. [citation needed]. Carrickfergus far pre-dates Belfast and was for a long period of time, both larger and more prominent. He then ruled as a petty king until 1204 until he was ousted by another Norman adventurer, Hugh de Lacy. 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