His ship set out from Ballycastle, but by the time it got to south Antrim, there was a great storm and the ship was dashed against the very rock he was seeking and all on board were drowned. He heard of a holy well on a rock in the sea where the water might cure him.
#Carrickfergus castle skin#
In the year 5 hundred and 30, Fergus had contracted a skin disease. The rock is named for King Fergus of Dál Riata who ruled North East Ulster and parts of Western Scotland. It is a peninsula that has sheltered a harbour at its side since time began. Life and LegendĬarrickfergus is a great tear-shaped crag that rises above the flat shore. The banqueting hall has been fully restored and there are many exhibits to show what life was like in medieval times. It was garrisoned continuously until 1928, when its ownership was transferred to the government for preservation as an ancient monument. During the First World War it was used as a garrison and ordnance store and during the Second World War as an air raid shelter. In 1797 the castle, which had on various occasions been used to house prisoners of war, became a prison and it was heavily defended during the Napoleonic Wars six guns on the east battery remain of the 22 that were used in 1811.įor a century it remained a magazine and armory. Some years later in 1778, a small but significant event in the American War of Independence began at Carrickfergus, when John Paul Jones, in the face of reluctance by his crew to approach too close to the Castle, lured a Royal Navy vessel from its moorings into the North Channel, and won an hour-long battle. From its strategic position on a rocky promontory, the castle commanded Belfast Lough, and the land approaches into the walled town that developed beneath its shadows. It had a number of buildings, including the great hall. 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. 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.
#Carrickfergus castle windows#
The fourth storey, a high, brightly lit room with windows in all four walls, a fireplace and single latrine, was the principal chamber. A shaft gave access to a well below and a mural stair led down to the vaulted storage cellar. Its entry chamber, originally one large, poorly lit room with a double latrine and no fireplace, served as the public room. Surrounded by sea, the keep of the castle is a four-storey tower, 90 ft high, with a second-storey entrance. Also open to the public for fun days out, the impressive monument has canons from the 17 th and 19 th centuries on display, while the keep houses historical and other displays. Visitors to the castle can avail of a self-guided tour of the walls or, on occasion, guided tours can be arranged by the Carrickfergus Historical Society. Proudly ranking as one of the best preserved medieval structures in Ireland, it is a popular destination for tourists worldwide wishing to delve deeper into its historical content. The castle seen over 800 years of military occupation, the castle was besieged in turn by the Scots, Irish, English and French and it continued to play a central part in a military role until 1928, today it is maintained by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. The striking Norman architecture of Carrickfergus Castle can be found on the shore of Belfast Lough.
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