Carrickfergus Castle In Ulster

Built in the 11800’s by John de Courcy who conquered East Ulster in 1177, Carrickfergus Castle was remarkable stronghold and a sign of Anglo-Norman power in Ulster and is located on the shored of Belfast Lough, County Antrim.

At first John de Courcy constructed the inner core of this castle that included a high polygonal wall, a great hall and a few other buildings. It also included a four storey tower that was 90 feet high and with a second storey entrance, a common design of a castle in Ireland.

In 1210 Carrickfergus Castle was captured by King John who passed ownership onto the crown and in 1217 £100 was given to De Serlande to better protect the Castle by building a new wall to cease any attacks coming from along the rocks and eastside of the stronghold.

The area of the Castle was probably increased by Hugh De Lacy who defeated John De Courcy from Ulster in 1207. Later additions to the castle included a ribbed vault, the murder hole and large portcullis at each side of the gatehouses. The castle was the Crowns residential and administrative centre in the North of Ireland and was upgraded during the 16th & 17th centuries to include artillery.

Many attacks tooks place at the castle and it fell to the hands of General Schomberg in 1690 and it was the same year that King William III first set foot in Ireland on 14 June at this location.

It had once again changed hands after it was captured by the French commanded by Thurot. During the Napoleonic Wars it was used as a prison and was heavily defended and would be later used as a magazine and armory until 1928 when it was handed over to the Government for preservations as an ancient monument. It was used as an air-raid shelter during the war of 1939-45

Today Carrickfergus Castle is maintained by the Environment and Heritage Service and is opened to the public who wish to view this marvelous histories structure that had once been besieged in the Scots, Irish, English and French.

It is opened all year round but only at specific times during the day.