The Anglo-Norman knight Johnde Courcy leads an army of 22knights and 300 foot soldiersfrom Dublin to Ulster, aiming togain control of the provincefrom its Gaelic rulers.

De Courcy chooses Carrickfergus ashis base and begins to build a castleon the great rock which juts out intoBelfast Lough. Now he can controlaccess to the lough, guard the coastalroute from north Antrim and sendships to communicate with his alliesin England and the Isle of Man (ruledby his father-in-law, King Godfred).

De Courcy also builds St Nicholas’Church and Woodburn Abbey.Carrickfergus will become the militaryand religious centre of Ulster.Woodburn Abbey no longer exists butyou can see four large carved stonesfrom the abbey at St Nicholas'Church.

Medieval Banquet circa 1220

King Henry II appoints de Courcyas Judiciar (Chief Official) ofIreland, even though thecentre of governmentis far away in Dublin.Now unofficiallyknown as thePrince of Ulster,de Courcy mintshis own coins inCarrickfergus.

King Henry IIKing John of England fears deCourcy is building his ownkingdom in Ulster andencourages another Anglo-Norman knight, Hugh de Lacy,to overthrow him. De Courcy isdefeated and de Lacy, nowbased in Carrickfergus, is madethe first Earl of Ulster.

De Courcy Minted Coin

Siege engine

Castle under construction

Anglo Norman Knight

King John

Now it's the turn of theambitious de Lacy to anger hisking. John brings an army toUlster to wrest control of theearldom from de Lacy,besieging his former favouritein the castle. De Lacy is defeatedand expelled from Ulster.

It is believed Carrickfergusbecomes a borough around thistime. The middle ward of the castleis constructed. In the early years ofthe century a bank of earth toppedwith a wooden fence is builtaround the town. A ditch in frontalso deters invaders.

Reconstruction of the expansion of Carrickfergus Castlebetween the time of John de Courcy and Hugh de Lacy

Back in favour with the Englishmonarchy, Hugh de Lacy becomesEarl of Ulster again. He begins toconstruct the outer ward of the castle.

De Lacy builds a Franciscanfriary on a site in the areawhere Carrickfergus TownHall now stands. At hisdeath, around ten yearslater, he is buried there.

The Friary

Friar

King Edward attacking the Castle

Scottish highland

soldier

The Scots of the Glensburn Carrickfergus tothe ground, althoughthe castle is unscathed.

A Scottish army led by Edward the Bruce,brother of Scottish king Robert theBruce, besieges the castle. Many ofUlster's Gaelic chieftains see his invasionas a chance to destroy the Anglo-Normans and join his cause. After a bitteryear-long siege, the castle surrenders. Itremains Edward the Bruce's base untilhis death three years later.

William de Burgh, theEarl of Ulster, ismurdered. Weakenedby famine andoutbreaks of plague,the Anglo-Norman'shold on power inUlster is looseningand the increasinglypowerful Gaelicchieftains are tryingto fill the vacuum.From now on the areais governed by agentsof the Crown.

It's not just theincreasinglypowerful nativeIrish that threatenthe garrison atCarrickfergus. Anarmy of HighlandScots arrives toburn the town.

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Map of Carrickfergus circa 1560 (BL Cotton Augustus I ii 42)

Highland Scots attack thetown. It is reported thatCarrickfergus is 'totally burntby our enemies'. But the realproblem for the Crown liescloser to home in Ireland. TheClandeboye branch of thepowerful O'Neill clan nowcontrol the area to the south ofthe town.

The Franciscan friary, which hassince been converted to a storehouse for arms, is marked on amap of this year as a 'palace'.

A Scottish naval expedition plundersthe town, setting it on fire.

Franciscian Friary circa 1560

Reconstruction of Carrickfergus Castleas developed by Hugh de Lacy

Edward the Bruce Crest

Reconstruction of castle keep

The town is burned by the forcesof Gaelic chieftain Niall O'Neill,demonstrating how the power ofthe Anglo-Normans is waning.

Goods unloading at the harbour

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1649 1666

The town is given a charter by QueenElizabeth I, probably replacing anearlier one. Carrickfergus becomesan important centre of governmentand the place where the armies of theCrown are mustered. To the north, theMacDonnell clan of Dunluce Castle isbecoming an increasing threat.

Sir Brian McPhelim O’Neill of theClandeboye O'Neills, still thedominant Irish clan in this part ofUlster, burns Carrickfergus. This is inresponse to Queen Elizabeth's grantof much of their land to ThomasSmith as part of his failed attempt toplant English settlers in the area.

Sir John's brother, Sir ArthurChichester, is appointedGovernor of Carrickfergusand takes command of thetown. After John de Courcy,no other figure will be moreimportant to thedevelopment ofCarrickfergus than thecontroversial Chichester.

Sir Arthur Chichester becomesLord Deputy of Ireland.

Chichester begins building his mansion, Joymount House, nearthe site of the old Franciscan friary which he completes in 1618.The house, which would be demolished in 1768, was describedas a ‘prince’s palace’.

The town changeshands several times asScottish and Englishtroops battle for control.

The garrison at Carrickfergus,not having been paid for threemonths, seize the town andcastle. The mutiny is put downby the Earl of Arran. Ninemutineers are hung; the resttransported to the West Indies.

Sir John Chichester isappointed Governor ofCarrickfergus. Afterarranging a treaty withthe MacDonnell clan, hedecides to attack theminstead. He is killed andhis head cut off and sentto Sir Hugh O'Neill.

The fearsome Sorley Boy MacDonnellcaptures the town and castle in revenge fora massacre of his followers on RathlinIsland. Instigated by Walter Devereux, FirstEarl of Essex, the victims of the massacreincluded hundreds of women and children.

The same year the new Lord Deputy ofIreland, Sir Henry Sidney, attempts tobolster the defences of the town he findsgreatly 'impoverished' since his last visit.Four small bastions are constructed at thecorners of the town circuit.

Sir Brian McPhelim O’Neill Burning of the townDunluce Castle, Seat of MacDonnell clan

Sir John ChichesterWalter Devereux, the first Earl of Essex

Map of Carrickfergusin 1567 by RobertLythe (TrinityCollege, Dublin, MS1209 (26))

Note the townstreets and varioustypes of houses

Seafront stone walls are builtto improve the defence of thetown. The roads known todayas West Street, Cheston Street,Castle Street and High Streetare visible on maps of the time.

Having finally been given the resources the townspeoplehave been demanding for years to improve Carrickfergus'sdefences, Chichester orders the completion of the wall so itencircles the town. It takes seven years to complete. Abouthalf of the wall can still be seen today.

The powerful Sir Hugh O'Neill ofTyrone instigates a rebellion in Ulsterthat rapidly gathers support from hisfellow Gaelic chieftains. Carrickfergusis the main stronghold of the Crown inUlster. The rebellion spreads throughIreland and the conflict, known as theNine Years War, lasts until 1603.

Joymount Palace - mansion built by Sir Arthur Chichester 1610

The Irish at war

Carrickfergus, the major port inUlster, sells its customs rights toBelfast. It will prove a costly mistakeas Belfast increasingly becomes acompetitor for trade.

In the 1641 Rebellion, the native Irishrise against the Crown in a conflictthat spreads through Ulster andeventually the whole of Ireland,becoming part of the English CivilWar. Carrickfergus becomes a safehaven for Protestant settlers fleeingfrom the surrounding area.

Major General Munro lands an armyof 3,000 Scottish troops atCarrickfergus to protect the settlersfrom attack, becoming Commander-in-Chief of English and Scottishtroops in Ulster. The chaplains in hisregiment hold the first presbyterymeeting in Ireland in the town,probably at St Nicholas' Church. It isthe beginning of IrishPresbyterianism.

The Chichester Memorial, St. Nicholas Church

St Nicholas' Church is rebuilt after along period of decay. This is largelythe church we see today.

Probably the most important figure in the development ofCarrickfergus after John de Courcy, Englishman Sir Arthur Chichesteris also the most controversial. Replacing his brother as Governor ofthe town in 1599, he was responsible not just for improving thetown's defences and restoring St Nicholas' but for settling manyScots and English in the town and area.

In 1600, during the Nine Years War, he was ordered by Lord DeputyMountjoy to lay waste to Gaelic territories within 20 miles of

Carrickfergus. Chichester went about his task with great brutality,boasting that he killed men, women and children to achieve his aims.

SCOTCH QUARTERBy the late 1600s, the

eastern suburbs of thetown were occupied bymany Scots fishermen,

living in single storeythatched cottages nearto their boats. The area

became known asScotch Quarter.

IRISHQUARTERdevelopedoutside the

western wallsafter a 1678

decree banningCatholics from

towns with forts.

St Nicholas Church

Sir Arthur Chichester

The struggle between KingWilliam III and his father–in-law King James II for controlof the English Crown comesto Ireland. A Jacobitegarrison holds the townand castle for the forces ofJames, though most ofthe population supportsWilliam.

General Frederick Schomberg, King William'smilitary commander in Ireland, besieges thetown, his heavy mortars inflicting terribledamage. After seven days the garrisoncommander, Colonel Charles McKarty Moore,is forced to surrender. To the east of theNorth Gate, you can still see where repairswere made to the damage caused by themortar fire.

King William himselflands here on June 14th

1690, bringingthousands of extra

troops. He soon beginswhat will become one of

the most importantmilitary campaigns in Irish

history, winning the Battleof the Boyne on July 1st.

When the Julian calendarwas replaced by the

Gregorian Calendar in 1752, elevendays were added to the previousdates. Therefore, the Battle of theBoyne is celebrated on July 12th.

The last witchcrafttrial in Ireland takesplace in Carrickfergus.Eight women areconvicted ofbewitching a younggirl and sentenced toa year in prison.

Richard Kane, aCarrickfergus manwho fought for KingWilliam's troops inIreland, is madeGovernor of Minorca.Over the next 20years he greatlyenhances the island,reforming its legalsystem, buildingroads andencouraging trade.

In one of the most dramatic events in its history, Carrickfergus becomes embroiled in the Seven Years War (1756-1763) between France and England. French troops under Commodore Francois Thurot land at Kilroot, two miles fromCarrickfergus on February 21st 1760 before storming the castle.

Advancing into Scotch Quarter, the French first engaged with the Carrickfergus garrison, the 62nd Regiment of Foot,at Joymount before storming the walls and breaking into the town. The garrison retreated back into the castle,allowing the French to ransack Carrickfergus and set many of the prisoners in the gaol free.

With no cannon and little ammunition, the garrison was reduced to firing buttons taken from their uniforms. Afterdesperate hand-to-hand fighting in which over 20 soldiers on both sides were killed, they were eventually forced tosurrender. Fortunately, the French troops offered generous terms for the 197 officers and men of the garrison, whowere allowed to march out of the castle with their arms and colours and return to their barracks as prisoners of war.The French spent six days in Carrickfergus gathering supplies. Soon afterwards, they were defeated in a battle withthe British navy near the Isle of Man, in which Commodore Thurot was killed.

The Belfast and Ballymena Railwayopens its main line between the twotowns, including stops atCarrickfergus and Randalstown.

Salt mines are discovered atCarrickfergus about 600 feetbeneath the surface. Four yearslater, a tramway is constructedfrom the Salt Mines to theNorthern Counties Railway totransport the salt. In 1887 newworks are built to dissolve thesalt into brine, which is piped toClipperstown, where it is boiledand the salt distributedthroughout Ireland. Salt is stillmined today in Carrickfergus.

The County of Antrim Courthouseand Gaol (now the Town Hall andMuseum) is built.

Fisherman's Quay is built toserve the local fishing fleet.

Samuel McSkimin, who wrote thefamous 'History of Carrickfergus',dies and is buried in thechurchyard of St Nicholas' Church.

The David Legg, the firstship to be built inCarrickfergus, is launched.

The County Gaol inAntrim Street closes.106 prisoners - men,women and children -are marched in chainsaround the coast toBelfast, to beincarcerated in the newCounty of Antrim Gaolon Belfast's CrumlinRoad.

King Williamstatue,Carrickfergus

King William arriving in Carrickfergus French forces attack Carrickfergus Castle

French Soldiers

John Paul Jones attacks the HMS Drake

The Battle of Antrim, 1798

Henry Joy McCracken

The former Carrick Court House, now the current Town Hall

During the American Revolution,privateer John Paul Jones, skipper ofthe US ship the Ranger captures theBritish warship, the Drake, inCarrickfergus Bay. Jones, who willbecome known as the 'father of theAmerican navy', takes the Drake tothe French port of Brest as his prize.

William Orr, a member of the UnitedIrishmen, is accused of administeringthe oath of the organisation to asoldier. The trial, held inCarrickfergus, attracts internationalattention and much criticism whenOrr is found guilty and condemned tohang at Gallows Green. When theUnited Irishmen rebel the followingyear, the cry 'Remember Orr' rings outacross the battlefields.

Following the defeat of the UnitedIrishmen, their Northern leader,Henry Joy McCracken, is caught onthe outskirts of the town trying toescape to America and hung. Manyof his comrades are imprisoned inthe castle.

The Antrim Artillery, alocally based volunteerforce, is formed.Soldiers, initiallybased in the castle,later serve withdistinction in theBoer War. One ofjust 32 suchregiments inthe UK theynumber athousandmen by1900.

Victorian shipyards in Carrickfergus

Original ‘History ofCarrickfergus’ book

Irish Salt Mines

The last public hangingat the County Gaol inAntrim Street 1844Need an

image offishermansquay

John Paul Jones

In the second half of the 19th century, aconsiderable shipbuilding industry developed inCarrickfergus, helped by the demand for shipsto export locally mined salt and other goods as

well as import coal. The most successfulshipbuilder was Paul Rodgers who built woodenand then iron and steel ships. The most famous

ship built by his company was the Result, atopsail schooner, used against German

submarines in the First World War.

SHIPBUILDING

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During the 1760s a soldier calledRobert Rainey, who was stationedat the castle, fell in love with a local

girl called Betsy Baird. She agreed tomarry him but didn't tell him she hadanother admirer, the brother of hiscommanding officer. When the twomen met, Robert stabbed

his rival to death.Unfortunately, TimothyLavery, another soldier who

looked very like Robert, wasmistaken for the murderer and

convicted of the crime. As he wasbeing hung he vowed to haunt the

castle ever more. Nicknamed 'ButtonCap' for his habit of wearing a

button, a circular decoration, on hissoldier's cap, his ghost is said to appear

by a deep well in the castle.

Like other important townsacross Ireland, Carrickfergussaw the development of severalindustries through the 19thcentury. Several, like theJoymount Bleach and Dye Works and James Taylor FlaxSpinning at Barn Mills, were connected to Ulster's thrivinglinen industry. The town's reputation as a leading centre forthe textile industry also flourished briefly in the second halfof the 20th century, with the arrival of Courtaulds and ICI.

The ghostly story of Button Cap General Frederick Schomberg

Antrim Royal Garrison Artillery marching to Saint Nicholas’Church for Divine Service, circa 1900

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

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US Rangers and Carrickfergus

1963 1964 1960s 1990 2002 2011

Did you know?

Famous s0chooner the Result was the last ship to be built in Carrick

The old North Gate 19th Century

Medal commemoratingthe opening of the newharbour

Carrickfergus High Street Carrickfergus Castle and Harbour

Gas works

Town Hall, and ‘Big Lamp,’ Carrickfergus at the end of the 19th Century

WWI guns unloading at Carrickfergus harbour

Colonel Bill Darby (El Darbo). Founder of the US Rangers

Photo taken of air raid shelters in CarrickfergusCastle during WWII

Carrickfergus promenade before the Marine Highway

The old Gasworks

The Royal Wedding

Statue of King William III at Carrickfergus Castle

The Andrew Jackson Centre

The Carrickfergus and Larne Railwayopens. Visitors from Scotland arrivingat the Port of Larne now have easyaccess to the town.

John Hilditchestablishes hissuccessful yachtbuilding firm inthe town.

After 750 years of continuousmilitary occupation, the longest ofany castle in Ireland, CarrickfergusCastle is transferred by the WarDepartment to the Ministry ofFinance for preservation as anancient monument.

The elite First Ranger Battalion isformed by volunteers from variousAmerican regiments stationed inNorthern Ireland. It is based atSunnylands Camp in Carrickfergus fortraining before heading for Europeand North Africa. There is a warmemorial located at Joymount inCarrickfergus town centre

Imperial Chemicals Industries (ICI)open a factory manufacturing man-made fibres at Kilroot. The area isbecoming an important centre for thetextile industry.

The A2 Marine Highway isconstructed to relieve pressure on thehistoric streets of the old town. Itconnects the eastern part ofCarrickfergus, as well as Whiteheadand Islandmagee, to Belfast butseparates the castle from the town.

Gasworks Flame, one of only threepreserved gasworks in Britain andIreland, is opened to the public as avisitor attraction. Housed in theoriginal 1855 Gasworks building, itboasts Western Europe’s largest setof retorts (in which the gas wasmade).

Paul Rodgers, the town's mostrenowned shipbuilder,launches his first ship, theschooner Accrington Lass.

Carrickfergus Harbour is improvedand a new pier extension greatlyhelps the local shipbuilding industry.

The people of the town gather in theirthousands to cheer RMS Titanic asshe sails up Belfast Lough. Thefamous White Star liner anchorsovernight just off the coast herebefore continuing to Southampton.

During the Second World War, thebasement of Carrickfergus Castlekeep is used as an air raid shelter.

Courtaulds Ltd opens alarge man-made fibrefactory here. It has its ownpower station which usescoal brought by rail fromLarne Harbour. Originallyfounded in the early 1800sas a silk and textilebusiness, Courtaulds usetheir Carrickfergus branchto produce spun rayon fibrefor the Irish linen industry.

Carreras/Rothmans establish afactory manufacturing cigarettesand tobacco products inCarrickfergus.

A statue of King William III, wholanded here 300 years previously tobegin the campaign that changedmodern Irish history, is unveiled inthe grounds of Carrickfergus Castle.

The BBC Proms in the Park is held in Carrickfergus forthe first time ever in 2007. Staged before thespectacular backdrop of Carrickfergus Castle it waslinked to simultaneous Proms in the Park events inLondon, Glasgow, Swansea and the Tees Valley.

The US Rangers in Carrickfergus

In the grounds of the Andrew Jackson Centre is a museum dedicated to themen of the First Battalion of the elite US Rangers, formed by volunteers fromvarious American regiments stationed in Northern Ireland during the Second

World War. Featuring documents, photographs and uniforms and othermaterial relating to this famous combat unit, it reflects the fact that they were

based at Sunnylands Camp in Carrickfergus for their initial training andinduction. Modelled on the British Commandos, they were the first American

soldiers to see combat in Europe, fighting in Italy and North Africa.

Baron Carrickfergus is atitle in the Peerage of theUnited Kingdom. Itscurrent holder, since itscreation on 29 April 2011,is Prince William, Duke ofCambridge, who wasgranted the title as apersonal gift, by QueenElizabeth II, on the day ofhis wedding to CatherineMiddleton.

WWI soldiers at the Castle

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air raidshelters

air raidshelters

Titanic

Carrickfergus Gasworks opens inIrish Quarter West. Gas, createdby baking as opposed to burningcoal, is supplied to fuel the streetlamps of the area and to domestichouses for cooking. The Gasworkssupplies the town until 1965. Itcloses in 1987.