#MAP OF CARRICKFERGUS CASTLE MAC#

The wall is still standing in many places, and in various states of preservation – the best example of which is the North-East Bastion at Joymount. Belfast Lough itself was known as “Carrickfergus Bay” until well into the 17th century, after which Belfast overtook the town as the prominent power and regional capital.Īs a historical walled town, Carrickfergus originally occupied an area of approximately 100,000 square metres, which now comprises the bulk of the town centre. It was in existence hundreds of years before the future capital city, was larger and more strategically and economically important than Belfast, and even comprised its own county. History of CarrickfergusĬarrickfergus far predates the Northern Irish capital of Belfast. During the reign of Elizabeth I, the town was normally referred to as “Cragfergus” or “Knockfergus”. The first two spellings are most likely of Welsh origin, a result of the amount of English knights and soldiers of Welsh descent, mostly archers travelling with John de Courcy’s army, who came to Ireland at around this time under the authority of King Henry II, and inspired the naming of conquered lands under the Welsh language. The town was first referred to as “Cragfergus” or “Carrigfergus” by the time written works and maps began to be produced, and later “Kairrigfergus”, “Kragfergus”, “Kragfargus” or “Carraigfergus”, although the Irish-derived “Carraigfergus” has now taken prominence.

This is likely the true origin of the name “Carrickfergus”. Carrick itself was known as Knockfergus during the Elizabethan era. His point on the Irish name however remains valid, and he points out similar historical names as far afield as County Clare in the Republic of Ireland, such as Fortfergus, the River Fergus and Knockfergus (from the Irish Cnoc na Fairge, meaning “hill of the sea” or “rock of the sea”).

#MAP OF CARRICKFERGUS CASTLE MAC#

He did unfortunately come to this conclusion through mistaking Fergus Mór mac Eirc with the fictional King Fergus I, and so dismissed the accepted story. However, J Bell wrote in A Conjecture as to the Origin of the Name of Carrickfergus that the name is more likely to have come from the Irish Carraig na Fairge, meaning “Rock of the Sea”. Fhearghais or Fairge?Īs above, it is widely accepted that the name Carrickfergus comes from the legend of Fergus and his ill-fated voyage. Though even local tourist information reflects this myth almost as fact, there is no evidence that any such event ever occurred. The king’s body is said to have washed ashore and been buried somewhere in nearby Monkstown by the monks. During a heavy storm, it is said that Fergus’s ship was wrecked on a volcanic dyke by the lough shore, which became loosely known as “Carraig Fhearghais” – the Rock of Fergus – providing the area with a new name. The well was quite familiar to pilgrims and would undoubtedly have been connected to monastic activity in the area during the 10th and 11th centuries, about which very little is known. He is said to have returned to Ulster in search of an ancient healing well to cure his leprosy – this well could be the one which still exists underneath the castle keep or possibly what would become St Brigit’s (St Bride’s) Well which is located north of the town centre. The story is often told that Fergus left Ulster around this time to forge a kingdom in Scotland.

In popular legend, Carrickfergus claims its roots back to the late 5th and early 6th centuries CE, and its alleged namesake King Fergus Mór mac Eirc, an Irish king of Dál Riata. The application of this name to Carrickfergus was first recorded by 18th century historian Charles O’Conor in his map of Ireland, however it has been suggested that O’Conor made an error in attributing the name to Carrickfergus when it was in fact supposed to be applied to Dunseverick ( Dún Sobhairce), a hamlet on the north coast. The area which is now Carrickfergus, or perhaps just the rock that the castle sits upon, was alleged to have originally been known as Dunsobarky or Dun-Sobairchia (translates roughly as “strong rock” – Dun signifying an insulated rock and Sobarky meaning “powerful” or “strong”). It is the oldest town in County Antrim and one of the oldest in Northern Ireland. The town is twinned with the US cities of Portsmouth NH, Jackson MI, Anderson SC and Danville KY, as well as the Polish city of Ruda Śląska. It is located within the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council area – which was formed in 2015 from the merging of Carrickfergus, Larne and Ballymena borough councils – and is part of the Belfast Metropolitan Area, or “Greater Belfast”.

It is located 11 miles north-east of the Northern Irish capital of Belfast, and has a population of some 27,000+ people. Carrickfergus – or simply ‘ Carrick‘ – is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Map of carrickfergus castle