Carrickfergus Castle

Carrickfergus Castle

A Norman fortress by the sea

On a rocky point reaching into Belfast Lough, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, stands one of the finest medieval castles in the country: Carrickfergus Castle. With its tall, square keep and strong curtain walls rising straight from the water's edge, it is the best-preserved Norman castle in all of Ireland, and it has guarded this important harbour for more than eight hundred years.

Built by John de Courcy

The castle was begun in 1177 by John de Courcy, a Norman knight who had carved out his own lordship in the north of Ireland. He chose this rocky spot, almost surrounded by the sea, as the centre of his power, building a mighty stone keep and strong walls. Over the following decades the castle was enlarged with outer walls and a great gatehouse, growing into the powerful fortress we see today.

Its position on the sea made it vital for controlling the north-eastern coast and the routes to Scotland and England.

A much-fought-over prize

Because Carrickfergus was so strong and so important, it was attacked and captured many times over the centuries. It was besieged by Scottish, Irish, English and even French forces at different times. Edward Bruce, brother of the famous Scottish king Robert the Bruce, captured it during his invasion of Ireland in the 1300s after a long siege.

For centuries Carrickfergus remained one of the most important strongholds in the north, a key to controlling the region and its busy waters.

From fortress to museum

Remarkably, Carrickfergus Castle stayed in military use for an extraordinarily long time — far longer than most medieval castles. It served as a garrison, an armoury and a prison through the centuries, right up into modern times, which is one reason it survived so complete rather than crumbling into ruin.

Eventually its fighting days ended, and it was preserved as a historic monument. Today it is one of the most popular places to visit in Northern Ireland, its halls filled with displays, cannon and life-size figures showing its long history.

A castle full of stories

Carrickfergus has gathered many tales over its long life, including a famous legend of a ghostly soldier said to haunt its walls. Cannons line its battlements, and its keep, gatehouse and courtyards make it a wonderful place to imagine the lives of the soldiers and lords who held it through eight centuries of history.

Visiting today

Visitors can explore the great keep, climb the battlements for views over Belfast Lough, and walk the courtyards among the cannon and historical displays. The castle stands in the heart of the old town of Carrickfergus, with its own harbour and history close by. Strong, complete and steeped in the story of the Normans, Carrickfergus Castle is one of the great medieval fortresses of Ireland.