Coordinates: 54°42′58″N 5°48′11″W / 54.716, -5.803
Carrickfergus (from the Irish: Carraig Fhearghais meaning "Rock of Fergus") is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 27,201 people in the 2001 Census. The town is the administrative centre for Carrickfergus Borough Council. It is Co. Antrim's oldest town and takes its name from Fergus Mór mac Eirc, the 6th century king of Dál Riata.
The town is the subject of a classic Irish folk song entitled "Carrickfergus", which begins with the words, "I wish I was in Carrickfergus."
History
Carrickfergus stands on the north shore of Belfast Lough and is home to the 12th century Carrickfergus Castle, one of the best-preserved Norman castles in Ireland. It was built around 1180 by John de Courcy. The church of St. Nicholas also dates from the late 12th century.
As an urban settlement, Carrickfergus predates Belfast and was for a lengthy period both larger and more prominent than the nearby city. Belfast Lough itself was called 'Carrickfergus Bay' well into the 17th century. Carrickfergus and the surrounding area was, for a time, treated as a separate county, although it is today part of County Antrim.
The Battle of Carrickfergus, part of the Nine Years War, took place in and around the town in November 1597. It was fought between the crown forces of Queen Elizabeth I and the Scots clan of MacDonnell, and resulted in a defeat for the English.
In 1637 the town sold its customs rights - which ran from Groomsport in County Down up to Larne in County Antrim - to Belfast and this in part led to its decline in importance as the province of Ulster grew. Nevertheless, the decaying castle withstood several days of siege by the forces of William of Orange in 1689, before surrendering on 28 August; William himself subsequently landed at Carrickfergus on 14 June 1690. During the Seven Years' War, in February 1760, the whole town was briefly captured and held to ransom by French troops landed from Francois Thurot's naval squadron, after the defenders ran out of ammunition.
In April 1778 John Paul Jones attempted to capture a British Royal Navy sloop of war, HMS Drake, moored at Carrickfergus; having failed, he returned a few days later and challenged Drake to a fight out in the North Channel which the Americans won decisively.
The town was formerly an important centre for the textile industry. It now is a centre for leisure sailing, and is home to Carrickfergus Marina and Carrickfergus Sailing Club. The town is part of the Greater Belfast conurbation, being 11.4 miles (18.3 km) from Belfast City Centre.
On 8 September 2007, Carrickfergus was the Northern Irish host for the Last Night at the Proms, featuring Alison Balsom, Alfie Boe, and Ulster conductor Kenneth Montgomery.
Demographics
Carrickfergus is classified by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA)[1] as a Large Town (ie population between 18,000 and 75,000 people) and within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area (BMUA). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 27,201 people living in Carrickfergus. Of these:
- 23.2% were aged under 16 years and 15.9% were aged 60 and over
- 48.6% of the population were male and 51.4% were female
- 7.8% were from a Roman Catholic background and 86.1% were from a Protestant background
- 3.6% of people aged 16-74 were unemployed.
For more details see: Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information[2]
Notable Residents
- Andrew Jackson, 7th President of the United States, was born in 1767 in the predominantly Scots-Irish Waxhaws area on the border of North Carolina and South Carolina two years after his parents left Boneybefore, near Carrickfergus. A heritage centre in the village pays tribute to the legacy of 'Old Hickory', the People's President.
- Jonathan Swift, the poet and satirist lived in Kilroot, on the outskirts of the town, and wrote A Tale of a Tub there.
- William Orr, United Irishman was hanged in Carrickfergus on October 14, 1797 for his part in the failed rebellion.
- Louis MacNeice's family moved to the town when the poet was two years old (his father was appointed vicar of St Nicholas), and he left at the age of ten to attend boarding school in England. One of MacNeice's most well-known poems, Carrickfergus (1937), relates his ambiguous feelings about the town where he spent his early boyhood.
- Neighbours actress Jackie Woodburne was born in Carrickfergus in 1957.
- Robert Adrain, (1775-1843), mathematician, considered one of the best mathematical minds of his time, was born in Carrickfergus[3]
- Giselle Allen, the soprano currently resides in Carrickfergus and performed at The Last Night of the Proms when it took place in the town in 2007, singing the folk song Carrickfergus.
- Crime novelist Adrian McKinty was born and grew up in Carrickfergus.
- Kristina Grimes, the runner up in the final of the third series of the British version of The Apprentice once lived in the town.
- Stuart Robinson host of Northern Ireland's Young Star Search and presenter on Belfast CityBeat.
- Citybeat 96.7FM Radio presenter Andy Pugh hails from Carrickfergus.
- Current WWE wrestler Dave Finlay was born and raised in the satellite village of Greenisland.
- The Ulster Grenadiers Flute Band[1] also hail from the town and are renowned all over Northern Ireland and in Scotland.
- Daniel Cambridge VC and James Crichton VC were born in Carrickfergus
- Hugh McCarthy, the notable literary enthusiast mentioned Carrickfergus in his poem 'Town of Despair'.
Education
There are many primary and secondary schools in Carrickfergus.
Transport
Carrickfergus railway station opened on 1 October 1862.[4] and continues to offer regular commuter services to Belfast and Larne.
Sport
Town twinning
References
- ^ NI Statistics and Research Agency website.
- ^ Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information website.
- ^ (1967) Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Marquis Who's Who.
- ^ "Carrickfergus". Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved on 2007-08-27.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/22/nshot122.xml
See also
External links
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