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Carrickfergus

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 recorded in the 2001 Census. The town is the administrative centre for Carrickfergus Borough Council. It is County Antrim's oldest town and takes its name from Fergus Mór mac Eirc, the 6th century king of Dál Riata. Due to the expansion of Belfast, Carrickfergus is often considered by many to be a large district of the city, as it now forms part of the Belfast Metropolitan Region.

The town is the subject of a classic Irish folk song entitled "Carrickfergus", a 19th century translation of an Irish-language song from Munster, 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 Surveyor General of Customs issued a report compiled from accounts of customs due from each port and their "subsidiary creeks". Of the Ulster ports on the list, Carrickfergus was first, followed by Bangor, Donaghadee, and Strangford.^[1] In the same year 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. Courtaulds operated a large rayon works there until the 1980s. 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.

The Troubles

Carrickfergus throughout the course of The Troubles had a reasonably large paramilitary presence in the town, Mostly through the presence of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA). See UDA South East Antrim Brigade for further information.

For more information see The Troubles in Carrickfergus, which includes a list of incidents which have resulted in fatalities in or near Carrickfergus.

Demographics

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 community background and 86.1% were from the Protestant or other Christian community backgrounds.

3.6% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed.

Notable residents

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Historical

Robert Adrain (1775-1843), mathematician, considered one of the best mathematical minds of his time, was born in Carrickfergus^[4]

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.

Sir John Jamison (1776-1844), naval surgeon, physician and, later, an important Australian land-owning pioneer and constitutional reformer, was from Carrickfergus.

Richard Kane (1662-1736), British general, governor of Minorca and Gibraltar, was from Carrickfergus. Minorca Place in the town is named for him.

William Orr, United Irishman was hanged in Carrickfergus on October 14, 1797 for his part in the failed rebellion.

Jonathan Swift, the poet and satirist lived in Kilroot, on the outskirts of the town, and wrote A Tale of a Tub there.

Fit Finlay, Born David J. Finlay Jr (1958). Former WCW and current WWE professional wrestler. Born, raised, and lived in Carrickfergus until 1995.

20th century

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'.

Sean Lester (1888-1959) was born in Carrickfergus.He was the last Secretary General of the League of Nations, from 1940-1946.

Louis MacNeice's family moved to the town when the poet was two years old (his father was appointed Rector of St Nicholas' Church of Ireland Church), 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.

Contemporary

Neighbours actress Jackie Woodburne was born in Carrickfergus in 1957.

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.

Current WWE wrestler Dave Finlay was born and raised in the satellite village of Greenisland.

Ryan Eagleson, Derbyshire and Irish international cricketer, 65 caps for Ireland 1995-2004.

Willie Irvine (Burnley), Bobby Irvine (Stoke City), Jimmy Hill(Norwich City), and Billy McCullough (Arsenal), Northern Ireland international footballers born in Carrickfergus.

Niamh Kavanagh, Irish Eurovision entrant and winner of 1993.

Robert Quinn, Who danced with the Royal Ballet, although born in Castlereagh in 1984, grew up in Carrickfergus.^{[citation needed]}

Local schools & education

Acorn Primary School

Carrickfergus Grammar School

Carrickfergus Model Primary School

Central Primary School

Carrickfergus College

Downshire School

Eden Primary School

Oakfield Primary School

Sunnylands Primary School

St.Nicholas Primary school

Ulidia Integrated College

Victoria Primary School

Woodburn Primary School

Woodlawn Primary School

Transport

Translink Bus and Rail Website

Local churches

St. Nicholas' Church (COI), Lancasterian Street

First Carrickfergus Presbyterian Church, North Street

Christchurch, Carrickfergus, Oakfield Drive

Carrickfergus Baptist Church, Northlands

Carrickfergus Elim Pentecostal Church, Northlands

Carrickfergus Community Church, Sunnylands Avenue

Carrickfergus Methodist Church, Albert Road

Cliffordgay Memorial Church Of The Nazarene, Regent Park

Joymount Presbyterian Church, Robinsons Row

Gateway Church, West Street

Holy Trinity Church (COI), Prospect Road

Carrickfergus Reformed Presbyterian Fellowship, Oakfield Drive

Free Presbyterian Church, Copperwood Crescent

Woodlands Presbyterian Church, Burleigh Drive

Woodburn Presbyterian church, New Line

St Colman's Church (COI), Larne Road

Downshire Presbyterian Church, Victoria Road

Carrickfergus Gospel Hall, Scotch Quarter

Sandringham Gospel Hall, Sandringham Heights

Church of St Nicholas (RC), Minorca Place

Loughmourne Presbyterian Church, Carneal Road

Local sports clubs

Carrickfergus Rugby Football Club

Carrick Rangers F.C.

Carrickfergus Sailing Club

Carrickfergus Golf Club

Carrickfergus Cricket Club

Carrickfergus Knights American Football Club

QE2 Snooker Club

Local councillors, MLAs and MPs

Carrickfergus Councillors

Local MLAs for the area are:

Sammy Wilson (DUP)

David Hilditch (DUP)

Alastair Ross (DUP)

Roy Beggs (UUP)

Ken Robinson (UUP)

Sean Neeson (Alliance)

The local MP is:

Sammy Wilson (DUP)

Sister cities

Anderson, South Carolina^[6]

Danville, Kentucky^[7]

Jackson, Michigan ^[8]

Ruda Slaska, Poland^[9]