Carrickfergus Castle

Carrickfergus Castle is a Norman castle in Northern Ireland, situated in the town of Carrickfergus in County Antrim, on the northern shore of Belfast Lough.

Besieged in turn by the Scots, Irish, English and French, the castle played an important military role until 1928 and remains one of the best preserved medieval structures in Ireland.

For more than 800 years, Carrickfergus Castle has been an imposing monument on the Northern Ireland landscape whether approached by land, sea or air.

The castle now houses historical displays, as well as cannons from the 17th to the 19th centuries, and visitors are encouraged to explore the castle’s large halls and dark corners - there are ramparts, dungeons and even winding staircases with trip steps to deter any invaders.

Castle staff deliver tours of the castle and their expert knowledge provides a unique insight into life dating right back to the Anglo-Normans.