During The First World War, it was occupied for the purpose of storing garrison and ordnance and during the time of The Second World War, as an air raid shade. For another century, it remained a magazine and armory. In 1797 it was used as a house for the prisoners of war. In 1778, the castle witnessed a rather important event when the American war of Independence began at Carrickfergus, with the honorable victory of John Paul Jones in an hour-long battle he undertook.Ĭarrickfergus Castle was used for various purposes over the course of centuries. The castle is established on a rocky cliff where it goes to a town developed underneath. Initially, Sir John built the inner walls of the castle and the subsequent outside of it, called the bailey, which spread till the end of the cliff. The castle was built by an Anglo-Norman knight Sir John de Courcy, in 1177 and was declared as his headquarters until he ruled as a petty King to the Eastern Ulster. This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia ( view authors).4 Frequently Asked Questions History of Carrickfergus Castle Gerard Anthony Hayes McCoy Irish Battles (Belfast, 1989).Cyril Falls Elizabeth's Irish Wars (1950 reprint London, 1996).Hiram Morgan Tyrone's Rebellion (1993).Richard Bagwell, Ireland under the Tudors 3 vols.There was some irony in the Scots' victory, because MacDonnell's uncle, Sorley Boy, had sacked the town over twenty years before in revenge for the English massacre of clan dependents on Rathlin Island.
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Despite the size of the force he had chosen to bring to a mere parley, MacDonnell Jess had little difficulty in justifying his own conduct. The English defeat was partly put down to a lack of gunpowder, but there was no attempt to excuse the crassness and ineptitude of the governor's conduct. Some managed to survive by swimming away in Larne Lough, with or without their horses, and fetched up on the shore of the peninsula of Island Magee. The crown forces were dismayed, and although reinforcements - including the sick, so depleted was the garrison - sallied out from the castle and prevented a massacre, the death toll on the English side reached 180, with 30-40 wounded. Another officer was hit in the head and captured, another had his horse shot out, and another was shot through the shoulder. He was shot through the head and killed outright. The governor was wounded in the leg but tried to rally his men by remounting and charging down the slope. On a counter-charge, the Scots surged around and broke the formation of the crown troops. But the English riders were not sure of their lead, and the governor was quickly isolated with a small party, which had managed to keep pace with him. The order to charge was given, and the Scots fell back over the hilly terrain. What say you? Shall we charge them?" Merriman assented, and was supported by the commander of the horse, Moses Hill. But when his troops drew up, the governor turned to his commander, Captain Merriman, and said, " Now, Captain, yonder be your old friends.
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In the interval the officers debated, one veteran urging the governor to proceed with the parley. He led them out four miles, until the Scots were encountered, and then halted to allow his troops to close up on the advanced guard. Not wishing to be outdone, the governor came out with the bulk of his men, just five companies of foot - who were wearied from a recent expedition - and one of horse. On the appointed day MacDonnell was sighted by the English on his approach to Carrickfergus Castle at the head of an extravagant army, including 1,300 troops and 500 Scots musketeers. The Scots were aggrieved over certain cavalry operations that had lately been carried out in the governor's absence, and a parley was arranged for the 4th of November 1597 to hear their demand for reparations.Įast wall and keep of Carrickfergus Castle
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In 1597, the recently appointed English governor of Carrickfergus Castle, John Chichester, had enjoyed successes against the strongholds of the Clandeboye O'Neills, and was negotiating with Sorley Boy's nephew, James MacSorley MacDonnell, over a series of raids and counter-raids in the locality. The MacDonnells controlled the surrounding territory and adopted a wait-and-see policy, without committing themselves fully to the crown in its campaign to break the rebellion. In 1595 the central part of the province rose out in rebellion under Hugh O'Neill, and the crown's only foothold was at Carrickfergus. Carrickfergus itself had been the base for a failed English attempt to colonise that corner of the province in the 1570s, but in the following decades the English influence gave way to the MacDonnells under the leadership of Sorley Boy.
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The north-east of Ulster was much fought over during the 16th century.