Carrickfergus Castle
Carrickfergus Castle
Northern ireland · County Antrim · Near Belfast
Built 1177 · Norman
This page is part of an independent travel guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by Carrickfergus Castle.
© Unsplash
Quick Facts
- Hours
- Mon–Sat 09:00–17:30. Sun 13:00–17:30
- Day trip from
- €29
- Duration
- 1.5 hours
- Best time
- Year-round
- Nearest city
- Belfast
Featured Tour
From Belfast: Giant's Causeway Full-Day Guided Trip
Cancellation available · Instant confirmation
Highlights
- ✦Best-preserved Norman castle in Ireland
- ✦Nearly 850 years of continuous military use
- ✦Occupied by King William III during the Williamite War in 1690
- ✦Site of the first American naval victory — John Paul Jones in 1778
- ✦Dramatic waterfront position on Belfast Lough
Skip the queue with a guided tour
Skip-the-line tickets & expert guides
Carrickfergus Castle is the best-preserved Norman castle in Ireland, a formidable four-storey keep rising from a basalt promontory above the waters of Belfast Lough. Built by Anglo-Norman knight John de Courcy from 1177, the castle has seen nearly 850 years of continuous military use — longer than virtually any other castle in the British Isles. It was held by King John in 1210, used as a base by Edward Bruce during his Irish campaign, garrisoned by William III in 1690 during the Williamite War, and was briefly captured by French naval forces accompanying the American privateer John Paul Jones in 1778 — the first American naval victory in home waters. The interior houses exhibitions on the castle's military history, and the battlements offer fine views over Belfast Lough.
History
John de Courcy began building Carrickfergus Castle in 1177, immediately following his largely unauthorised invasion of Ulster. The castle was the military anchor of his Norman conquest of the northeast Irish coast — the most powerful fortification controlling the sea approaches to Belfast Lough — and was expanded and reinforced by successive lords through the 12th and 13th centuries, adding the great tower, outer ward, and gatehouse that still defines the castle's silhouette.
Carrickfergus remained the principal English military garrison in northeast Ireland throughout the Tudor and Stuart periods. William III landed near the castle in June 1690 and used it as his headquarters before marching south to the Battle of the Boyne, one of the decisive engagements of the Williamite Wars.
The castle attracted a very different kind of military encounter in April 1778, when the American privateer John Paul Jones sailed the Ranger into Belfast Lough and engaged the British sloop HMS Drake in a single-ship duel watched from the castle's walls — a significant early American naval action in European waters. Carrickfergus continued in military use into the 20th century, serving as a weapons store and air raid shelter during the Second World War before passing to state care.
How to Visit
Getting there: Carrickfergus is 20 km north of Belfast on the A2 coastal road — 30 minutes by regular train from Belfast Great Victoria Street station. The castle sits on the waterfront, a 5-minute walk from Carrickfergus train station.
Tickets: Walk-up entry £6 adult, £3 child. The GYG tour (t43263, from £29, 4.8★/7,032 reviews) — a full-day Belfast day trip following the Causeway Coastal Route to the Giant's Causeway, with a stop at Carrickfergus Castle en route — book in advance.
Practical tips: Carrickfergus works well as a half-day from Belfast or as the first stop on a Causeway Coastal Route drive north. Aim to arrive by 10:00 before coach groups; the battlements give clear views over Belfast Lough on a calm day. The waterfront town has a pleasant harbour area for lunch after the castle.
Combine with: [Dunluce Castle](/castles/northern-ireland/dunluce-castle) is 80 km north along the Causeway Coastal Route — a dramatic clifftop ruin best visited on the same north Antrim day. [Belfast Castle](/castles/northern-ireland/belfast-castle) is 15 km south in Cave Hill Country Park, pairing easily for an in-city castle afternoon.
Frequently Asked Questions
In April 1778, the American naval commander engaged the British sloop HMS Drake off Carrickfergus and captured it — the first significant American naval victory in European waters during the American Revolution.
Location
Marine Highway, Carrickfergus, BT38 7BG, Northern Ireland
Nearby Castles
Tours & Tickets
Powered by GetYourGuide
From
€29/ person