Prince William's new title as Baron Carrickfergus ties the heir to a place that has been identified with the English crown for nearly a thousand years.
It was the place where William of Orange landed to begin his Protestant conquest of Ireland in 1689.
The epicenter of English royal power in Ulster until it was eclipsed by Belfast in the early 1700s, Carrickfergus, which means 'Rock of Fergus,' is Northern Ireland's oldest town, according to the BBC News.
The town was named in honour of Fergus Mac Eirc, a sixth century king of Dalriada, which straddled Ulster and Scotland. According to the legend, Fergus brought his coronation stone to Scotland from whence it was removed to Westminster Abbey, the scene of Will and Kate's wedding.
The town's great stone fortress was built in 1180 by John de Courcy, an Anglo-Norman knight, as the center of his Earldom of Ulster, making Carrickfergus the only English stronghold north of 'The Pale' in the Middle Ages.
In the 13th century, the castle was enlarged by Hugh de Lacyand and had a history of siege and military occupation.
It was captured by Edward Bruce in 1316, recaptured by the English and taken by General Schomberg for King William III who landed there in 1690.
The town was attacked in 1760 by the French under Admiral Thurot who held it for a week.
The castle served as a British military stronghold, armoury and prison from the late 18th century until World War II.
Locals are now excitedly looking forward to a visit by the royal couple. Jim McLurg the mayor stated “it is an extreme thrill to have this honor bestowed upon us.”
22 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.marie.mccain.31 | May 06, 2011, 10:42 PM EDT
Shame on all of you! I have never set foot on Irish or English soil. But have ancesters from both. Would give my eye teeth (if I still had them) to be able to go and visit all. Bet wishes to Prince William and Kate and also to the town of Carrickfergus.
DaithiSuibhne | May 04, 2011, 11:47 PM EDT
This just makes me want to puke my guts up. If this episode of "Irish History" makes you proud, I suppose you are also an admirer of Oliver Cromwell,that long standing patriot of Britian who didn't mind elimnating as many Irish "croppies" as he could find.
SeamusRua | May 03, 2011, 06:06 PM EDT
sirpeter is a brit rentboy. Irish Andy has a lot to do with everything.
sirpeter | May 03, 2011, 04:26 PM EDT
Kilsally..Yawn back..What has Carrickfergus, the `planter town` and President Andrew Jackson got to do with anything.
thepeopleprinci | May 03, 2011, 02:57 PM EDT
I Have Irish And English Background.My Boyfriend Has An Irish Father Back In Dublin,Some Of Our Heart Lies Greatly There As My Grandparents Would Love To Go Back For A Visit Sometime,Faboulous,The People The Heritage,Phenominal,No Place Like Ireland,
thepeopleprinci | May 03, 2011, 02:54 PM EDT
I Say Ireland Belongs To Ireland,This Is a Different Generation now,And We need To Show a Great example ,I Think Though That Prince William and Kate,Have Some Love Of Ireland As As Well As Some Ancestral Roots,Great For Ireland An Honour,But At The Same Time,Ireland Belongs To Its People,
oldboreen | May 03, 2011, 09:41 AM EDT
It's a totally meaningless title in this day and age, and to be fair,I suspect Prince William is fully aware of that since Burke's Peerage, is chock-a-block full of such nonsense.So don't take it too seriously folks.Leave that to the Establishment Brits who love that sort of thing. The vast majority of British and Irish have far more pressing matters to worry about.
Liamkeyes | May 02, 2011, 04:52 PM EDT
I wish I was in Carrigfergus only for nights in Ballygrand, I'd swim over the deepest Ocean, the deepest Ocean my love to find.
DMoran60 | May 02, 2011, 04:45 PM EDT
I personally feel the English should name a town in their country, which last time I CHECKED IS ACROSS THE CHANNEL. THEN THEY SHOULD REMOVE THEMSELVES FROM SOVEREIGN IRISH SOIL ONCE AND FOR ALL. IF THEY WANT ACCESS TO THE SEAPORT I,M SURE THE IRISH WOULD COME TO SOME SORT OF AGREEMENT WITH THEM. IF NORTHERN ENGLAND BECAME POPULATED BY SAY PAKISTANI MUSLIMS AND THEY GAINED A LOCAL MAJORITY DOES THAT GIVE PAKISTAN THE RIGHT TO COME IN AND ASSUME CONTROL. OF THAT LOCALE. LEAVE IRELAND TO THE IRISH AND SHOULD THERE BE THOSE WHO WOULD PREFER TO REMAIN UNDER BRITISH RULE THEY ARE MORE TJME WELCOME TO MOVE TO BRITAIN. ENGLAND OCCUPIES NORTHERN IRELAND ILLEGALLY, THEY TRIED GENOCIDE TO GAIN POSSESSION OF WHAT WAS NOT THEIRS TO POSSESS. WHEN THAT FAILED THEY USED THE ALL TIME EXCUSE FOR. WAR AND CONQUERING, RELIGION. IT'S ABOUT TIME THE MODERN IRISH GOVERNMENT STOPPED SELLING IRELAND TO THE BRITISH AND HONOR THEIR HERITAGE AND ALL THOSE IRISH WHO SUFFERED AND DIED TO KEEP IRELAND A FREE AND SOVEREIGN NATION.
mcdolan | May 02, 2011, 08:31 AM EDT
Storm in a teacup! Get on with life, will ya?
citizen69 | May 02, 2011, 06:45 AM EDT
Hartfordwoman: Don't believe the hype. Irish Central is trying to create controversy where there is none. You'll find little upset at this title north or south. The people behind I.C's anti-royal stance obviously believe that the majority of the population of Northern Ireland (whom are proud of their British connections and this title) don't count!
citizen69 | May 02, 2011, 06:41 AM EDT
Hartfordwoman: Don't believe the hype. It's only Irish Central trying to create controversy where there is none. You'll find little upset at this title, North or South. I.C. obviously believes that the majority of people in Northern Ireland (whom are proud of their British connection) don't count!
Towngate | May 02, 2011, 05:59 AM EDT
Hartfordwoman: I think you are right about it being 'one in the eye' for those aspiring to a united island.In the meantime as the majority want to remain with Britain, she is quite entitled to grant him the Title. And consider if she had ignored Ireland ~ what signal would that have given to the Republicans? And what unease to the 'loyalists'? Things may change in future,of course, according to the will of the people of that place. As for the Castle being used as a Prison for Irish Citizens ~ not possible; as there were none until after 1922!
Kilsally | May 02, 2011, 04:55 AM EDT
yawn Sirpeter. Oh.....Carrickfergus, the `planter town` is also the ancestral home of President Andrew Jackson.
sirpeter | May 01, 2011, 07:08 PM EDT
hartfordwoman..I know *sob sob..Poking us all the time with a big pointy stick and when we get upset, they get very surprised when we poke them back
Kilsally | May 01, 2011, 06:59 PM EDT
It was probably innocuously picked because the town is largely Unionist and therefore ht general populace of Carrickfergus will welcome it. It was picked symbolically along with Scottish and ENglish titles to go with the Weslh one he already has to represent the Union of the constituent parts of the UK and probably for the Military connections because the Royal Irish Regiment and Irish Guards just back from Afghanistan and the Irish Guards on duty for the Royal Wedding.
JoanKaren | May 01, 2011, 06:03 PM EDT
throw king willy in the dungeon and be done with it. That' better treatment then Kevin Barry or the rest of the boys got in 1916.
cillowen | May 01, 2011, 01:47 PM EDT
blood sucker brits make my skin crawl the surprize being that they wonder why the brits keep unashamedly drawing from their heritage - they somehow know the thiefs these occupier planters be. Did you not notice the tunic new king-to-be willy was wearing bearing the shamrocked collar. He being an irish guard no less - sasanach scum have no shame. They'll cling to Norteastern Ireland in support of their stolen symbols .. the harp the shamrock on coins, buildings tapestries royal standards of Queenie, that appear across the breath of commonwealth countries - its really all about masking the comedy of a Saxonism that is strewn across the globe. UK countries have differing arrangements for the royals as do Australia, Canada, New Zealand - the US history is a borrowing of the made up stories of the Sasanach who overran Britain since England's 864 origin. Put that in yer pipe and smoke it - crappy boys.
hartfordwoman | May 01, 2011, 01:42 PM EDT
I am the US's biggest fan of the Royal Couple but after hearing the history of this location it almost feels like the Queen is poking Ireland with a stick to it's eye! WHY would she want to taint the new couple with a title that brings this back to the forefront? I can only imagine who it was used as a prison for - I'll wager it was Irish citizens. Bad choice.
mlawless | May 01, 2011, 12:00 PM EDT
Brits out of Ireland!! Especially inbred aristocrates!!
bootsjoyce4 | May 01, 2011, 11:27 AM EDT
conquer and Divide and the Brits still have it.They have used and taken more things that belong to the Irish, by that point.
seamrog | May 01, 2011, 10:27 AM EDT
lots of visitors over the years..but it still belongs to the irish people