Carrickfergus is a town in Northern Ireland best known for its medieval castle. It is also the theme of one of the most famous Irish songs "I wish I was in Carrickfergus".
The city was founded at the end of the 12th century, but according to legend, the place was named after King Fergus, who ruled over the vast areas of north-west Scotland and northern Ireland. Carrickfergus Castle was built on a rock that the royal ship was supposed to sail around, which was the reason why it was given the name that still exists today. The stronghold is the best-preserved Norman monument in Northern Ireland and the biggest attraction of Carrickfergus.
Due to its location and importance, Carrickfergus was repeatedly besieged in numerous wars in Northern Ireland. In addition to the castle, it had defensive walls in the past, which, however, have not survived to this day. One of the oldest monuments in the city is also the 13th century church of St. Nicholas.
The city's long and rich history is presented at the Carrickfergus Museum and Civic Center. Another interesting museum is the Flame! Gasworks - a museum in a former gas plant that obtained fuel from coal. It is one of only three existing gas plants in the whole of Great Britain and is open to the public.
Carrickfergus was the family of the seventh president of the United States, Andrew Jackson. In the city there is a reconstructed Jackson's cabin, and in it the US Rangers Museum, a military formation founded in 1942 in Ulster.
