Carrickfergus Castle

At last, reasonable internet access again so I can catch up with my blogs. First off in Northern Ireland was Carrickfergus castle a much modified Norman castle started in 1177 and only stopped being used by the military in 1928 so it's in quite good condition.

It has quite an impressive history, kicked off by John de Courcy a third son of a Somerset knight who establish the first castle here. Off course his luck didn't last long before the De Lacy's took over. For me the best parts were the capture by Edward the Bruce (brother of Robert the Bruce) as part of the attempt by the Scots to take over Ireland from the English, the storming by Schomberg in the Jacobite Wars and the attack by the French in the Seven Years War (a couple of redcoat defenders can be seen on the wall)

An excellent castle, with lots of history, shame about the drizzle.