Carrickfergus Tours and Tales

03/09/2026

Fantastic series of photos capturing the colour and energy of The Siege......

03/09/2026

Fancy helping bring Result home?

The Carrickfergus Tall Ship Project is embarking on an exciting mission to restore and return the tall ship Result back to the town in which she was built over 130 years ago. Workhorse, Warrior, Film Star - the Result is a unique survivor from the age of sail and First World War veteran. Get involved and help “bring her home”.

Our intentions for this remarkable ship are to create a land-based heritage attraction and community events hub on the Carrickfergus waterfront in tribute to our town’s great maritime history. We now need some specialised help to make our ambitions a reality. The voluntary roles are outlined in the image above and on our website so, if you have the skills and can make some time, we want to hear from you!

https://www.carrickfergustallship.com/news/join-the-carrickfergus-tall-ship-project-volunteers-needed

02/09/2026

Four of our team are delivering a series of free Monday Evening Talks in Carrickfergus and Greenisland, from mid-September to early November.

No need to pre-book. Just turn up. Details in the images supplied by the organiser.

02/09/2026

The Association is grateful to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for grant support for our new Culture Wares community celebration festival, which takes place from September 15. This will be a celebration of Ulster Scots, Ulster British and with room for other cultures too. Please support these events.

September 15, 2026, 7.30pm Ballycarry Community Centre
Belgians in Ballycarry: the Belgian army in Ulster, 1945, talk by Ron Bishop looking at the formation of the modern Belgian army in Northern Ireland
8.45pm War of Waves: Dr. David Hume on John Paul Jones, founder of the American navy, and his epic battle off Blackhead in 1778, the first American naval victory in British waters

September 16, 2026, Ballycarry Community Centre, 7.30pm
Yarns on the Hill: the Twa Boadies (Davy Moore and David Hume) bring their performance of poetry, stories, history and good crack, to Ballycarry. Learn about outstanding American connections, police dogs and inspirational spiders, bygone days on the farms and more.

September 17, 2026, St. John's Parish Church, 7.30pm
A recital of Scottish and Ulster Scottish songs and music by Lisa Dawson and Ami Ogilby (La Petite Duet). Both these ladies are very talented musicans, come along and enjoy their performance in the historic surrounds of St. John's Church.

September 18, 2026, Ballycarry Community Centre, 7.30pm
Cultural Connections Concert: join us for Ulster Scots and Irish music, song and dance. Stonewall Ulster Scots, one of the most outstanding Ulster Scots musical groups take to the stage, with Ceoltoirí Baile Randal providing top quality Irish folk music to enjoy.

September 19, Ballycarry Community Centre, 2pm-5pm
“Cultural Connections”: the Filipino community take centre stage in the village which is connected to Josephine Bracken, a heroine of the Philippines revolution; her grandparents are buried in Templecorran cemetery and this event will give everyone the chance to learn more about her and also about the East Antrim Filipino community. The community are looking forward to putting on a display of food, social history and their story in Northern Ireland. Larne School of Highland Dance will also be providing dancing displays.

All events are free, donations are welcome.

If you want to be contacted directly by us for these and future events please send your email to [email protected]

01/09/2026

What a fantastic day!

31/08/2026

That was a fun day at The Siege of Carrickfergus Castle.

Just a reminder that we cover the Williamite Siege on our Guided Walking Tour, as well as another 900 years, or so, of our town's remarkable story. 🏰

Scheduled Public Tours, over the Autumn & Winter, are on Saturday mornings at 10:30.
£10 Adults, £7 for Under-18s

Group Tours can be arranged at other times, on request. Generous discount for groups, by the way! Contact us to build your bespoke Tour and get a quote. 💬

31/08/2026

Some of us were down at The Siege - Carrickfergus Castle. A great spectacle of colour and noise. 💥🥁

Our photos don't do the event justice, so if anyone has better ones, feel free to share them in the comments. 📸

As well as handing out some of our promotional leaflets, it was great to speak to so many people interested in our town's history.

30/08/2026

🍂🏰 The nights are drawing in… but the stories are coming out! 👻

Our Autumn & Winter public walking tour schedule is now LIVE! 🎉

So, if you’re looking for something to do once the summer has packed its bags and disappeared, why not wrap up warm, put on your sensible shoes and join us for a good old-fashioned wander through Carrickfergus? 👣

We’ll take you through the streets, lanes and history of this remarkable town, bringing 900 years of stories, characters, scandals, battles, heroes and downright odd goings-on to life.

And don’t worry about the weather…
🌧️ If it rains, we’ll call it atmosphere.
💨 If it’s windy, we’ll call it dramatic.
🥶 If it’s cold, we’ll walk faster! 😂

📅 Public tours: Our new Autumn & Winter dates are now available — pick a date and come along! (see our Eventbrite Page - link in the comments)

👥 Got a group? We also welcome private group bookings throughout the year. Clubs, societies, community groups, workplaces, families, friends… or just a collection of people who have been promised a walk and don’t know what they’ve let themselves in for!

Whatever the weather, there’s always another tale to tell in Carrickfergus.

🏰 Carrickfergus Tours & Tales
History with a bit of a wander.
👉 Check out the dates and come and join us!
🥾 Get a group together and give us a shout (Facebook Messenger is handy for this)

30/08/2026

*Elizabeth Jackson – A Journey That Shaped a Nation*

Organised by Mid and East Antrim Council

A talk and workshop exploring the remarkable story of Elizabeth Jackson — mother of President Andrew Jackson — her departure from Boneybefore in 1765, and the new life she forged in America.

Following the talk, enjoy a relaxing slow‑stitching session where you’ll create a hand‑sewn mug cosy.

Mindful crafting offers a calm, hands-on way to slow the mind and ease stress. The simple, repetitive motions—whether stitching, shaping, or layering—help quiet the mind and encourage focused attention.

This adults‑only workshop is limited to 12 participants to ensure a relaxed and supportive environment.

📅 Saturday 19 September 2026
🕖 12pm–3pm
📍 Andrew Jackson Cottage & US Rangers Museum
£10 per person – booking essential as places are limited. To secure your booking today please contact Carrickfergus Castle Visitor Information:
📞 Call Carrickfergus Castle VIC: + 44 (0) 28 9335 8262
📧 Email: [email protected]
Come and spend a lovely afternoon at the Andrew Jackson Cottage and US Rangers Museum