Historical Places
Roughfort, County Antrim – A Tale of Dolmens and Dragoons
Roughfort, Co Antrim, has 3 historic sites close to each other - a Bronze Age passage grave, a Norman motte and a 200+yo Liberty Tree
Historical Places
The Crosskeys Inn – Ireland’s Oldest Thatched Public House
County Antrim's Crosskeys Inn is the oldest thatched public house in Ireland and offers a truly authentic traditional Irish pub experience.
Historical Places
Layde – County Antrim’s Hidden Church
Layde Old Church is a place of history and peace. Its scenic hidden glen, sparkling stream and sea views make it incredibly beautiful.
Historical Places
Cantrell & Cochrane – From Belfast’s Castle Place to a Global Brand
Cantrell & Cochrane , now the world famous C&C brand, started out in a small shopfront on Castle Place, Belfast - the Ulster Medical Hall
Historical Places
Galboly – The County Antrim Village Lost in Time
In the picturesque glens of Antrim lies the abandoned village of Galboly. Hidden from view, its derelict cottage ruins recall a bygone age.
Historical Places
Mahee Castle – A Fortified Tower House at Strangford Lough
Mahee Castle, built 1570, is actually the ruins of a fortified tower house on Mahee Island - one of the larger islands in Strangford Lough.
Historical Places
St Nicholas Church, Carrickfergus
St Nicholas Church has a fascinating history dating back to 1182AD with great architecture & design, beautiful windows and historic artefacts
Forgotten Folk
The Tale of Luke White and Biddy Farrelly
The story of Luke White & Biddy Farrelly has it all – rags to riches, thwarted love, broken hearts and a ghost that walks Belfast's streets.
Historical Places
Who Remembers Arnott’s Department Store, Belfast?
Arnott's was a well-known and respected shop in Belfast city centre. It closed on 17th August 1974 after 137 years of trading.
Stories
The Crumlin Meteorite
On 13th September 1902 a meteorite fell to earth at a farm near Crumlin, about 12 miles from Belfast. It didn't remain for long.
Historical Places
Nendrum – An ancient Monastery with the oldest tide-mill in the world
Nendrum Monastery's long history features St Patrick, Viking attacks, settlement by Benedictine monks and the world's oldest tide-mill
Historical Places
The Last Witch Trial in Ireland with a ‘Guilty’ outcome
The last witch trial in Ireland resulting in a guilty verdict took place in March 1711 at the Old Courthouse in Carrickfergus.
Forgotten Folk
James McDonnell – The Father of Belfast Medicine
James McDonnell MD devoted his time and eminent talents to the work of humanity in delivering medical services to Belfast's poor
Places
Belfast Walk – Sailortown, Lagan side and Clarendon Dock
A walk with Scotty around Belfast's Sailortown, the Lagan side, the Big Fish, Queen's Square and Clarendon Dock
Forgotten Folk
Galloper Thompson – Belfast’s Phantom Horseman
A famous resident of north Belfast is Gordon Thompson, better known as Galloper Thompson, the phantom horseman!
Historical Places
Sugarhouse Entry – Belfast’s Forgotten Lane with a past
Sugarhouse Entry enjoyed a long and varied history from the late 1600s until its eventual destruction in the World War 2 blitz
Historical Places
Saint Patrick’s Church – One of Belfast’s Landmark Churches
Opening originally in 1815 and rebuilt in 1877, Saint Patrick's Church in Donegall Street Belfast remains one of Belfast's landmark buildings
Historical Places
The Giant’s Ring – A Neolithic Mystery
The Giant’s Ring is a Neolithic henge monument pre-dating the Egyptian pyramids. It is situated only 4 miles from Belfast city centre.
Famous Folk
Have you seen Charlie Chaplin on Joy Street, Belfast?
Joy Street is one of the best surviving examples of Georgian architecture in the heart of Belfast with a historic link to Charlie Chaplin
People
Bang Beggars, Vulcans and other old Irish Occupations
Historical official records & documents sometimes refer to long-forgotten old Irish occupations. We list some of the more unusual.
Historical Products
How a Belfast Company helped defeat a killer disease
The story of one Belfast company's contribution to the fight on the twin challenges of scurvy and food poverty.
Famous Folk
Rosamond Praeger – Holywood’s trail-blazing Artist/ Sculptress
Sophia Rosamond Praeger, born on 17/4/1867, in the town of Holywood near Belfast was destined to become a trail-blazing artist & sculptress
People
Ireland’s Great Hurricane of 1839 – “The Big Wind”
In 1839, Ireland was hit by a hurricane that caused devastation throughout the country. Nothing before or since comes close to the "Big Wind"
Places
Sinclair Seamen’s Presbyterian Church – A Remarkable Belfast Church
Sinclair Seamen’s Presbyterian Church opened in the Belfast docklands (1857) to provide religious services to visiting sailors & local inhabitants.
Historical Places
The War Goddess of Boa Island
The Caldragh Cemetery on Fermanagh's Boa Island is home to two ancient statues. One is ‘Badha’ - the Celtic Goddess of War or ‘battle fury’
Historical Places
Ballygally Castle Hotel and it’s Ghost Room
A history of the Ballygally Castle Hotel situated in the village of Ballygally on the Antrim coast road with views over the Irish Sea.
Forgotten Folk
Naoise O’Haughan, Antrim’s “Gentleman Outlaw”
Naoise O’Haughan , known as Ness or Neesy, was born in 1691 at Skerry in County Antrim and went on to become Antrim's Gentleman Outlaw
Places
Queen’s Arcade – The last remaining Victorian Shopping Arcade in Belfast.
Queen’s Arcade, constructed in 1880, is the last remaining Victorian Arcade still open in the city of Belfast.
Places to See
Belfast – A walk around the Queen’s Quarter
A walk around Belfast's Queen's Quarter - this is the area around Queen's University Belfast and the neighbouring Botanic Gardens
Historical Places
Dundrum Castle, the village and the beaching of a famous ship
Dundrum Castle is built on a hill looking south over the Bay of Dundrum, west towards Slieve Croob and east over the plains of Lecale.