Ever wonder who those forgotten folk named on Blue Plaques are and why they are worth remembering? Let’s celebrate some of the less well known people of interest in our local history.
In 1915 the murder of a young man, William Quinn, in Newtownards and the subsequent prosecution gripped the public imagination.
The story of Fortwilliam Park from it’s earliest times featuring a past fort, it’s wealthy merchants and a famous actress.
Kilclief Castle, an old tower-house on the shore of Strangford Lough County Down, is often remembered for a scandalous occupant, Bishop Sely
Forster Green – “It is no exaggeration to say that Belfast sustains one of the heaviest bereavements that has ever befallen it…”
On Friday 6th September 1816 John Doe and John Magill were hanged in Castle Place opposite the doors of Belfast’s Bank Buildings.
Belfast’s Dr Thomas Thompson dedicated himself to helping the sick and ailing of the city under the most dangerous of circumstances.
The Hearts of Steel held sway over large areas of rural Ulster from 1770-1772 with many later playing a role in the US War of Independence.
The story of Banbridge in County Down is memorable for its linen & pearl trades, a historic mail coach and the worlds first flyover!
Movilla Abbey’s ruins offer no clues to the fame and importance once attached to this ancient site and its world’s first Copyright Dispute
Redmond O’Hanlon (Reamonn O’hAnluain) was probably the most successful outlaw in Ireland in the seventeenth century.
If James Porter had ignored the injustices around him, he would have lived a long comfortable life. Instead he stood by his principles
McNaughten’s true tale has everything – a charming rogue a beautiful young lady, a marriage denied leading to death and punishment.
Reported initially in 1913, the Cave Hill ghost proved a mystery and a source of fascination for years. What was the ghosts tale?
Samuel Davidson, founder of Belfast’s Sirocco Works, deserves recognition for his innovative genius in engineering and other fields.
Betsy Gray’s role in the Battle of Ballynahinch was courageous and principled. Through her bravery she became known as ‘Ulster’s Joan of Arc’.
Templecorran Church, Ballycarry offers a fascinating insight into local history – an early monastery, Plantation, Rebellion and Poetry
Elizabeth Gould Bell should be remembered for her support for the poor and sick and her commitment to the ‘votes for women’ campaign.
Cairndhu House, now derelict, is an impressive building with pointed roofs & ornate ironwork harking back to a time of glamour & charity.
Minutes from Ballycastle beach, Bonamargy Friary’s history involves rival clan battles, priceless manuscripts, buried treasure & a nun’s ghost
Black Francis was a famous highwayman in the late eighteenth century. His daring exploits have long been the source of local folklore
A peaceful County Antrim bay at the village of Cushendun, a couple in love and a tragedy that reverberates to this day.