Page 281 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

NOR THERN IRELAND  279

Hide for bird-watchers at Oxford Island on the southern shore of Lough Neagh
trout swim in the rivers that flow h Carrickfergus changed hands several times
from Lough Neagh. The lake is Road map E2. Co Antrim. * 42,000. over the years. Under Edward
famous for its eels, with one of £ @ n Antrim St (028 9335 8049). Bruce, the Scots took it in 1315,
the world’s largest eel fisheries Open Apr–Sep: 10am–6pm, Oct–Mar: holding it for three years. James
at Toome. 10am–5pm. Closed Sun. ( Thu. II’s army was in control of the
∑ carrickfergus.org castle from 1688 until General
E Lough Neagh Schomberg took it for William III
Discovery Centre Carrickfergus grew up around in 1690. William himself stayed
Oxford Island. Exit 10 off M1. the massive castle begun in 1180 here before the Battle of the
Tel 028 3832 2205. Open daily. by John de Courcy to guard the Boyne (see p248) in 1690.
Closed 24–26 Dec. 8 7 0 = entrance to Belfast Lough. De De Courcy also founded the
∑ oxfordisland.com Courcy was the leader of the pretty St Nicholas’ Church. Inside
Y Peatlands Park Anglo-Norman force which are rare stained-glass work and
Exit 13 off M1. Tel 028 3885 1102. invaded Ulster following a “leper window”, through
Park: Open daily. Closed 24 & 25 Dec. Strongbow’s conquest of Leinster which the afflicted received the
Visitors’ centre: Open Apr–mid-Sep: in the south (see pp40–41). sacraments. Other attractions
1–7pm daily; Sep–Mar: noon–4pm Sat Carrickfergus Castle was include the Andrew Jackson
& Sun 7 ∑ doeni.gov.uk/niea shaped to fit the crag on which Centre, the ancestral home of the
it stands overlooking the seventh president of the USA, and
harbour. The finest and best- Flame, a museum based around
g Larne preserved Norman castle in a Victorian coal gasworks.
Ireland, it even has its original
Road map D1. Co Antrim. * 20,000. + Carrickfergus Castle
£ @ n Narrow Gauge Rd (028 portcullis (see pp40–41). Many
2826 0088). ∑ larne.gov.uk changes have been made since Tel 028 9335 1273. Open daily.
the 12th century, includ ing Closed 24–26 Dec, 1 Jan. & 8 7
Industrial Larne is the arrival wide ramparts to accom modate limited. = ∑ discovernorthern
point for ferries from Scotland the castle’s cannons. Life-size ireland.com
(see pp362–4). The town is not model soldiers are posed along E Andrew Jackson Centre
the finest introduction to Ulster the ramparts. In continuous 2 Boneybefore. Tel 028 9335 8049.
scenery, but it lies on the use up to 1928, the castle has Open by appt only.
threshold of the magnificent
Antrim coastline (see p271).
The sheltered waters of Larne
Lough have been a landing
point since Mesolithic times –
flint flakes found here provide
some of the earliest evidence of
human presence on the island –
nearly 9,000 years ago. Since
then, Norsemen used the lough
as a base in the 10th century,
Edward Bruce landed his Scottish
troops in the area in 1315, and in
1914 the Ulster Volunteer Force
landed a huge cache of German
arms here during its campaign
against Home Rule (see pp48–9). The massive Norman keep of Carrickfergus Castle

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