CARRICKFERGUS, a seaport and watering-place of Co. Antrim, Ireland, on the northern shore of Belfast Lough, 91 m. N.E. of Belfast by the Northern Counties (Midlands) railway. Pop. of urban district (192I) 4,608. In 1 182 John de Courci fixed a colony in the district. The castle came in the 13th century into the possession of the De Lacy family who, being ejected, in vited Edward Bruce to besiege it (1315). He took it and again in 1386 the town fell to the Scots and in 1400 was destroyed by the combined Scots and Irish. Subsequently it suffered by famine and the occasional assaults of neighbouring Irish chieftains, to whom the townsmen were at length forced to pay annual tribute. Under Charles I. many Scottish Covenanters settled here to avoid persecution. In .the Civil wars, from 1641, Carrickfergus was one of the chief places of refuge for the protestants of Antrim; and in 1642 the first presbytery held in Ireland met here. It was later held by partisans of James II., but surrendered in 1689 to Schomberg and in 1690 William III. landed here on his expedition to Ireland. In 1760 it was surprised by a French squadron which held it for a few days.
Elizabeth gave the town a charter, which was confirmed by James I., who added the privilege of sending two burgesses to the Irish parliament. The corporation, however, was superseded in 1840 by a board of municipal commissioners. Carrickfergus was a parliamentary borough until 1885; and a county of a town till 1898. It was the county town of Co. Antrim until 1850. The castle keep is still in good preservation and the town walls, built by Sir Henry Sidney, are still visible on the west and north; the north gate also remains. Trade is in leather and linen goods, and there are flax spinning-mills and bleach works. Distilling is carried on. Oyster fisheries are valuable. At Duncrue, rock salt is found in the Triassic sandstone.