Carrickfergus is a historic town in Northern Ireland. The town’s name in Irish is Carraig Fhearghais. Carrickfergus stands northeast of Belfast, on the northern shore of Belfast Lough, an inlet of the North Channel. Carrickfergus and the neighboring town of Whitehead are tourist resorts. Farmers in rural areas near the town practice mixed farming—that is, they raise various crops and animals. Traditional industries in the area have included engineering and the production of clothing and textiles. A Norman castle built in 1178 stands at Carrickfergus.
Carrickfergus was the name of a district council area in Northern Ireland from 1973 to 2015. In 2015, the Carrickfergus district was combined with the Ballymena and Larne districts to form the Mid and East Antrim local government district.
See also Antrim, County; Belfast; Ireland, History of.
