Carrickfergus Castle, Co. Antrim
The keep of Carrickfergus Castle, co. Antrim. A Norman stronghold founded by John De Coursy about 1180.
Carrickfergus Castle, Co. Antrim
Carrickfergus Castle, Co. Antrim
The keep of Carrickfergus Castle, co. Antrim. A Norman stronghold founded by John De Coursy about 1180.
The Normans began arriving in Ireland in 1169.
When the Normans conquered an area, they brought a whole new way of life with them. They built large castles. Towns and villages then grew around the castle. Workers such as carpenters and blacksmiths built their homes and workshops in the town.
Draw the Norman Castle
Draw the Norman Castle
Herdsmen
In the countryside, Irish people still worked on farms. The Normans owned most of the land but they employed the Irish men to mind their cattle. These men were called Herdsmen.
Hay-making
The Normans also brought some new ways of farming with them. One of these new methods was hay-making.
Before the Normans came to Ireland cattle were kept out in the fields all year round. The Normans began bringing their cattle into shelter during the winter. This meant that they had to feed the cattle with hay which they made from cut grass during the summer.