In this episode Matt explores Ireland’s historic links with Scotland. His journey continues at the beautiful and windswept Dunluce Castle on the north coast and finishes at the colossal fortress of Carrickfergus.

Matt begins at the dramatic coastal clifftop castle of Dunluce. Dunluce survived clan warfare and battles, before losing it’s battle with the elements and becoming the ruin that we see today.

Matt learns about the fight for ownership of Dunluce by the MacQuillian’s and the MacDonnell’s. The MacDonnell’s were Gallowglasses, an elite fighting force, think SAS, medieval Scottish style! They began their journey into Ireland as friends of the MacQuillian’s before their relationship soured. One particular MacDonnell has a keen legacy in Northern Ireland, Sorley Boy MacDonnell. Sorley Boy was a strong leader who with his battle prowess and political matchmaking managed to even negotiate with Queen Elizabeth I to secure Dunluce for his family. But by the late 17th century even Sorley Boy couldn’t keep the beautiful Dunluce safe from the elements and it began to fall into the sea.

But it’s not just at Dunluce where the relationship between Ireland, Scotland and England was rather frosty. On his final stop of his journey around Ireland’s castles Matt travels to Carrickfergus in County Antrim. Carrickfergus is a formidable Norman fortress built by John De Courcy in the 12th century to cement English rule in Ulster. Matt discovers the highs and lows of attacking, defending and living in a castle and finds out about the central role Carrickfergus had in Irish, Scottish and English medieval history, from Robert Bruce to King John.

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Love Castles and want to find out more? Gone Medieval has got an entire 4 part series all about Castles. Listen here:
https://podfollow.com/gone-medieval/episode/c8119c483e15ee7504ec056271717036297fc8b5/view
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Explore the sites we visited below:
Dunluce Castle: https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/dunluce-castle-p675011
Carrickfergus Castle: https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/heritage-sites/carrickfergus-castle