Witchcraft Trial of 1711
In Islandmagee, eight women were convicted of bewitching a young woman named Mary Dunbar, who claimed to regurgitate objects like horse hair and pins, marking one of Ireland’s last witchcraft trials.
Famine Graveyard at Friars Bush
Belfast’s Friars Bush graveyard, an ancient Christian burial site, served as an official famine graveyard in the 1800s, where grave robbing for medical cadavers was a common issue.
French Victory at Carrickfergus
In 1760, French commander Thurot briefly captured Carrickfergus.
Spanish Armada Wreck
The Spanish vessel La Girona sank off Lacana Point near the Giant’s Causeway in 1588, with nearly 1,300 lives lost, one of 24 Armada wrecks around Ireland.
Slemish Mountain and St. Patrick
Slemish Mountain near Ballymena is believed to be where St. Patrick worked as a shepherd for seven years after being captured by pirates at age 16.
Oldest Whiskey Distillery
Bushmills Distillery, licensed in 1608, is the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery, producing its renowned Irish whiskey for over 400 years.
Presidential Ancestry
Three U.S. Presidents, including Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, and William McKinley, have ancestral roots in County Antrim, earning it the nickname “Presidential County.”
Mesolithic Settlement
The Mount Sandel Mesolithic site near Coleraine, dating to around 7000 BC, is one of Ireland’s earliest known human habitation sites.
Haunted Ballygally Castle
Ballygally Castle, built in 1625, is reputedly haunted by Lady Isobel Shaw, who is said to knock on doors at night before vanishing.
Dunluce Castle Collapse
In 1639, part of Dunluce Castle, including the kitchen, fell into the sea, reportedly with cooks still inside, due to its precarious cliff-edge location.
Antrim:
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Random facts
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