Description Co. Antrim (1829) -- "The town of Carrickfergus, at present, has a much better appearance than at any former period, and extends along the northern shore of that bay to which it gives name, nearly a mile. Within the walls the streets are generally narrow, and are called by the following names: High-street, Castle-street, West-street, North-street, Cheston's-street, or Butcher-row, Essex-street, Lancaster-street, Antrim-street, alias Gaol-lane, Church-lane, Back-lane, Governor's-place, and Joymount-court. The houses are built either of stone or brick, mostly of the former, and commonly slated; many of the best houses have been built within the last thirty years. A few still present an antique appearance: the greater part of these are built in frames of oak, in that manner formerly called "Cadge-work." Some of them had originally windows that projected several feet into the adjoining street. That part of the town lying without the walls is called the Irish and Scotch quarters. The latter is on the east of the town, and its streets and rows are distinguished by the following names: Joymount-bank, Scotch-quarter, and the Green, alias Green-street. This quarter takes its name from a colony of fishers who arrived from Argyle and Gallowayshire, chiefly during the persecution in Scotland, about 1665; their descendants still retain their original calling. It is believed that the Irish quarter had its origin soon after. In November, 1678, we find the Duke of Ormond, then lord lieutenant of Ireland, and council, by their proclamation, ordering all Roman Catholics to remove without the walls of forts, cities and corporate towns; a few years after which we find the name Irish quarter noticed on our records, instead of that of West Suburb. The streets of this quarter are called Irish quarter south and west; their west ends are joined by a street called Brewery-lane, or Davy's street. A few houses a short distance from those places are dignified with names of Pound-lane and Tea-lane." -- Samuel McSkimin, "History of Carrickfergus, " 1829. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jean R." <jeanrice@cet.com> To: <IrelandGenWeb-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 5:51 PM Subject: [Irish Genealogy] Query re Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim (GRIBBIN) > Query from Lister Maisie: <snip> > I am wondering about the significance of why this > area was named Irish Quarter West. Was there an Irish Quarter East, South > and North? If so, were they so named for a purpose? > > If anyone is familiar with Carrickfergus and might know the answer, I'd be > interesting in knowing. > > Maisie

THE SINGER'S HOUSE When they said Carrickfergus I could hear the frosty echo of saltminers' picks. I imagined it, chambered and glinting, a township built of light. What do we say any more to conjure the salt of the earth? So much comes and is gone that should be crystal and kept, and amicable weathers that bring up the grain of things, their tang of season and store, are all the packing we'll get. So I say to myself Gweebarra and its music hits off the place like water hitting off granite I see the glittering sound framed in your window, knives and forks set on oilcloth, and the seals' heads, suddenly outlined, scanning everything. People here used to believe that drowned souls lived in the seals. At spring tides they might change shape. They loved music and swam in for a singer who might stand at the end of summer in the mouth of a whitewashed turf-shed, his shoulder to the jamb, his song a rowboat far out in evening. -- Seamus Heaney ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jean R." <jeanrice@cet.com> To: <irelandgenweb@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 6:21 PM Subject: Re: [Irish Genealogy] Carrickfergus,Co. Antrim -- Samuel McSKIMIN (1829) -- Query re Carrickfergus,Co. Antrim (GRIBBIN) > Description > Co. Antrim (1829) -- > > "The town of Carrickfergus, at present, has a much better appearance than > at > any former period, and extends along the northern shore of that bay to > which > it gives name, nearly a mile. <snip>

What an unbelievably quick turn-around to my query about the various sections of Carrickfergus. Thank you so much for this information, and for the poem. As the saying goes, I was "blown away" with the information you found, Jean. Now if only I could return to the area and check it out once more. Maisie ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jean R." <jeanrice@cet.com> To: <irelandgenweb@rootsweb.com> Sent: 2009-04-14 18:21 Subject: Re: [Irish Genealogy] Carrickfergus,Co. Antrim -- Samuel McSKIMIN (1829) -- Query re Carrickfergus,Co. Antrim (GRIBBIN) > Description > Co. Antrim (1829) -- > > "The town of Carrickfergus, at present, has a much better appearance than > at > any former period, and extends along the northern shore of that bay to > which > it gives name, nearly a mile. Within the walls the streets are generally > narrow, and are called by the following names: High-street, Castle-street, > West-street, North-street, Cheston's-street, or Butcher-row, Essex-street, > Lancaster-street, Antrim-street, alias Gaol-lane, Church-lane, Back-lane, > Governor's-place, and Joymount-court. The houses are built either of stone > or brick, mostly of the former, and commonly slated; many of the best > houses > have been built within the last thirty years. A few still present an > antique > appearance: the greater part of these are built in frames of oak, in that > manner formerly called "Cadge-work." Some of them had originally windows > that projected several feet into the adjoining street. > > That part of the town lying without the walls is called the Irish and > Scotch > quarters. The latter is on the east of the town, and its streets and rows > are distinguished by the following names: Joymount-bank, Scotch-quarter, > and > the Green, alias Green-street. This quarter takes its name from a colony > of > fishers who arrived from Argyle and Gallowayshire, chiefly during the > persecution in Scotland, about 1665; their descendants still retain their > original calling. It is believed that the Irish quarter had its origin > soon > after. > > In November, 1678, we find the Duke of Ormond, then lord lieutenant of > Ireland, and council, by their proclamation, ordering all Roman Catholics > to > remove without the walls of forts, cities and corporate towns; a few years > after which we find the name Irish quarter noticed on our records, instead > of that of West Suburb. The streets of this quarter are called Irish > quarter > south and west; their west ends are joined by a street called > Brewery-lane, > or Davy's street. A few houses a short distance from those places are > dignified with names of Pound-lane and Tea-lane." > > -- Samuel McSkimin, "History of Carrickfergus, " 1829. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jean R." <jeanrice@cet.com> > To: <IrelandGenWeb-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 5:51 PM > Subject: [Irish Genealogy] Query re Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim (GRIBBIN) > > >> Query from Lister Maisie: <snip> >> I am wondering about the significance of why this >> area was named Irish Quarter West. Was there an Irish Quarter East, >> South >> and North? If so, were they so named for a purpose? >> >> If anyone is familiar with Carrickfergus and might know the answer, I'd >> be >> interesting in knowing. >> >> Maisie > > > Check out the Ireland GenWeb website at: http://www.irelandgenweb.com/ > > Great place to get help with your family research. > > County Westmeath has been adopted! > > Help wanted: Still need County Coordinators > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > IRELANDGENWEB-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message