Henry McNeill, an early pioneer of tourism is one of those whose contribution to the area is celebrated through the jaunting car sculpture in Larne.
In Carrickfergus, King William III is immortalised in bronze next to the Castle, marking the site where he landed in 1690.
Frequent visitors to Ballymena’s Peoples Park, meanwhile, will be familiar with the large stone figure of a woman on the hill, gifted to the town by Lord Waveney in 1874.
We asked Mid and East Antrim locals for some well-known figures with connections to the area whose achievements deserve to be immortalised.
Do you have any you’d add to the list?
5. Willie John McBride
Rugby legend Willie John McBride won 63 caps for Ireland, including 11 as skipper, but it was the Lions that defined his career. In May 1974, the former Ballymena RFC and Ulster lock led a squad of 34 rugby players from Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales who formed the British and Irish Lions Squad to travel to South Africa. Captained by McBride, they were to play against a country not beaten in 78 years. They returned in July of that year, having won 21 of their 22 matches and drawing the other. McBride was awarded the CBE for services to rugby in 2019. Photo: Phillip Byrne
6. Jackie Fullerton
A familiar face on Northern Ireland's TV screens for decades, sports broadcaster and former Irish League footballer Jackie Fullerton began his career with Ulster Television in the 1970s before moving to BBC Northern Ireland. The Ballymena man was awarded an MBE in 2010 for his services to sports journalism and to the community. Photo: Stephen Davison/Pacemaker
7. Stephen Clements
A radio DJ and TV presenter, Stephen presented the Q Radio breakfast show until 2019 before hosting a show on Radio Ulster until his passing in 2020. In 2021, he was posthumously added to the Irish Music Rights Organisation Radio Awards Hall of Fame. In the same year, a 'Stevie Bench' was installed in his memory at Castle Green in Carrickfergus. Photo: Pacemaker
8. James Crichton
James Crichton, VC (15 July 1879 – 22 September 1961) was born in Carrickfergus before the family relocated to Scotland. After serving in the Boer War he moved to New Zealand, and settled in Auckland. Crichton was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) for his deeds of September 30, 1918 during the 'Hundred Days Offensive.' Photo: Mid and East Antrim Borough Council