Carrickfergus 'Before the Castle' exhibition launch to explore early medieval period

Opening at 7pm in the venue’s Exhibition Gallery, it will examine the early medieval period and what life would have been like in the area in the time before the castle was built.

In a social media post, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council said: “Archaeologist Scott Ingram will be exploring the nature of early medieval settlement and society in Ireland from a mainly archaeological perspective, with reference to excavations and historical records.

“This is Ireland’s first historically documented period, and it saw the arrival of Christianity and literacy, great artistic achievements such as the Book of Kells, the development of monastic centres, the arrival of the Vikings, and the beginnings of urban settlement.”

Visitors will also have a chance to get hands-on with early medieval life in the new board game, Cattle Battle, with game play commencing at 8pm.

Anyone who would like to attend is asked to RSVP by calling 028 9335 8241 or emailing [email protected]

Meanwhile, a permanent project hub at Carrickfergus Museum is giving visitors the chance to find out more about the last witch trial to take place in Ireland over 300 years ago.

It follows the success of ‘Reimagining the Islandmagee Witches’, an interactive exhibition that first ran at the Museum in 2023 as part of a collaborative project between the venue and Ulster University.

It features a number of digital resources along with animations, a graphic novel and a choice-driven video game.