Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

Stephen McCracken, whose Great Uncle was a minister at First Lisburn Presbyterian Church, has started walking tours of Lisburn, offering an insight into the history of the area that many may never have known.

“One of my direct Great Uncles was the first Minister of 1st Lisburn Presbyterian Church the Rev Alexander McCracken,” explained Stephen, who has been delivering Battle of Antrim and Pre-Christian tours of Antrim for the past seven years.

"He left quite a legacy of Ulster-Scots, which leads up to his great grandnephew John McCracken who owned a mill in Lisburn and who was a member of Lisburn Masonic Lodge. John was the brother of Mary Ann and Henry Joy McCracken who both took a leading role in the 1798 rebellion.

"Also within the membership of the Lisburn Lodge was George Tandy the bother of James Napper Tandy, William McCabe the brother of the Belfast abolitionist, Henry Monro and many other prominent United Irishmen.

Tourists and locals enjoy a walking history tour of Lisburn. Pic credit: Stephen McCracken

"On the tour we go into detail about the French link to Lisburn really starting through the Huguenot Church and its very successful school and with the Teeling family, indeed a Lisburn man Bartholow Teeling was the Aid-de-Camp to General Humbert who invaded Ireland this month in 1798, 225 years ago.”

The return of the Linen Biennale welcomes a new chapter in Northern Ireland’s Fl...

Stephen continued: “This tour is really a re-discovery of the City of Lisburn's links to its "radical" mixed past which has been lost or much forgotten due to the past 20th century troubles.

“This walking tour is jammed pact full of information and I have partnered up with a local historian Arron McIntyre to help deliver this one and we will be looking at the exploration of many more.

Explore the often forgotten history of Lisburn. Pic credit: Stephen McCracken

" I have published a number of history books on the Presbyterian Church and the United Irishmen.

"Booking can be found via Eventbrite or you can take the risk of just turning up, however we are limited numbers wise due to the number of ear pieces we have.

"We hope will add another heritage option for both locals and tourists.”

You can find out more about the tours and book a place online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/united-irishmen-walking-tour-of-lisburn-city-centre-tickets-688872104007?aff=oddtdtcreator

Discover the often forgotten history of Lisburn on one of the new walking tours of the city