Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-04-09

ry OF the island. Inc pOpulatlOn OF tne
municipal town or of the town proper, is
near four thousand five hundred. The town
stretches along the shore of the lake about
a mile. In the centre is the old walled
town and on the east there is what is call
ed the Scotch quarter, and on the west
the Irish quarter. The Scotch are chiefly
engaged in fishing. About six hundred
of the population are Catholics. Of the
rest, nearly two thirds are Presbyterans.
Like some other towns, and not unlike null
titudes of men, Carrickfergus is noted not
so much for what it is, but for what it once
was; and not so much on account of what
it was, as for the events that took place in
and around it.
The name Carrickfergus is derived or
rather compounded of ca1Tig, which means
a rock, and Fearyus, one Of the ancient
kings of Ireland, who, according to Irish
legendary history, lived several hundred
wears prior to the Christian era. Feargus
was a noted character in his day. He was
lost in a storm off the rock bound coast of
his dominions. The castle from which the
town and barony take their name, is said
to have been erected by the celebrated
John DeCourcy. Henry the Second, in 1882,
gave DeCourcy all of Ulster, Ireland which
he could conquer with his sword. The cas-
tie passed into the possession Of the Della
cy family.
For some time the illustrious Robert
Bruce, King of Scotland, lived in Carrick
fergus castle. 1t is going to ruin. Only
some parts of it are in a good state Of preser-
vaton. There is still an arsenal maintain
ed, but it is strong hold only, shadow of
what it must once have been. The keep"
as it is called, is ninety feet high.
Carrickfergus has passed through many
and severe trials. 1t was beset by enemies
on all sides. The Scots were troublesome,
and it's neighboring Irish Chiefs gave: it
the Scots, and four years afterWard pillaged
and destroyed by the united forces of the
Irish and Scots. During the reign of
Charles the First, in whose character, as
we'll as in that of his father and his sons,
there was combination of variety and
meanness, of treachery and cruelty, which
no words will describe. Many prosecuted
Scotchmen fled from their native land and
settled in and near Carrickfergus.
In Carrickfergus, on the 10th of June, 1912,
as previously stated in these sketches, the
first presbytery in Ireland was organized.
This fact, in the eyes of the Presbyterian
population of Ireland, throws around the
old town of Carrickfergus halo of glory.
In the same transactions, ninety nine hun
dredths of the population of upper South
Carolina are interested. No matter what
may be their present ecclesiastical connec-
tions, their ancestors were all ScOtch-Irish
Presbyterians.
There is sanother fact which took place, that
every well-informed Protestant Irshman
seems to know intuitively, or to have learned
it at very early period. 1t is the landing
of William, the Prince of Orange, or Will
liam the Third. 1t was on the 14th of June,
1880. The very stone on which his royal
majesty put his foot when he first landed, is
still shown to every visitor.
The Chichesters, at least some of them,
had their residences in and near the town
of Carrickfergus. Sir Arthur Chichester,
whom, in 1905, James l. made lord-lieuten-
ant, is buried in the Old st. Nicholas Church,
at Carrickfergus. The inscrip ption on the
monumental stone begins thus: Sacred to
God and Eternal Memorie, Sir Arthur Chi
chester, Baron of Belfast, LO. High Treas
urer of Ireland, Governor OF this tOWne."
Carrickfergus was once the scene Of bloody
deeds. In 1897, Sir John Chichester was
waylaid and captured by one James Sorley
MacDonnell. On rock near by, MacDon-
nell beheaded his prisoner. An ettigy of Sir
John was executed and placed in the Old st.
Nicholas church. Some time afterWard, as
the story goes, MacDonnell visited the st.
Nicholas church. and seeing the etfigy of Sir
John Chichester there among the rest, he
exclaimed, in utter astOnishment, "HoW the
dell did he cam to get his head again, for |
am sure he had ones a'en off frae him."
The last time, SO far as l now remember,
that Carrickfergus was attacked by an enc
my, was in 176O, by Commodore Thurot.
With strong fleet he appeared before the
town which he found but poorly prepared to
make successful defence. On the 9th of
February he landed about seven hundred
men. The town and garrison in the castle
made some defence, but soon surrendered.
Thurot remained for a few days, when he
embarked just in time to escape capture by
an English fleet.
An incident occurred on the eve of the
engagement of the two armies, which is
worthy of being kept in ''eternal memorie."
AS the French troops were marching up the
street to begin the attack, and just before
the firing became general, a little child, a
son of John Seeds, the sheriff, ran out of
house and stopped between the two armies.
This being observed by DEsterre, the Off
Ger in command Of,the advance division, he
ran to the child, took it up and carried it to
the door of the house from which it had
come out, and handing it to the father, re-
turned to his command and began the at
tack, or rather resumed the fight. This
noble man fell in the engagement regretted
by friend and foe.