700 years ago today, Edward Bruce set sail from Ayr with 6000 men in 300 ships. Operation Ireland was underway...

Ulster farm gate restoration

Over the years I have gathered up 4 old original blacksmith gates from various folk in our area. They're now being sandblasted, repaired, primed and painted. Here are two I went to see this morning which have just been sprayed Massey Ferguson red. These are the classic Ulster hooped 5-bar gate although these two have had a extra bar added at the bottom maybe to stop lambs escaping.

Even though the 4 gates came from 3 different folk scattered between Donaghadee and Cunningburn, the man who is fixing them can tell that they were all made by the same blacksmith, and all at least 100 years old.

Will post some photos in a while once the big pillars are in place and these are all hung.

Channel 5: Secrets of Great British Castles - Carrickfergus.

Would welcome readers' views on this programme. I supplied a portrait of Sir Hugh Montgomery to the production company which appears at 26 minutes. The De Courcy and Bruce segments I found to be very strong, however some of the 1600s segment (starting at 27 min) is... well... see for yourself. Click here to watch.

"the (Bruces') aim was to take Carrickfergus Castle, and to turn Ulster Scottish": 13 min

Remembering Archibald McIlroy- the 100th anniversary of his death

Arguably the best and most commercially successful Ulster-Scots writer. Drowned 100 years ago on board the doomed SS Lusitania.