Andrew Jackson Day in Carrickfergus

15 March 2011, 14:00, Various venues (See below)

Runs to 15 March 2011

Happy Birthday Mr President!

Tuesday 15 March has been declared Andrew Jackson Day in Carrickfergus as the Borough prepares to step back in time to mark the birthday of the 7^th President of the United States with a day of American and Ulster-Scots themed activities and entertainment.

President Jackson’s family lived in Boneybefore, just outside Carrickfergus, before they emigrated to Carolina where Andrew was born.  Today The Andrew Jackson Cottage visitors’ centre at Carrick cements that historic association.

From 2pm – 4pm on Andrew Jackson Day it will be the atmospheric venue for a series of interpretive tours and re-enactments and the cottage will ring to the sounds of bluegrass music.  From 6.pm – 8.30pm the free family entertainment will move to the Castle Green in the heart of Carrickfergus for live music from The Broken String Band and the Transatlantic Hillbilly Band plus themed arts and crafts activities for children and a finale fireworks display courtesy of the Army Benevolent Fund. 

The great man himself (a.k.a. actor/ re-enactor Ronald Kane from The Living History Company) will visit both events.

Looking forward to the day of celebrations, the Mayor Alderman Jim McClurg said, “All of us in Carrickfergus are of course extremely proud of the ancestry of the 7^th President of the United States, but I suspect there are still a great many people out there who know very little about this historic figure – and we’d like to help put that right.

“Thousands of visitors from right around the world have already passed though The Andrew Jackson Cottage, enjoying both its authentic ambience and the opportunity to brush up on a fascinating period of history.   Andrew Jackson’s birthday gives us a great excuse to add another layer of entertainment and fun to the discovery process and we are looking forward to a birthday party with a difference – and on a grand scale.

“We are particularly pleased to have secured the support of The United States Consulate for this venture and I am sure that the combination of American and Ulster-Scots traditions will make for a fantastic day-long party!”