Ulster-American Folk Park, Northern Ireland

Authentic food tasting at Ulster-American Folk Park

Whether your ancestors were Irish emigrants or not, Ulster-American Folk Park is a fascinating place to spend the day.  Located outside of Castletown in the western part of Northern Ireland, this open air museum allows visitors to be transported back in time and experience the life of 18^th and 19^th century Irish emigrants.

Characters in period costumes guide visitors from the thatched cottages of Ulster through a full-scale emigration ship to the log cabins of the American frontier.  This unique experience acquaints the visitor with native crafts, authentic food, and tales of the period.

The indoor exhibition explains the life of these emigrants, the reasons for leaving their native Ireland, and how they adapted to a new land.  The outdoor museum brings to life these people’s daily routines and activities in both the Old and New Worlds.

An Ulster street has been recreated with original shop fronts as well as an American street, all connected by a “walk-through” of a dockside full size galley and ship, the Brig Union.  Visitors are often offered a taste of some local foods, such as smoked salmon and bread cooked in the cottages that line the route.

Visitors also learn about crafts and trades of the era including blacksmithing, coopering, cobbler, clay pipes, wheelwright, and saddler.

The park contains about thirty buildings—some are re-creations while others are painstakingly restored originals, such as the Mellon Homestead, the birthplace of Irish-American banker and lawyer Thomas Mellon.  The home and outbuildings remain in their original location.

Centering around the Mellon home, the Old World section features whole streets of original houses, an original printing press, a bank, an old police barracks, the old Castletown National School, and two churches. 

The New World section features a tinsmith display and the original interior of a Virginia General Store.  Several original American buildings have been relocated to the park including the 1720s Fulton stone house from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; the 1830 West Virginia home of Richard McCallister removed from Cabell County; and a brick plantation house built by Frances Rogan in the early 1800s in Nashville, Tennessee.

Together they give the visitor a glimpse into the struggles these early emigrants faced before, during, and after a strenuous Atlantic crossing.

Open year-round, the park celebrates various holidays with special events.  Even though, you might not get to visit around these holidays, see what’s happening daily by following them on Facebook!  They regularly post current pictures.

Enjoy this quick video tour of Ulster-American Folk Park (3:46).

This documentary, Out of Ireland: The Story of Irish Emigration to America (1:51:52), tells the story of the Ulster Irish journey to America.

The Ulster-American Folk Park is part of National Museums Northern Ireland, which also includes Ulster Museum, Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, the W5 Science Centre, and Armagh County Museum, all located in various parts of Northern Ireland.

If you would like to search for your Irish ancestors, try these genealogy sites:

Irish Genealogy Toolkit: Top 10 Free Irish Genealogy Databases Online

Street view at Ulster-American Folk Park