Days Out NI
Museum Carrickfergus

Flame! The Gasworks Museum of Ireland

Ireland's last surviving Victorian coal gasworks — a guided walk through Europe's largest set of retorts, and the view from the gasholder.

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SeasonalMay–Sep afternoons; other times by booking
FreeAdmission
CarrickfergusMuseum
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About 1 hourHow long
Ages 7+Best for
FreeEntry
NearbyParking
IndoorsSetting

Flame! is Ireland's only surviving Victorian coal gasworks — a guide walks you through Europe's largest set of retorts and up onto the gasholder for the view.

  • What it is: the last complete coal gasworks in Ireland (one of only a handful left in the British Isles), kept as a working-heritage museum.
  • What you'll do: a guided tour showing how gas was made from coal, through the huge retort house, ending with a climb up the gasholder.
  • Getting in: free admission.
  • When: seasonal — roughly May to August, daily except Saturdays, 2–5pm, and September weekdays 2–5pm. Outside those times it opens for booked groups.
  • Best for: older children and adults who like how-things-work industrial heritage.
Plan your visit

A working Victorian gasworks, kept alive

Flame! is the only surviving Victorian coal gasworks in Ireland, saved and run as a museum by a local preservation society. A guide takes you through the story of how a town made its own gas from coal — past Europe's largest surviving set of retorts, the great cast-iron furnaces where it all happened — and up onto the gasholder for a look out over Carrickfergus. It's a genuinely unusual hour, and it's free.

Guided tours Free admission Indoor heritage Town parking nearby
Good to know before you go:

Flame! opens seasonally (broadly May–September) and works by guided tour, with visits outside the season by arrangement. Days, times and tour details change, so check before you travel.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 📷Camera or phoneMost galleries are photo-friendly — just check for any no-photos rooms.
  • 👟Comfy shoesPlenty to take in on foot, room to room.
  • 💷A few poundsFor a donation, the shop or a cuppa.
  • 🕰️A bit of timeThe stories reward a slow look rather than a dash round.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Getting in
Free admission.
Opening
Seasonal — roughly May–August daily except Saturdays 2–5pm, and September weekdays 2–5pm. Booked groups at other times. Check before you go.
Tours
Visits are by guided tour, showing the retorts and the gasholder.
Best for ages
Older children and adults; industrial-heritage interest.
Family-friendly
Suits curious older kids; the site is a historic industrial building rather than a play space.
Parking
Public parking in Carrickfergus nearby.
Accessibility
A historic industrial site with steps and the gasholder climb — contact ahead about access needs.
How long to allow
About an hour for the tour.
Address
Irish Quarter West, Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim.
Questions

Before you go

Is it free?
Yes — admission is free.
When is it open?
Seasonally, broadly May–September (afternoons), with booked group visits at other times. Check current days and times before travelling.
Do I need to book?
General visits in season are walk-in during opening hours; out-of-season and group visits are by arrangement.
Is it suitable for young children?
It’s best for older children and adults — a historic industrial site with a guided tour, not a play attraction.
Getting there

Flame! is at Irish Quarter West in Carrickfergus, with public parking nearby in the town. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google Maps See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

More days out in CarrickfergusCastle, harbour and more More museums across NIGreat for a rainy day
The story

About Flame!

Carrickfergus made its own gas from coal from the 1850s right up to 1967. When the works closed, most gasworks across these islands were demolished — but this one survived, and a local preservation society brought it back as a museum.

Today it's recognised as the only complete coal gasworks left in Ireland and one of very few anywhere in the British Isles. The retort house, the meters and the gasholder are all still here, telling the story of an industry that once lit and warmed every town.