Spain in Northern Ireland: A Guide to Places Connected with Spain
Spain and the island of Ireland have been linked since ancient times. Some theories suggest that the peoples of the Iberian Peninsula and the British Isles share common ancestors, likely due to maritime movements across the Atlantic. Celtic cultural traits can also be traced both in northern Spain and in Ireland, and there is evidence of medieval pilgrimage routes from this island to Santiago de Compostela.
In the Early Modern period, these links grew even stronger thanks to institutions such as the Irish Colleges and military actions undertaken by the Spanish Crown in defence of Catholicism.
Below is a selection of places in present-day Northern Ireland with Spanish connections. This is only an indicative list aiming to reflect the shared history between Spain and Northern Ireland: