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In 1177 eastern Ulster was invaded by Anglo Norman barons led by John de Courcy, initially he built some thirty Motte and Bailie castles to retain and consolidate his grip on the country, eventually he came to control most of eastern Ulster, and built stone castles at Dundrum in County Down and Carrickfergus in County Antrim. Meanwhile in England Henry II was watching affairs in Ireland closely, and perhaps fearful of the power his barons were amassing sent his son Prince John to Ireland, John landed at Waterford on 24th April 1185 with 300 Knights and a large number of men at arms.

Upon his arrival the Irish chief in the area came to welcome and pay homage to him, John appears to have derided his Irish subjects, it is said that their beards were rudely pulled in reticule, by the clean shaven members of John's retinue. The ever proud and sensitive Irish withdrew and took their grievance's to the Kings in the west and south of Ireland, with the result that John's visit to Ireland was a disastrous failure and he returned to England on 17th December.

Life to De Courcy was perpetual warfare and in 1178 John de Courcy fought Rory Mac Dun levy, the local under king of Lecale, in the marshy low lying ground north of Downpatrick. Against great odds de Courcy won the battle with the use of deadly crossbows. Rory Mac Dun levy had 10,000 men, De Courcy had 700 men. There was a further battle at Down of the 24th of June Rory as King of Ulidians was supported by Melaghlin Ui Neill, King of Cinel Owen. The church was represented on the battlefield, by the Archbishop of Armagh and a large number of clergy. Between 500 and 1500 men where killed. The Archbishop of Armagh, the Bishop of Down and all the clergy where taken captive. The Normans secured the crosiers of St Comgall and St Dachoarg. The Book of Armagh and a bell called Ceolan an Tighrarna. The bishops where later released, the book and the bell restored, but all the inferior clergy were executed.

The years between 1197 and 1199 were spent in unending conflict with the Irish and building castles to keep them in check. De Courcy became embittered in 1197 when his brother Jordan was killed by an Irishman of his household. He avenged his brothers death on some petty chief's and gave large tracts of their land to a Scotsman named Duncan Galloway who aided him.

There appears to have been a Scottish settlement near Coleraine where large grants of land were given to the Scots of Galloway. De Courcy's rule in Ulster seems to have aroused envy in Hugh de Lacy, who perhaps misrepresented De Courcy to John as destroying the Kings land in Ireland, at this time De Courcy was minting his own coinage, so possibly he had designs on an independent Kingdom. In 1201 De Courcy was arrested by De Lacy but was released when his followers agreed not to Plunder De Lacy lands in future.

Two years later in 1203 De Lacy came north again and defeated him in a battle at Downpatrick, banishing him from Ulster. On 31st August 1204 De Courcy was summoned to appear before King John, and as he had sworn and given hostages, if he defaulted, his lands were to be confiscated. De Lacy returned north again and after a struggle took De Courcy prisoner. He was again set free on condition that he went to the holy land. Again he did not comply. The King's patience exhausted on the 29th may 1205 he granted to Hugh de Lacy all the lands of Ulster, to hold to the King in fee, and created De Lacy Earl of Ulster.

By 1210 John was King and de Lacy has fallen from his favour, John landed at Waterford on 20th June with de Courcy, they were joined by Justiciar, John de Gray, bishop of Norwich and a body of Irish troops. They pursued De Lacy northwards and were at Dundalk on the 8th July where 400 of de Lacy's soldiers who had deserted him. De Lacy's men destroyed and set fire to their castle's in the county, De Lacy fled to Carrickfergus. The King took the De Lacy castle at Carlingford. De Lacy appears to have came south to Dundrum castle then known as the castle of Rath, when John's army approached he fearing having his retreat path cut returned to Carrickfergus his strongest castle, De lacy did not await John's arrival and took boat to Scotland. The castle surrendered some thirty Knights being taken prisoner. The king stayed in Carrick from the 19th to 28th July.