Co Antrim couple explore Ireland’s abandoned heritage

Visiting abandoned buildings all over Ireland, the couple come together to preserve their history and share the stories of places that once held great significance for local communities, while giving others a glimpse into the hidden heritage of buildings left behind.

Inspired by popular YouTubers, the couple took the leap and started their own page across multiple social media platforms.

“We always loved watching Exploring with Josh and Exploring with Fighters on YouTube and decided to give it a go ourselves, and from that we started sharing our adventures on social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and TikTok.

The husband-and-wife duo, referred to here as Michael and Emma to maintain their anonymity, balance their passion for documenting forgotten places alongside busy day-to-day lives. Michael works on their social media full-time, while Emma is a full-time mum and makeup artist.

Their Facebook page ‘Abandoned History’ launched in 2023, although it has only recently started to gain more traction.

“We launched in May 2023 and it's only in the last 6 months that it has really taken off, at the start of the year we had 300 followers and now we have over 7000.”

Working closely with other like-minded urban explorers and with the help of Google Maps, the couple are always finding new and exciting locations throughout Ireland. When visiting more popular spots, the couple use Google to research the history, but with smaller locations they face the difficult task of trying to piece together the heritage of these forgotten spaces.

Michael's passion for heritage hunting is evident as he said, “These sites serve as physical time capsules revealing unique historical architecture and untold stories of the people who once lived or worked there. Each site offers a rare window into how life and society used to function.”

Despite common misconceptions about urban explorers, Michael and Emma are there for one thing: to explore and share the history of Ireland. They take the necessary precautions to ensure their safety, while also making sure they keep all locations sacred to prevent any vandalisation or theft in these beautiful places.

Michael said proper precautions are essential when exploring abandoned sites, adding “I would say footwear and a mask are a must and always check your footing. Some floors can be very soft; we have had a few accidents and quickly learnt to be very careful.”

Addressing the common misconceptions about urban explorers, he said, “A common misconception is that urban explorers are vandals or troublemakers. In reality, most are passionate about documenting abandoned places and appreciating their history and architecture while sticking to the rules.

“We have tried to reboard up a couple of houses but the boards were ripped off again. The likes of houses and farms are kept secret in the urbex community and any comments giving away a location are deleted.”

Appreciating the history, Ireland has to offer, Michael reflects on his favourite explored locations, “I think every region has their own rich abandoned heritage, but one that stands out to us is Lisburn just because of Hilden Mill and the fact it was once the largest mill in the world and put Northern Ireland at the centre of the global industrial stage during the Victorian era.”

Michael reflected on the fate of some of his favourite sites, “A few have been demolished like Edendork Hall and the house attached to Forster Green Hospital, and a couple have been saved like the Governor’s House at the old Omagh Gaol.”

Among the couple’s favourites are Belfast Court and Lisnevin Prison, both of which are packed with stories.

“The first explore we ever did is still our favourite and that was Lisnevin Prison, because it was a mission getting in and out which was fun in itself, but getting to walk round an abandoned prison is just unreal.”

Michael also recalled some of the more unusual discoveries they have made during their explorations.

“The strangest thing we found was a porcelain mortuary table in one abandoned site and in another we found three stainless steel mortuary tables.”

Every day, more and more buildings that were once filled with memories are fading away, left behind in the past. Without urban explorers, we would be left in the dark about the rich history these buildings hold, offering communities a chance to discover these significant locations from the comfort of their own homes.

With the increase in abandoned buildings that are “soaked in history”, it is clear that there is a need for the preservation of these buildings rather than allowing them to waste away into nothing.

Michael concludes “These vacant buildings present a tension between developers looking to demolish and rebuild and the need to preserve architectural heritage and history. Stronger policy incentives should be used to encourage renovations to preserve our heritage.”