Ccg Glens Antrim-1

36
 A GUIDE TO

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 A GUIDE TO

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03 Introduction

04 A landscape of Fire and Ice

06 A landscape of Mists and Myths

 Journey through the Glens

08 From Larne to the Glens

10  Glenarm & Glencloy

14  Glenariff & Glenballyeamon

18  Glenaan, Glencorp & Glendun

22  Over the Hills to Ballycastle

24 Glenshesk & Glentaisie

28 Ballycastle

31 Wildlife

32 Walking & Cycling in the Glens

33 The Nine Glens of Antrim

34 Caring for the Glens

35 Background Reading 

02 | A guide to the Glens of Antrim

CONTENTS

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 A guide to the Glens of Antrim | 03

These nine famous glens, endowedwith evocative names and blessed

with a diversity of landscape are

also rich in history, in folklore and

in the natural beauty that is a

world away from the frantic bustle

of modern life.

The aim of this guidebook is to

take you on a leisurely journey

through these enchanting glens,

beginning at the port of Larne and

finishing at the seaside resort of 

Ballycastle. For ease of description

the glens have been divided into

four groups; the southern glens

comprising Glenarm and Glencloy,

meeting the sea at the settlementsof Glenarm and Carnlough

respectively. Then two clusters

of middle glens - first Glenariff,above the village of Waterfoot,

and Glenballyeamon behind the

coastal town of Cushendall, and

second, Glenaan, Glencorp and

Glendun, leading down to the

village of Cushendun. Travelling

over the hills to Ballycastle, the

two northern glens are Glenshesk

and Glentaisie, both looking out

over the waters of Moyle to the

island of Rathlin.

Entwined with the rich history and

the traditions of the communities

within the glens is the constant

sense of a dual landscape; one

of breathtaking natural dramaand beauty that opens up as you

negotiate the hills and bends and

another, more hidden landscape of mists and myths, of legends and

folklore and tales of giants, fairies

and other wonderful creatures.

Come and explore them all.

The spectacular Causeway Coastal Route,

hugging the cliffs and coves of the north eastern

coastline of Ireland is ‘the Essential Irish Journey’

- a very special trip not to be hurried. Gasp at the

spectacular scenery and take time to immerse

yourself in one of the renowned Glens of Antrim.

Glenariff Glen

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04 | A guide to the Glens of Antrim

Ancient sea sediments becamemudstones, clays and chalk, and

earth movements raised these

to become hills and cliffs. About

60 million years ago, volcanic

eruptions spread lavas in thick

layers which cooled to form the

dark basalt rock that is evident

today, capping the brilliant

white chalk.

On this sandwich cake of rocks,

giant hands pressed down on the

land to leave imprints, like long

fingers radiating seawards from

high ground inland. Those giant

and heavy hands were glaciers,

originating in a great thicknessof ice, and their imprints became

today’s glens. The ice eventually

retreated towards Scotland as thislong cold period declined between

20,000 and 10,000 years ago. The

gouging of the ice scooped out

deep valleys where geological

faulting had already created

weaknesses and jumbled the rocks.

Changes in sea and land levels

took place, as melting ice added

huge quantities of water to the

sea, and the land rose slowly,

released from a great weight of 

ice. Slippage and settlement put

the final touches to the land,

leaving opportunities for plants to

become established. Grazing and

predatory animals soon followed,and Stone Age people arrived on

this north-east coast, possibly by

former land bridges or narrow searoutes, about 8,000 years ago.

Since then, human activities have

modified the landscape to create

moorland, forest, small farms and

settlements, now bounded by a

bold coast road built by glensmen

between 1832 and 1842.

The building of the Antrim

Coast Road greatly improved

communications for the people

of the glens and made travel for

visitors less hazardous. Before

the road was built, a narrow and

rough track passed through the

wooded slopes above the coast

and Highwaymen, probably basedat the now deserted village of 

Galboly, tucked out of sight above

Water, fire and ice were the original

architects of the Glens of Antrim.

1 Deserted village of Galboly

2 View from Lurigethan

3 Tievebulliagh in snow with

Fairy Tree in foreground

1 2

3

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Garron Point, were reportedto rob and murder travellers,

especially between Carnlough

and Cushendall. It was also at a

wooded spot not far from Garron

Point that the last wolf in Ireland

was reportedly shot in 1712. The

Coast Road therefore and the

country railroads that followed,

revolutionised access to the

glens for day-trippers and other

travellers keen to absorb the

magical atmosphere of a region

for so long sheltered from the

outside world.

 A guide to the Glens of Antrim | 05

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06 | A guide to the Glens of Antrim

These communities worked theland, fished the coastal waters

and entertained themselves with

the occasional ‘ceili’, (pronounced

caylee), a tradition of gathering in

each other’s homes to swap news,

listen to music, sing and enjoy the

craic of story-telling.

Many of the stories told in these

days dealt in the currency of magic.

People talked of the curse that

accounted for a failed harvest or

an outbreak of disease while some

people, it was believed, had the

power to put a curse or ‘blink’ on

cattle, preventing them from giving

milk. Others had the gift of charms.They could cure ailments such as

warts, sprains, burns and migraine

headaches without even needingphysical contact with their patients

to effect a cure. Some are said

to survive today, so if you have a

headache...

The Fairy Family

Of course, many of the old stories

also talked of fairies and other

supernatural beings such as

Leprechauns, Banshees, Sheeries

and the Pooka - the most feared

of all, a vindictive fairy, sometimes

appearing as a horse, an eagle,

or in the guise of the bogeyman

himself. Tales also exist of pipers

being led away, condemned

forever to entertain the fairies,and of ‘changelings’ - unwanted

fairy children, (often of a grumpy

nature), left to replace a kidnappedhuman child. A more benevolent

fairy, the small and hairy but very

friendly Grogoch, features in many

folk stories particularly from the

northern glens and Rathlin Island.

The Folklore of Trees

There has always been a strong

association in the glens between

the hawthorn tree and fairies.

Small, gnarled hawthorns, often of 

great age, survive on slopes and in

fields where other obstructions to

the plough have long since been

removed. Stories abound of the

misfortunes that have befallen

those foolish enough to cut downa ‘skeoch’, as they are known, eg

someone struck dumb or even a

Not so long ago many more people

lived in the glens than do today.

1 Fairy Tree

2 Slemish in the mist

1 2

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 A guide to the Glens of Antrim | 07

Close to the head of Glencloy and Glenarm,

lies Slemish Mountain where Saint Patrick

herded sheep as a boy.

man’s head turned back-to-front!Twigs of hazel are favoured by

water diviners and noted for

providing protection against

mischievous fairies, (tying a hazel

branch to a horse for example,

discourages fairies from taking the

animal). Alder, on the other hand is

feared for harbouring water spirits

and the ash is said to be the first

tree that lightning will strike, and

should be avoided in a storm.

The survival of beliefs and traditions

within the glens continues to enrich

the cultural heritage of the area,

and, although not everyone will admit

to believing in fairies, few woulddare to cut down a hawthorn tree.

A sprinkling of folk stories andtales of strange events are

included in this guidebook and

while you may be sceptical, when

mist curls up the glens, or low

cloud distorts the landscape you

can, almost, believe anything.

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08 | A guide to the Glens of Antrim

Today’s visitors arriving by ferrycome ashore on a strip of land

known as The Curran, where

archaeologists in 1935 discovered

flint implements from a Stone Age

settlement of around 8000 years

ago. Larne’s long human history is

a mere blink in time, as evidenced

by fossils discovered along the

adjoining coast, including a 200

million year old Icthyosaur - the

name means ‘fish lizard’ - found at

nearby Waterloo Bay in 1999.

The port of Larne is well used to

comings and goings. In 1327 King

Robert the Bruce of Scotland landed

here, 1639 saw the arrival of the

first of many Scottish Covenanters,

in 1717 the vessel ‘Friends Goodwill’

left the port with emigrants bound

for America and in 1872 regularsailings were established between

Larne and Stranraer.

Larne to Glenarm

Heading north from Larne, where

the road drops down to the coast, a

plaque on a plinth by the seashore

railings is the monument to William

Bald, who engineered the AntrimCoast Road, and the men of the

glens who built it between

1832 and 1842.

The road was - and is - quite an

engineering feat. Bordered on one

side by the North Channel and on

the other, for much of its length, by

cliffs of white chalk and dark basalt,it occupies a narrow ribbon of land

that includes parts of post-glacial

raised beaches. Passing throughthe famous landmark of the Black

Arch just north of Larne, there is an

underground sea tunnel where the

foamy turbulence of the water gives

this the name Devil’s Churn. Local

legend recalls a drunken piper who

lost his way in this tunnel, and still

plays his pipes at a distant house

where the tunnel is said to emerge.

A few miles north of Larne is

Carnfunnock Country Park, a

place to stop off for walks,

camping and caravanning.

Rounding Ballygally Head, a

prominent volcanic plug, there is a

small rocky promontory crownedby the remains of a stone building.

This is known as O’Halloran’s

 Journey through the Glens

Larne is known as the

‘Gateway to Ulster’

1 Carnfunnock Country Park

2 Ballygally Head

3 Ballygally Castle

4 Black Arch

I  Lady Isabella Shaw, Ghost of 

Ballygally Castle

1 2

3 4

I

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 A guide to the Glens of Antrim | 09

Castle, after a character in anovel written by a Larne doctor in

1820. Other stories linked to this

ruin tell of it being the home of 

a famous bard, a place where a

local chieftain’s daughter was held

captive and - more likely - a small

Anglo-Norman castle built early in

the thirteenth century.

A more substantial building is

Ballygally Castle, built in 1625

by James Shaw of Greenock,

Glasgow. More of a fortified house

than a castle, it claims a resident

ghost, Lady Isabella Shaw, shut

in the tower by her cruel husband

because she failed to produce a

son and heir. It is now a hotel

and restaurant.

There is a surprise around almostevery headland on this scenic road,

not least being the attractive small

town of Glenarm, and the first of 

the Antrim glens.

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10 | A guide to the Glens of Antrim

GlenarmTravelling up the glen, rushy

fields gradually give way to a

more open landscape of small

farms with stone-walled pastures,

then extensive moorland. The

whaleback ridge of Slemish

Mountain becomes visible to

the south-west. Here, in the fifth

century, a young man was brought

from Britain to work in service to

a local landowner, tending pigs

on the slopes of Slemish. He was

to become Saint Patrick, Ireland’s

patron saint.

From the top of the glen, the great

expanse of bogland visible to the

north is the Garron Plateau, the

nearest thing to a wilderness in

agriculturally dominated Northern

Ireland and a designated Area of Special Scientific Interest.

Looking across the glen, the

patchwork of dark spruce and

paler larch is evident in the

forest plantations, while lower

down towards the river are other

woodlands, including hazel scrub.

In early spring, before the leavesare fully developed and reduce

the light, the ground beneath

these deciduous trees is carpeted

with primroses, wood anemones,

bluebells and other wild flowers,

many of which can also be seen

adorning the grassy road banks.

There is a small lay-by on theright-hand-side of the B97 road

at the top of the glen’s north side,

with a fine view on a clear day.A viewpoint panel explains the vista,

from Scotland’s Mull of Kintyre in

the north, to nearer features such

as the glen, its castle and the spire

of Saint Patrick’s Church in the

coastal town of Glenarm.

Glenarm Castle

Castle turrets have been a featureof Glenarm since Medieval times.

The Bisset family is an early link

to the first castle at Glenarm. John

Bisset was exiled from Scotland

in 1242 for murdering a local earl.

He acquired lands on the Antrim

coast, and resided at Glenarm

Castle, which was then on the

north side of the river. Another

Scot, John Mor McDonnell, brother

of the Lord of the Isles, married

 Journey through the Glens

Glenarm - Glen of the Army

Glencloy - Glen of the Hedges

1 1 Salmon fishing, Glenarm

2 Glenarm Harbour

3 Wild Garlic

4 Glenarm Castle

2

3

4

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 A guide to the Glens of Antrim | 11

FAIRY FIDDLERS

This glen has produced its fair

share of skilled fiddle players, and

in the past, when flax was grown

in abundance, the fiddlers would

be key entertainers at the flax harvest celebrations. Those with

exceptional skills and knowledge

of rare and beautiful tunes were

said to have learned these from

the fairies, known to be fine

musicians. Ask about belief in

fairies and you may receive a

cautious or shy response. Fairies

are feared, and it is safer to referto them less directly, using terms

such as ‘the little folk’.

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12 | A guide to the Glens of Antrim

into the Bisset family and theirdescendants inherited the castle,

which has been home to the Earls

of Antrim for over four hundred

years. Randal McDonnell rebuilt

the castle, this time on the north

side of the river, in 1636. Six years

later, it was attacked and burned,

then rebuilt in 1750, with attractive

towers, turrets and crenellations.

Today’s owner is Randal McDonnell,

Viscount Dunluce and the fourteenth

Earl of Antrim.

Glenarm Town

Glenarm is a small town with a

village atmosphere. Believed to have

been granted a municipal charter

by the Anglo-Norman King John

early in the thirteenth century, it is

one of the oldest towns in Ireland.

A major feature is the BarbicanGate of Glenarm Castle, built when

Edmund McDonnell restored the

castle in 1825.

The harbour dates from the

fifteenth century. It was once filled

with trading and fishing boats, but

it is less commercial now. Today’s

lobster and crab fishers work closeinshore, using small boats and

there is an Atlantic salmon farming

enterprise, with floating holding

pens visible in the bay.

Glencloy

Glencloy is a shorter, broader glen

than Glenarm. Hedges of hawthorn

and gorse lower in the glen giveway to neat stone walls on higher

ground, all part of the many small

farms. Views from the top are of moorland and forest, and once

again Slemish Mountain can be

seen. Look out for occasional

impressive stone gate pillars,

usually with a conical top. Once

widespread throughout the glens,

here and there some were left with

flat tops so that the fairies could

dance on them.

Doonan Fort and Waterfall

Well down the north side of the

glen on the A42 road is a walled

lay-by. A nearby flat-topped mound

is Doonan Fort, an Early Christian

stockade built to defend homes and

livestock and occupied about 1200

years ago. At the lower end of this

lay-by is a small viewing platform,

overlooking Doonan Waterfall.

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 A guide to the Glens of Antrim | 13

1 1 Glencloy Glen

2 Carnlough Harbour

3 The White Lady4 Garron Plateau

5 Bluebells

6 Cranny Waterfall, Carnlough

2

4

3

5

CarnloughBeginning life in the early

seventeenth century as a small

fishing settlement, Carnlough is

an attractive village with its neat

limestone bridge, picturesque

harbour and historic buildings.

Londonderry Arms Hotel

This attractive and stately hotel inthe centre of Carnlough was built

in 1850 and was once owned by

Winston Churchill when he was

Secretary of State for War. It was

part of the estate of his great-

grandmother, Frances Anne Vane,

Marchioness of Londonderry, and

came to him as an inheritance.

It is now owned and managed,

(and has been for many years),

by the O’Neill family.

Beside the coast road just northof Garron Point is a large inscribed

slab of chalk known as the Famine

Stone. It was inscribed by the

Marchioness as a memorial to the

hardships and loss of life in the

Great Irish Famine of the 1840s.

The White Lady

A short distance north of theFamine Stone, on the inland side of 

the road, is a tall chalk pillar, once

a sea-stack, known as the White

Lady. It has the appearance of a

bustled Victorian woman, looking

out to sea. Nearby is the Foaran

River, a tumbling stream running a

brief course from the cliffs to the

sea, said to be the shortest river

in Ireland.

6

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 Journey through the Glens

Glenariff If, as the road sign approaching

the village of Waterfoot proclaims,

Glenariff is ‘The Queen of the

Glens’, then she is ably crowned by

the prominent peak of Lurigethan

on the north side. The wide base

of the glen meets the sea at a long

strand by Waterfoot. Glenariff 

is indeed a spectacular glen, a

classic U-shaped valley created

by a glacier. Tumbling waterfalls

feed the river that meanders along

the valley bottom, woodland and

scrub clothe the steeper slopes,

and narrow fields run up the sides

of the valley, crossed regularly by

hedges - part of the distinctive‘ladder farms’ of Glenariff.

LurigethanLurigethan, also known as

Lurigedan or simply Lurig, is the

long ridge bordering the north side

of Glenariff, separating it from

Glenballyeamon. The faint outlines

of an early Iron Age, (approximately

500 B.C. to 500 A.D.), promontory

fort are visible to those energetic

enough to scramble to the top of 

this steep-sided headland. What

a view those early high ground

dwellers had! The Antrim hills are

spread out all around, sheltering

the middle glens, and across

the North Channel, the hills of 

Galloway in Scotland can be seen

on a clear day.

This hill top fortification is alsoknown as Lignafenia, which means

the ‘hollow of the warriors’, a

reference to the band of adventurers

known as the Fianna, led by Fionn

mac Cumhaill (Finn MacCool). They

are characters from Irish tales of 

long ago, and Finn reappears, in

elevated status, as the colossus

who built the Giant’s Causeway on

the nearby north Antrim coast.

 

Glenariff Mines

The thick layers of basalt that

cap the glens hills have layers of 

weathered red soils that contain

iron ore and bauxite (aluminium

ore). Iron mining began in upperGlenariff in 1873 and ceased in the

1880s. The flat trackway of an old

Glenariff - arable or fertile glen

Glenballyeamon - Edwardstown glen

14 | A guide to the Glens of Antrim

1 1 Looking towards Lurigethan

2 Glenariff Glen

3 Lurigethan

4 Glenariff Forest Park

I Watershee

2

3

4

I

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 A guide to the Glens of Antrim | 15

THE WATERSHEE

Usually appearing as either

a female fairy or a beautifulwoman, the Watershee lures

weary travellers into bogs and

lakes with her sweet singing;

only to drown them and devour

their unfortunate souls.

Only the wearing of a cross

or saying a prayer will protect

human beings from her dark and

evil ways.

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16 | A guide to the Glens of Antrim

iron ore railway - the first three footgauge in Ireland - can still be seen

on the southern slope of Glenariff.

Larger deposits of iron ore were

extracted a short distance

south-west of Glenariff, in the

hills around Glenravel, which is

known as ‘The Tenth Glen’. Mining

here was at its peak in the 1870s

and 1880s. These ores were

transported by road using horses

and carts, then by railway down to

Red Bay where they were joined by

the outputs from local mines and

shipped to Britain for processing.

The supports of a chalk-built

railway bridge, an old pier and

a line of former miners’ housescan be seen as the coast road

approaches Waterfoot.

Another pier survives by thesandstone arch just north of the

village, once busy with sailing

ships loading the iron ore, and

later a terminus for a small ferry

that connected with Campbeltown

in Scotland from 1969 to 1972.

Cushendall

Cushendall is a conservation town,and is known locally as the Capital

of the Glens. The prefix ‘Cush...’ in

Cushendall and Cushendun means

‘the foot of the river...’ and in these

cases the rivers are the Dall and

the Dun. Francis Turnley, who built

the prominent curfew tower in its

centre in 1817, owned Cushendall,

once known as Newtownglens.

Troublesome citizens were confined

in this tower.

There is a minor road from the shorenear Cushendall Golf Club that

winds uphill to the remains of the

ancient church and graveyard of 

Layde, a quiet place from which to

enjoy views of Red Bay and the lush

countryside surrounding Cushendall.

Glenballyeamon

The road from Cushendall up thesouth side of the glen is close to the

steep slope of Lurigethan, where

crooked tracks have exposed bits of 

the white chalk that form the lower

part of this basalt-capped ridge.

The dark lump of Tievebulliagh

dominates the view of the north

side of this glen. The scene changes

from small and fertile farms to high

moorland with forest plantations

stretching away to the south-west,

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 A guide to the Glens of Antrim | 17

where Trostan, at 1800 feet, is thehighest hill in Antrim. At the top of 

Glenballyeamon, Gaults Road links

the two sides.

Tievebulliagh axe factory

The dark outcrop of Tievebulliagh

is a hard volcanic rock called

Porcellanite - so named because it

is a blue-grey porcelain-like colour.Around five to six thousand years

ago, stone-age settlers quarried

this rock to make axe heads, then

used sandstone to add a beautiful

polish and a sharp edge. These

artefacts were so distinctive that

archaeologists have recognised

them from finds scattered the

length and breadth of Britain and

Ireland, and as far away as Greece.

Tievebulliagh may have been

Ireland’s first export industry,and another ‘axe factory’, exploiting

the same type of rock, existed on

Rathlin Island off Ballycastle.

1 Tievebulliagh

2 Layde Church and Graveyard

3 Turnley’s Tower, Cushendall

4 Redbay Harbour, Waterfoot

5 Redbay Castle

6 Glenariff Mountain

1 2 4

3 6

5

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18 | A guide to the Glens of Antrim

GlenaanLower Glenaan has beautiful

fuchsia hedges, ablaze with

hanging scarlet and lilac flowers

in summer. This hardy variant,

Fuchsia Magellanica, has been

extensively planted as a hedging

shrub throughout the glens and

along parts of the Causeway Coast,

and has adapted well to the

maritime climate.

Battle of the Boglands

On the treacherous peat bogs of 

Orra Beg, in 1559, the McDonnells

of the Isles, settlers from Scotland,

fought the Ulster MacQuillans,

who had the advantage of horse

soldiers led by Hugh Phelim O’Neill.

Prior to the battle, the McDonnells

dug pits in the bog, disguised

these with heather, and once theconfrontation began, lured the

cavalry into these traps. As the

enemy floundered, the McDonnells

cut them down, and were victorious.

Hugh Phelim O’Neill was killed

nearby, and his tomb, difficult to

find now, lies amongst the boggy

humps and hollows near the

summit of Slievanorra.

 American Wakes

A wake in Ireland is a gathering to

mourn the deceased, but it is also

a celebration of that person’s life.

An American wake, once a regular

event in a more populated Glenaan,

was a party tinged with sadness, to

say goodbye to emigrants leaving

for America.

GlencorpThe A2 road from Cushendall

towards Cushendun cuts through

Glencorp for a distance of about

two miles. This short, wide glen

has a pleasant landscape of fields,

lush hedges, woodlands, stone

walls and hills dotted with gorse

bushes, which often grow on rocky

ground where soils are thin, and

can hide or disguise early man-

made features such as raths and

similar structures.

Raths

These circular earth-banked

structures, usually with an outer

ditch, are widepread throughout

the glens. Some are built of 

stones, and are known as Cashels.

They are mainly Iron Age to Early

Glenaan - Glen of the colt’s foot

Glencorp - Glen of the slaughtered

Glendun - Glen of the brown river

 Journey through the Glens

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 A guide to the Glens of Antrim | 19

Christian structures (500 BC to1200 AD), sometimes referred to

as ringforts. They were defensive

enclosures for families and their

farm animals, protecting them

against small-scale local raids. On

the south slope of Cross Slieve hill,

north of Tiveragh, are two closely

spaced rath-like enclosures known

as The Twin Towers.

The Fairy Hill

A prominent round hill on the

east slope of Glencorp is called

Tieveragh. This is famed as the

home of multitudes of fairies, said

to emerge in a procession on May

Eve (30 April). Those who doubt

the existence of the little folk

will not see them, for they reveal

themselves only to believers.

OSSIAN THE BARD

Ossian, (pronounced

‘awsheen’), son of Finn

MacCool, was a poet as well

as a warrior, and he lived for a

while with a beautiful woman,

Niaomh, who had tempted

him to dwell in the Underworld,

known as Tir Na Nog, Land of 

Eternal Youth, where no one

ever aged. He was warned never

to set foot on land again or he

would at once grow old and frail.

However, he could not resist

coming back to Glenaan, and

on doing so, he fell from his

horse and on contact with the

ground aged and died almost

at once. A stone-age burial

cairn at Lubitavish, half a mile

up Glenaan, has long been

romantically associated with the

grave of Ossian and also has a

memorial to John Hewitt, the

famous poet of the Glens.

1 2

I

1 Glenaan

2 Ossians Grave, Glenaan

I Ossian and Niaomh

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20 | A guide to the Glens of Antrim

GlendunA steep-sided and pretty glen,

its river tumbling over shiny

stones of greenish-grey schist,

the peat-stained water the colour

of whiskey. Moorland and bog

dominate the hills above the glen,

giving way lower down to small

fields bounded by stone walls and

hedges of hawthorn and gorse,

the latter not restricted to hedges

and appearing in clumps on

hillsides and ridges. Its vivid yellow

blossoms, smelling like coconut,

are so bright in late April and early

May, you almost need sunglasses

to view them. Hazel copses, known

locally as ‘scroggery’ - an old Scotsterm - clothe the lower slopes.

This type of scrub is widespread

throughout the glens, and beneaththe hazels and other small trees,

and along the road banks, in

spring, is a wonderful richness of 

wild flowers - white stitchwort,

lemony primrose, violet, bluebell,

wild garlic (white) and golden

celandine.

The Big BridgeDown the valley where Glendun

begins to widen, the A2 road crosses

the Dun river on a magnificent

high viaduct, known in the area

simply as ‘the big bridge’. It took

glensmen five summers to build

(1834-1839), drawing the stone by

horse and cart from Layde quarry

near Cushendun. Charles Lanyon,

architect of some of Belfast’s finest

buildings, including Queen’sUniversity, designed the bridge.

Cushendun

This attractive village, owned by

the National Trust and best known

for its unusual Cornish-style

architecture, (the work of Clough

Williams Ellis between 1912 and

1925), has a pleasant beach witha car park behind the warren on

the other side of the road. Behind

the car park is Glenmona, once the

home of Lord Cushendun, Ronald

McNeill, (1861-1934), a prominent

Ulster and British politician.

Castle Carra

This ruin of a tower house standsin a field above Rockport House

at the north end of Cushendun

1 Glendun

2 Glendun Viaduct

3 Cushendun

4 Glencorp

5 Aerial view over Cushendun

1 2 3

4

5

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 A guide to the Glens of Antrim | 21

Bay. In 1567, two years after beingdefeated by the self-proclaimed

Earl of Ulster Shane O’Neill, the

McDonnells entertained their

former adversary in Castle Carra,

providing two days of hunting and

feasting. However, on the third day,

taking advantage of the confusion

of a quarrel, they stabbed O’Neill

to death and their earlier defeat

was avenged. According to one

account, the proud O’Neill was

cruelly mangled, his head was

cut off and sent pickled in a jar to

be displayed on a spike at Dublin

Castle. In a field a little way up the

Torr Road, a cairn and a large Celtic

cross mark the site where ShaneO’Neill’s remains were laid.

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22 | A guide to the Glens of Antrim

Either take the narrow anddramatic coastal route or the road

out of the village to the north

which swings uphill to join the

A2 across the moors, passing

the famous vanishing lake and

dropping down the lovely valley

of the Carey river past Bonamargy

Friary to Ballycastle.

Loughareema - The Vanishing Lake

Dropping down from the

moorlands of Cushleake and

Grange, the A2 road passes

over a stone-walled culvert by

Loughareema, the ‘fairy lough’

immortalised in the songs and

poems of former Cushendun

poetess Moira O’Neill. One day a

sparkling lake, a few days later a

bed of cracked mud and not a dropof water in sight, this is indeed a

mysterious place.

Culfeitrin Church

About half a mile from Ballyvoy

hamlet, on the right hand side

of the road travelling towards

Ballycastle, is an attractive stone

Church of Ireland. This is anancient site, with two Bronze Age

standing stones rising amongst the

more recent headstones close to

the south wall of the church. What

makes these stones unusual is

their recognition by archaeologists

as ‘male and female’ stones, the

former tall and pointed and latter

smaller with a flat top. Such

combinations are rare.

The mound a short way before theChurch, cut through by the road

and visible in the field opposite,

was a fort known as The Seat

of the Kings of Ulster, once a

substantial stone construction.

Evidence of battles came from

a nearby bog where spears and

other weapons were found.

The Torr Coast Road

This is an extremely narrow winding

and hilly road with spectacular

views on a clear day across

the sound to Scotland’s Mull of 

Kintyre, twelve miles at the closest

point. From further north on this

road, the Scottish islands of Jura

and Islay can also be seen in good

weather, lying to the north-west.

Leaving Cushendun, you are faced

with a choice of routes to Ballycastle.

 Journey through the Glens

1 Watertop Open Farm

2 Murlough Bay

I  The vanishing Horsemen

of Loughareema

3  Loughareema, empty

4 Torr Head with Mull of Kintyre

in background 

1 2

4

3

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 A guide to the Glens of Antrim | 23

Torr Head is an obvious promontory- once an ancient fort - and a steep

run downhill brings you past the

ruins of coastguard houses to a

small car park. A scramble up to

the disused coastguard lookout

rewards you with spectacular views.

Sea mammals, usually the common

porpoise and more rarely the minke

whale, pass by offshore.

Between Torr Head and the hamlet

of Ballyvoy, there are signposts

to Murlough Bay, one of the most

scenic places in Ireland, and to Fair

Head (636 ft), an imposing cliff 

that marks the north-east corner

of Ireland, looking out over Rathlin

Island and Scotland.

THE VANISHING HORSEMEN

Loughareema lake lies in an

area riddled with sink-holes,

and it empties rapidly through

these to underground

watercourses, and can fill again

quickly as rainwater drains off 

the surrounding bogs. The old

road ran across the dry bed of 

the lake, and one dark night

long ago, a Colonel McNeill, his

coachman and horses drowned

when the driver misjudged the

state of the water level. It issaid that their ghosts still haunt

the lake.

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24 | A guide to the Glens of Antrim

Glenshesk This is a well-wooded glen, and

is reached by taking the B15 road

beside the River Margy Bridge at

Ballycastle golf course.

Drumeeny Church

On a ridge above the Glenshesk

River on the Knocklayd side is the

ruin of a Drumeeny Church, said tohave been founded by Saint Patrick

in the fifth century. The site may

have also been a place of ritual in

pre-history, with links to the Stone

and Bronze Ages (5000 BC to

500 BC). It is an enigmatic spot,

difficult to find but worth the effort.

The Fairy WoodFive miles up Glenshesk from the

Margy Bridge, where the Drumavoley

Road meets the B15, there is asmall car park. An information

panel at the entrance tells you this

is the way to Breen Wood. Breen

means ‘the place of the fairies’,

and if you make the effort to walk

the three-quarters of a mile to

this ancient oakwood you will

be rewarded by an enchanting

location, a 2000 year old survivor

of the type of woodland that once

covered large expanses of Ireland.

Eternal Flames

The distinctively fragrant

blue smoke of peat fires from

hearths throughout the glens is a

welcoming feature, typical of rural

Ireland. Peat - or turf - has been cut

from the extensive bogs in the hills

around the glens for centuries,

formerly by hand using a sleán orlong-bladed spade but now mainly

with specialised machinery.

The cottage fire was kept alive

overnight by raking the ashes

over the glowing peat embers, a

process known as smooring. The

ashes retained enough heat for

the fire to be fanned into life again

the next morning and it is said

there were cottages about the

glens where the fire never went

out. If the Grogoch or any of the

other wee folk visited during the

night, they could sit at a warm and

welcoming fire.

Doonfin

 You do not have to travel far in

County Antrim to encounter Finn

MacCool, whether in his legendary

 Journey through the Glens

Glenshesk - Glen of the Sedges &

Glentaisie - Glen of Taisie of the bright sides

1 Breen Wood

2 Autumn Gold

3 Glenshesk, looking

towards Rathlin Island

4 Armoy Round Tower

1 2 3

4

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 A guide to the Glens of Antrim | 25

giant form or as a Celtic warrior.In the latter guise he is said to

have slain his favourite hunting

dog Bran in Glenshesk - at a spot

now known as Doonfin - during

an incident in the pursuit of deer.

Hunting features frequently in tales

of Finn and his band of fighters,

the Fianna, and Finn’s two dogs,

Bran and Skolawn, are recorded

as being a type of greyhound, but

no doubt larger and heavier than

today’s refined racing dogs.

 Armoy Round Tower

At the ancient crossroads of 

Carneagh, at the top of the two

glens, is Saint Patrick’s Church of 

Armoy, in the grounds of which

stands an eleventh or twelfth

century round tower. The upper

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26 | A guide to the Glens of Antrim

storey and cone-shaped roof aremissing, but the remains of the

lower part of the tower are in good

condition. A church was founded

here by Saint Olcan, who was

Bishop of Armoy in 460AD and

saved from dying at birth by Saint

Patrick. Excavations at this church

in 1997 revealed the 400-500 year

old remains of a leper, an unusual

discovery because normally one

so afflicted was not buried in

Church grounds.

Glentaisie

Glentaise, interpreted as ‘Glen of 

the bright sides’ gained its name

from a popular folk tale , (see

Fairy Facts).

One Chieftan, Fergus MacLaide,

who helped defend Rathlin in the

battle with the Norweigans, wasgiven a gift of land by the grateful

couple, Congal and Taisie. Fergus

chose to settle at Broom-More

on the slopes of what was to

become known as Glentaisie. His

legendary mansion of Duntaisie is

visible as a large mound - probably

a fort or motte - on the hillside

above Ballydurnian, about a mile up

the glen from start of the Hillside

Road, which forks from the road

to Coleraine.

The Battle of Glentaisie

In 1565, Shane O’Neill - whose fate

at Castle Carra in Cushendun is

described on page 21 - defeated a

greatly outnumbered force of the

clan McDonnell in Glentaisie, slaying

around seven hundred of their men.

KnocklaydThe name means ‘The Broad Hill’,

and on the round top is the remains

of a large burial monument, possible

a passage grave. Known as the

Cairn of the Three, legend records

that three large bronze swords were

found here, embedded upright in

the ground like King Arthur’s famous

sword, Excalibur.

Knocklayd featured in a major

hoax in the newspapers of 1788.

Reports claimed that the top of the

hill burst open, releasing burning

matter and hot stones that killed

cattle in the nearby fields. Lava

was supposed to have flowed

down the valley then over the top

of nearby Fair Head, which was an

uphill journey! The source of this

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I

story may have been a bog slide onthe slopes of Knocklayd, but the

exaggerated claim of a volcanic

eruption came at a time when

scientific debates were running hot

and heavy about whether basalt,

(the rock that caps Knocklayd),

originated in lava flows or

sediments deposited in oceans.

One of the predictions made by

the Black Nun of Bonamargy in the

17th Century was that Knocklayd

would erupt and spread lava across

12 miles of surrounding countryside.

A guide to the Glens of Antrim | 27

I  Wedding of Taisie

1 Glentaisie

2 Knocklayd

3 Fairhead

4 Cotton Grass

5 Gorse

1 2 3

THE WEDDING OF TAISIETaisie, the daughter of a King

of Rathlin, was a great beauty

who had gained the attentions

of the King of Norway. He sent a

contingent of his men to bring

her back to be his bride but his

demand was refused for Taisie

was promised to Congal, heir to

the Kingdom of Ireland.

When Taisie and Congral’s

wedding celebrations were in

full swing the King of Norway

suddenly arrived with his

army to capture Taisie but in

the subsequent battle the

Norwegian king was killed

and his army returned homeleaderless and empty handed.

4

5

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28 | A guide to the Glens of Antrim

It is also a popular seaside resort,famed for its historic and lively

Lammas Fair, held in late August.

The son of Sorley Boy McDonnell,

the first Earl of Antrim, built a

castle in the centre of the old

town. This was first recorded in

1565, and before then the name

of Ballycastle probably did notexist. The bay was know as Port

Brittas, and a small settlement

by the river Margy was called

Margietown. There is now no

trace of the old castle. West of the

town, at Dunaneeny, on the cliffs

overlooking Rathlin Island, was the

16th Century McDonnell castle. It

too has vanished, save for a few

stones near the cliff edge in the

private estate of Clare Park.

Looking around Ballycastle today,it may be difficult to believe that in

the eighteenth century this was a

busy industrial town, largely due

to the energy of a local landlord,

Hugh Boyd. A visitor to the town

in 1760, for example, would have

seen a glass works, tanneries, a

brewery, soapworks, bleachworks

and, towards Fair Head, coal

mines, ironworks and salt pans.

Local natural resources such as

coal, limestone (chalk), sand,

sea water, fireclay and seaweed,

(burned to make kelp, a source of 

many useful chemicals), were all

used to facilitate these industries.

A less tangible resource, butequally rich, is the wealth of folklore

that abounds in the area. Here are

just some of the tales.

Bonamargy Friary

Founded by Rory McQuillan in the

late fifteenth century and built of 

red sandstone, granite and dark

basalt, this Fransican friary was

shut down in the 1530s as part of 

Henry VIII’s purge carried out

against such establishments. The

church was burned in 1584, but

the McDonnells, who acquired

the friary in 1559, added a private

chapel next to the ruin in 1621.

The site continued to be used asa graveyard.

Beautifully situated where the North Channel

sweeps past Fair Head to mingle with the

Atlantic Ocean, Ballycastle is the northern

gateway to the Glens of Antrim.

 Journey through the Glens

1 Ballycastle Golf Club

2 Wild Orchid

3 Ballycastle Marina

4 Lammas Fair

5 Bonamargy Friary

I  Black nun of Bonamargy

1 3 5

2 4 I

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 A guide to the Glens of Antrim | 29

Deirdre of SorrowsAnother story of exile and return

is centred on a rocky promontory

along Ballycastle beach called

Carraig Uisneach, currently known

as the Pans Rock - a former salt-

making site.

Around the first century AD,

Deirdre, daughter of King Conor

of Ulster, fled to Scotland with her

lover Naisi and his two brothers

Ainle and Ardan, because her

father was jealous of her love for

Naisi. Eventually the King sent

word that they were forgiven and

could return. Deirdre and the three

sons of Uisneach came back toIreland, landing at what became

known thereafter as the Rock of 

THE BLACK NUN

Bonamargy Friary contains

important tombs. The crypt of the McDonnell clan is in the

main church, close to that of 

their stewards, the McNaghtons.

A small rounded cross with a

hole in the centre at the west

door marks the grave of Julia

McQuillan, a recluse who

resided here in the 1600s, better

known as ‘The Black Nun’. Shewas famous for her predictions,

some of which local believers

claim to have been fulfilled.There have been many sightings

of a headless figure, reported

to be the Black Nun, haunting

Bonamargy. 

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30 | A guide to the Glens of Antrim

Uisneach. But in time the King’sjealousy returned and overcame

his promise of pardon, and he had

the three brothers slain. Deirdre

died of a broken heart.

I  The Children of Lir

1 Fairhead

2 Buzzard

3 Butterfly

4 Fulmar

5 Wild Flowers

1

2 3 4

5

I

THE CHILDREN OF LIR

Lir was a famous Irish chieftain

whose wife died after giving

him a daughter and three sons.

He then married his dead wife’s

half-sister, who was jealous of 

Lir’s love for his four children.

She cast a spell on them,

turning them into beautiful

white swans, and they were

destined to spend nine hundred

years in exile. Three hundred of 

these years were passed here,

on the Waters of Moyle, and the

birds’ lonely cries were heard

about the bay. Finally, on the

coming of Christianity to Ireland,

the children of Lir regained

human form. Old and weak, they

were baptised and died together.

 

Every autumn, flocks of wild swans

fly in over this north coast on

migration from Iceland to spend

the winter in Ireland’s milder

climate. Their haunting and

musical calls are a reminder of 

one of Ireland’s favourite legends.

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 A guide to the Glens of Antrim | 31

some live here all the year round,others are migrants. In the case of 

plants, each season provides its

own delights: vivid yellow gorse,

(also known in Ireland as whin or

furze), in spring, rare and colourful

orchids in summer, tall thistles in

autumn - pillaged for their seeds

by flocks of finches. Even in the

depths of winter, there is a flower

in bloom somewhere amongst

these sheltered glens.

Over the open moorland and

grasslands, a large hawk, the

hen harrier, hunts its prey, and

skylarks sing in the clear air. The

russet Irish hare bounds across

the heather, and agile Irish stoats

negotiate stone walls hunting for

mice and small birds. These two

animals are slightly different totheir counterparts in Britain, hence

the Irish identity. The woods and

forests are filled with songbirds,

and fox and badger often make

their homes here, from which

they travel out into the open

countryside to find food. Broad-

winged buzzards, our largest bird

of prey, drift over the farmlands,

hunting for rabbits. The rivers

are favoured by the shy otter, and

by special river birds such as the

bobbing, black-and-white dipper

and the vivid blue and orange

kingfisher. Salmon, brown trout

and sea trout provide excitement

for anglers in the glens rivers.

The cliffs are populated with greyand white fulmars, which are not

seagulls, but members of the

petrel family, and expert gliders.

 You may hear the shrieking call

of the Peregrine falcon echoing

for the heights. Large black

cormorants perch on sea rocks or

the remains of old piers, wings

sometimes spread to dry, for the

bird is not naturally waterproof,

and has to spread a body oil on its

plumage to repel water.

Seals occur around the coast.

Usually all you see is a dark head

bobbing in the water, but at Rathlin

Island off Ballycastle, they can be

watched basking on the shore.

The glens provide many habitats - sea, shore,

cliffs and slopes, woods and forests, farms,

bog and moorland, rivers, streams and

small lakes - that support interesting plants,

insects, birds and mammals:

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For cyclists the journey through theGlens of Antrim on the Causeway

Coastal Route provides the link

between the way-marked National

Cycle Route No. 93 Ballyshannon

- Ballycastle and the return leg to

Ballyshannon via Armagh on the

National Cycle Route No.9 starting

from Belfast.

In addition, the Glens of Antrim

have an entire network of quiet

country lanes to enable cyclists to

experience rural life and get close

to nature.

Walkers are also well catered for

with a similar network of quietcountry lanes and way-marked

ways. On a clear day you cansee for miles - green fields, stone

walls and forests with stunning

mountains as a backdrop - and all

the way across to Scotland across

the North Channel.

Whether walking or cycling, these

are journeys not to be hurried, take

time to enjoy the scenery, the people,

the storytelling and the craic!

For full details including guided

tours and fully inclusive packages,

please contact any of the Tourist

Information Offices listed on the

back of this guide.

N O R T H E R N  I R E LAN D 

y o u r  g u i d e t o  c y c l i n g 1 4  C Y C LI N G  R O U T E S 

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 A guide to the Glens of Antrim | 33

Glenarm: Gleann Arma.The glen of the army.Overlooking Glenarm village, eleven miles north of 

Larne on the famous Antrim Coast Road.

Glencloy: Gleann Claidhe.The glen of the hedges.Two miles north of Glenarm, with the village of 

Carnlough at its foot.

Glenariff : Gleann Airimh.The arable or fertile glen.The best known of the nine, which sweeps majestically

towards the village of Waterfoot.

Glenballyeamon: Gleann BhaileEamoinn. Edwardstown glen.At the foot of which is Cushendall, more or less at the

centre of the nine glens.

Glenaan: Gleann Adhann.The glen of the colts foot.Or rush lights, a rugged glen, having the site of 

the legendry Ossian’s Grave, with the Cushendall

Ballymoney mountain road.

Glencorp: Gleann Coirp.The glen of the slaughtered.Close by Glenaan and roughly parallel to the main

road from Cushendall to Cushendun.

Glendun: Gleann Abhain Doinne.The glen of the brown river.Adjacent to Cushendun village; spanned by a viaduct

on the main Cushendall - Ballycastle road

Glenshesk: Gleann Seist.The sedgy glen.East of the town of ballycastle and sweeping towards

the ruins of historical Bonamargy Friary.

Glentaisie: Gleann Taoise Taobh Geal.The Glen of Taisie of the bright sides.

Roughly west of Ballycastle and, like Glenshesk, close

to the town.

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34 | A guide to the Glens of Antrim

With such diverse scenery, it is notsurprising that many areas have

been given protective designations.

 You will find National Nature

Reserves (NNR), Areas of Special

Scientific Interest (ASSI) and other

designations applied to certain

areas. The built heritage has not

been ignored, and there are village

and town Conservation Areas. A

large expanse of the countryside

and coast, containing all nine glens

and comprising 273 square miles,

is listed as an Area of Outstanding

Natural Beauty (AONB).

Farming is a major activity in

Northern Ireland. The countryside

and wildlife of the glens have been

influenced by agriculture. Farmers

are encouraged to join various

voluntary schemes that provideadvice and financial assistance, so

that farming can help maintain an

attractive countryside with a good

variety of wildlife. These agricultural

and environmental initiatives

include the Environmentally

Sensitive Areas programme and

the Countryside Management

Scheme, both administered by the

Department of Agriculture and

Rural Development.

The local authorities in the

glens area, are active in tourism

promotion and provide a variety of 

information services and activities.

Councils also employ Countryside

Officers who ensure that this

valuable asset is protected, while

still ensuring access to the region

is made available to as manypeople as possible.

Ensure you park sensibly and

safely, respect the countryside and

its wildlife, and do not assume a

right to roam at will. Unless on a

way-marked route, it is best to ask

permission to enter farmland or

even open moorland, for much of the glens countryside is privately

owned and farmed. For these

reasons, dogs are best left behind

if you are crossing farmland or high

ground where sheep are wandering.

When exploring the glens,

common sense should be your

constant companion.

When exploring the glens, common sense

should be your constant companion.

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 A guide to the Glens of Antrim | 35

Cahal Dallat, 1990 (reprinted 2004)The Road to the Glens 

(Historic Photographs)

The Friar’s Bush Press, Belfast.

Cahal Dallat, 1991.

 Antrim Coast and Glens:

 A Personal View 

Belfast, HMSO.

Maureen Donnelly, 1974

The Nine Glens

Published by the author and

printed by The Newtownards

Chronicle, Newtownards, Co Down.

Maureen Donnelly, 2000 (revised),

The Nine GlensPublished by the author and

printed by Impact Printing,

Coleraine and Ballycastle.

Environment and Heritage Service. Antrim Coast and Glens. Leaflet.

Department of the Environment.

Tony McAuley, 2000

Tony McAuley’s Glens: Walking 

and Cycling in North Antrim

Cottage Publications,

Donaghadee, Co Down.

 Jon Marshall, 1991

Forgotten Places of the North Coast 

Clegnagh Publishing, Moss-side,

Co Antrim.

Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland

Discoverer Maps Series (1:50 000),

Sheet 5 (Ballycastle) andSheet 9 (Larne)

Published by the Ordnance Survey

of Northern Ireland, Belfast.

The Glens of Antrim HistoricalAssociation

The Glynns 

(journal published annually

since 1973) Cushendall, Co Antrim.

The Glens of Antrim Historical

Society, 2000

From Glynn to Glen: a visual record

of a millennium

Glens of Antrim Historical Society,

Cushendall, Co Antrim.

Sandy Watson, 2004

Old Antrim Coast 

Stenlake Publications, Catrine,

Ayrshire, Scotland.

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Ballycastle

Sheskburn House 7 Mary Street

Ballycastle BT54 6QH

T 028 2076 2024

F 028 2076 2515

E [email protected]

www.moyle-council.org

Ballymena

76 Church Street

Ballymena BT43 6DF

T 028 2563 8494

F 028 2563 8495

E [email protected]

www.ballymena.gov.uk

Ballymoney

Riada House, 14 Charles StreetBallymoney BT53 6DZ

T 028 2766 0200

F 028 2766 0222

E [email protected]

www.ballymoney.gov.uk

Carrickfergus

Museum and Civic Centre

Antrim Street, Carrickfergus BT38 7DG

T 028 9335 8000

F 028 9336 6676

E [email protected]

www.carrickfergus.org

Coleraine 

Railway Road

Coleraine BT52 1PE

T 028 7034 4723

F 028 7035 1756

E [email protected]

www.colerainebc.gov.uk

Larne

Narrow Gauge RoadLarne BT40 1XB

T 028 2826 0088

F 028 2826 0088

E [email protected]

www.larne.gov.uk

Regional Tourist Information Centres

Causeway Coast and Antrim Glens Ltd

11 Lodge Road Coleraine Co. Londonderry

BT52 1LU Northern Ireland

T (028) 7032 7720 F (028) 7032 7719

E [email protected]

Limavady

7 Connell Street

Limavady BT49 0HA

T 028 7776 0307

F 028 7772 2010

E [email protected]

www.limavady.gov.uk

Newtownabbey

Development Services Department

Mossley Mill

Newtownabbey BT36 5QA

T 028 9034 0000

F 028 9034 0062

E [email protected]

www.newtownabbey.gov.uk

IMPORTANT NOTE: The information given in this Guide is given in

good faith on the basis of information submitted to The Causeway

Coast and Glens Limited and McCadden Design Limited. The Causeway

Coast and Glens Limited and McCadden Design Limited cannot

guarantee the accuracy of the information in this Guide and acceptno responsibility for any error or misrepresentation All liability for

Maps reproduced from the 2004 Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland

1:250 000 Ireland North map with the permission of the controller

of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, © Crown Copyright 2004.

Permit ID: 40302

Photography by E Crawford NITB National Trust

This publication has been assisted by the Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust as part of the

Natural Resource Rural Tourism Initiative under the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation.