Ballycastle, County Antrim facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ballycastle
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 Ballycastle harbour |
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 Ballycastle
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| Population | 5,628 (2021 census) |
| Irish grid reference | D115407 |
| • Belfast | 55 miles (89 km) |
| District |
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| County | |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BALLYCASTLE |
| Postcode district | BT54 |
| Dialling code | 028 |
| Police | Northern Ireland |
| Fire | Northern Ireland |
| Ambulance | Northern Ireland |
| EU Parliament | Northern Ireland |
| UK Parliament |
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| NI Assembly |
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Ballycastle is a lovely seaside town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Its name comes from the Irish Baile an Chaistil, meaning "town of the castle."
This town sits on the very north-eastern coast of Ireland. It is part of the beautiful Antrim Coast and Glens Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Ballycastle is right in the middle of the Causeway Coastal Route. It's a great starting point for exploring the Glens of Antrim and the North Coast. Many famous spots are nearby, like the Giant's Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, and the Dark Hedges. This makes Ballycastle a popular place for tourists to visit and stop.
The town also has a wide, sandy bay and beach. From here, you can see Fair Head and Knocklayde mountain. Ballycastle has even been called one of the "Best Places To Live" in Northern Ireland by The Sunday Times.
The harbour in Ballycastle is busy. You can catch a ferry here to Rathlin Island. There's also a smaller boat service to Campbeltown and Port Ellen in Scotland. On a clear day, you can see both Rathlin Island and Scotland's Kintyre peninsula from the coast!
Every year, the famous Ould Lammas Fair takes place in Ballycastle. It happens on the last Monday and Tuesday of August. Ballycastle is also home to the Corrymeela Community, a group that works for peace.
In 2021, Ballycastle had a population of 5,628 people. It used to be the main town for the Moyle District Council.
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Who Lives in Ballycastle?
Ballycastle is home to a mix of people. In the 2021 census, the town had 5,628 residents.
Most people in Ballycastle (75.5%) said they were from a Catholic background. About 18.3% were from a Protestant or other Christian background.
Ballycastle's History
Ballycastle has a long history, going back to a settlement around Port Brittas. This was the old name for Ballycastle Bay. Some believe that Fergus Mór mac Eirc, an ancient king, sailed from here to Scotland. He may have founded a large settlement there.
From the late 1300s, the MacDonnells of Antrim controlled this area. They were a powerful family. By the 1500s, a famous leader named Sorley Boy MacDonnell made sure his family ruled both the Glens and the Route area.
The town we see today grew from several smaller settlements. These included areas around Dunaneeny Castle, Bonamargy Friary, and a castle near The Diamond. The town gets its name from this castle, which once stood where Holy Trinity Church is now. Ballycastle Castle was owned by the MacDonnells. It later fell apart, and its last walls were removed in the 1800s.
Around 1786, a man named Hugh Boyd helped Ballycastle grow a lot. He built a new harbour and pier to protect ships. He also started coal mines, pottery factories, and a glass factory. Under his care, Ballycastle became a busy and successful town. Many buildings he helped create are still standing today.
How Ballycastle is Governed
Ballycastle is part of The Glens district electoral area (DEA). This area is managed by the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council. In the 2019 local elections, people in this area chose representatives from different political parties to serve on the council.
Fun Places to Visit
The Ould Lammas Fair is a huge event each year. It used to be a lamb sale, but now it's a big street party. You'll find market stalls, street musicians, and performers. Over sixty thousand people come to the fair! It's usually held on the last Monday and Tuesday of August.
- Fair Head is a tall headland near Ballycastle. It rises 196 metres (643 feet) out of the bay. At the top, there's a man-made island from the Iron Age in a large lake.
- Knocklayde is a mountain covered in heather. It is 1,685 feet (514 metres) high. From its top, called Carn na Truagh (the Cairn of Sorrow), you can see Ballycastle, Rathlin Island, Fair Head, and even Scotland.
- Glentaisie is the most northern of the nine Glens of Antrim. It sits at the foot of Knocklayde mountain. It's named after Princess Taisie, who was known for her great beauty. Legend says she was supposed to marry the heir to Ireland. When the King of Norway tried to take her, a battle happened, and he was defeated.
- The Carey, Glenshesk, and Tow Rivers flow from the Glens into the Margy River. This river then flows into the sea at the start of the Strand.
- Ballycastle Beach, on the Strand, is a very clean and safe beach. It has a special award called a Blue Flag.
- Pans Rocks are the remains of an old iron salt pan. They stick out into the sea at the end of Ballycastle Beach. It's a popular spot for fishing.
- The Devils Churn is just past Pans Rocks. It has steps carved into the stone that lead to an underwater tunnel.
- Clare Park was once a large estate with a 17th-century house. Though the house is gone, it was in a beautiful spot high on the Antrim coast.
- The Corrymeela Community is a Christian group that works for peace. It was started in 1965 and is based just outside Ballycastle.
- Near the harbour, there's a monument to Guglielmo Marconi. His team made the world's first commercial wireless radio message. It was sent between Ballycastle and the East Lighthouse on Rathlin Island.
- Close to the beach, you can see a sculpture of the Children of Lir. This is from an old legend where children were turned into swans. They spent 300 years on the Sea of Moyle, which Ballycastle is on.
Important Buildings
- St Patrick's and St Brigid's Church is a Catholic church on Moyle Road. Locals call it 'the Chapel'. It was built in 1870. An octagonal spire was added in 1898. This spire was used by Marconi to send the first radio broadcast to Rathlin Island!
- Holy Trinity Parish Church is a Church of Ireland church in The Diamond, Ballycastle's main square. It was built by Colonel Hugh Boyd and finished in 1756. It's often called Boyd's Church. It has a unique Graeco-Italian style and a tall, octagonal spire. Many of the Boyd family are buried in vaults beneath the church.
- Bonamargy Friary is an old Franciscan monastery built in 1485. It's located off the Cushendall Road. Famous people, like the chieftain Sorley Boy MacDonnell, are buried here.
- Dunaneeny Castle is a ruined castle on the cliffs overlooking Ballycastle Bay. It was the birthplace of Sorley Boy MacDonnell.
- Kinbane Castle is on a headland sticking out into the sea. It's about 5 kilometres (3 miles) from Ballycastle. It was built in 1547.
- The Ballycastle Presbyterian Church on Castle Street has a special round tower.
Getting Around Ballycastle
Bus services in Ballycastle are run by Translink.
A ferry regularly travels between Ballycastle and Rathlin Island. This ferry is very important for the islanders.
You can also take a passenger ferry to Campbeltown in Scotland's Kintyre peninsula. Another ferry goes to Port Ellen on Islay. These ferries run more often in summer.
Ballycastle used to have a railway station. It opened in 1880 as part of the Ballycastle Railway. This narrow gauge railway ran for 17 miles (27 kilometres) to Ballymoney. The railway closed a long time ago.
Ballycastle and the Troubles
During a period known as the Troubles in Northern Ireland, there were some difficult events in Ballycastle.
- In 1973, a car bomb was left near the Catholic church. Luckily, the church service ran late, and most people were still inside when it exploded. This prevented many deaths, but 50 people were hurt.
- In 1979, a hotel in Ballycastle was bombed. A 65-year-old hotel guest was badly hurt and sadly died later.
- In 1991, an off-duty police officer was killed by a bomb attached to his car in a car park.
- In 2001, there was another attempt to cause harm with a car bomb during the annual Lammas Fair.
Sports in Ballycastle
Ballycastle has many sports for people to enjoy. These include tennis, bowling, hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, soccer, golf, and skateboarding. There's even a local pool league between the pubs!
Golf
Ballycastle Golf Club has an 18-hole course. It's open all year for both members and visitors. This course is one of four used in the famous Causeway Coast Golf Tournament every June.
Tennis
In the summer, Ballycastle hosts two tennis tournaments. One of them is run by the local council.
Soccer
Ballycastle United Football Club joined with Moyle FC in 2011. The team now plays in the Coleraine and District morning league.
Bowls
Ballycastle Bowling Club has a beautiful outdoor setting right by the sea.
Famous People from Ballycastle
Many notable people have connections to Ballycastle:
From the 1500s
- Sorley Boy MacDonnell (c.1505–1590) – A Scottish-Irish prince born near Ballycastle.
From the 1600s
- The 1st Viscount Longford (1669–1726) – A politician buried in the MacDonnell family tomb at Bonamargy Friary.
From the 1700s
- Hugh Boyd (1746–1794) – A writer who helped Ballycastle grow.
- John Surman Carden (1771–1858) – A British Royal Navy officer who died in Ballycastle.
From the 1800s
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- John Samuel Bewley Monsell (1811–1875) – A clergyman and hymn writer.
- Sir Roger Casement (1864–1916) – A writer and Irish revolutionary whose father was from Ballycastle.
- Dame Louise McIlroy (1874–1968) – A medical doctor whose father was a doctor in Ballycastle.
- Robert Quigg (1885–1955) – A soldier who received the Victoria Cross for bravery.
From the 1900s
- Helen Megaw (1907–2002) – A crystallographer (someone who studies crystals).
- Donal Lamont (1911–2003) – A Bishop nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
- Michael Dallat (1925–2000) – An Auxiliary Bishop.
- Keith Cardinal O'Brien (1938–2018) – A Cardinal who was a leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland.
- David McWilliams (1945–2002) – A folk singer and musician.
- Conleth Hill (born 1964) – A well-known actor.
Images for kids
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Ballycastle harbour
See also
In Spanish: Ballycastle para niños
