Antrim,
located in the most north-eastern part
of Ireland, is home to one of the great
wonders of the natural world..
The
lunar landscape of the Giant's Causeway, lurking
below the gaunt sea wall where the land ends, must
have struck wonder into the hearts of the ancient
Irish. The Causeway is a geological freak, caused
by volcanic eruptions, and cooling lava.
The Causeway is a geological freak, caused
by volcanic eruptions, and cooling lava.
The ancients knew differently: clearly this
was giants' work and, more particularly, the
work of the giant Finn McCool, the Ulster warrior
and commander of the king of Ireland's armies.
Finn could pick thorns out of his heels while running
and was capable of amazing feats of strength.
Once, during a fight with a Scottish giant,
he scooped up a huge clod of earth and flung
it at his fleeing rival. The clod fell into
the sea and turned into the Isle of Man. The
hole it left filled up with water and became
Lough Neagh.
The Causeway proper is a mass of basalt
columns packed tightly together. The tops of
the columns form stepping stones that lead
from the cliff foot and disappear under the
sea. Altogether there are 40,000 of these stone
columns, mostly hexagonal but some with four,
five, seven and eight sides. The tallest are
about 40 feet high, and the solidified lava
in the cliffs is 90 feet thick in places.
The haunting ruins of this Dunluce
Castle, just east of Portrush, date to the
16th and 17th centuries. It teeters on the
edge of a rocky headland, thanks to a violent
storm in 1639 that caused a portion of the
castle's kitchen, along with cooks and cookware,
to tumble into the sea. It was the main fort
of the Irish MacDonnells, chiefs of Antrim.
There is much to see and do in Antrim.
With amazing scenery and some of the finest
golf courses in the world, Antrim will provide
a memorable experience for all visitors.
Main Antrim Tourist Attractions Include :
The Giants
Causeway While none of Ireland’s
man-made or natural features received any recognition
in the ancient
Wonders of the World we can only presume that
the ancient Greeks and Romans who compiled
that list did not have the opportunity to visit
County Antrim!
No better contender for this role could be found than the
legendary Fionn Mac Cumhail, a giant among giants.
It is told (by a very reliable source!) that during a fight
with a Scottish giant, he scooped up a huge clod of earth
and flung it at his fleeing rival. The remaining cavity filled
with water and formed Lough Neagh while the clod, landing
in the middle of the Irish Sea, would eventually form the
Isle of Man.
On another occasion he spied with his sharp eyes a lady giant
on the island of Staffa with whom he fell in love. To allow
her cross to Ulster without the inconvenience of wetting
her feet, he built a highway of stepping-stones from Antrim
to Scotland, the present Giant’s Causeway.
Rathlin
Island A rare place, wild, beautiful and of extraordinary
ecological value and social interest.
This island lies 6 miles off Ballycastle in Northeast Ireland
and 16 miles from the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland. It is
eight miles long and less than one mile wide.
Shaped like a boot made with layers of basalt on limestone
on the higher parts. It is surrounded by limestone and basalt
sea cliffs reaching 470 ft in places. Three lighthouses stand
as monument to its wild coast while over 40 recorded shipwrecks
lie in the depths of underwater cliffs, caves and a marine
botanical paradise.
Islandmagee A beautiful coastal country paradise ideal
for golfing, sea fishing, diving, horse riding
and bird watching. Islandmagee is 8 miles long
and is joined to the mainland by an attractive
raised causeway
Carnlough A relaxed fishing village at the foot of
the famous Antrim Glens. This site contains
a wealth of tourism information on the area
Broughshane – Tha
Garden Village of Ulster The village of Broughshane is world famous
for its floral displays. The competitions the
village has won include Ulster in Bloom ,Britain
in Bloom, Europe in Bloom, Nations in Bloom
Cullybackey Cullybackey is the Ancestral Home of Chester Alan Arthur,
21st President of the United States
of America.
Glenarm
Forest Park Glenarm Forest Park
is an 800-acre nature preserve once part of
the demesne of Glenarm Castle, but now dedicated
for public use as a peaceful picnic sanctuary
and woodland trail, maintained by the Ulster
Wildlife Trust. Through a stone archway at
the top of Altmore Street visitors can stroll
along the riverbank under towering spruce trees,
ancient oaks and sycamores following different
pathways marked on the map at the car park.
No matter what the season, a walk in Glenarm
Forest offers views of the Castle, waterfalls,
wild flowers, native plants, and a chorus of
birdsong. Open during daylight hours only
Cushendall On the main Coast Road the 'The Capital
of the Glens' is at the foot of the Lurigethan
Mountain. As a Conservation area it is steeped
in history, an example of this is the perfectly
preserved Turnley's nineteenth century Curfew
Tower, the focal point of
the village. Visit the Layde Graveyard which is said to be
one of the oldest and most important historical sites in
the Glens of Antrim. As a parish it dates back to before
1288.
Further highligts on the Antrim
coastline include the stunning Carrick-a-rede
rope bridge which spans a gaping chasm between
the coast and a small island and Dunluce
Castle, famous for its history and breath-taking
views. p And all this before you experience
the Glens of Antrim!
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