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.

Dunluce Castle 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, 21^st 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!