National Identity of Ballycastle residents (2021)[7][8][9]
Nationality
Per cent
Irish
51.2%
Northern Irish
30.1%
British
23.9%
2021 census
At the time of the 2021 census the population of Ballycastle was 5,628.[6] Of these:
75.5% were from a Catholic and 18.3% were from a Protestant or other Christian background.[10]
2011 census
At the time of the 2011 UK census the population of Ballycastle was 5,237.[11] Of these:
20.2% were aged under 16 years and 17.5% were aged 65 and over
47.5% of the population were male and 52.5% were female
77.1% were from a Catholic and 19.0% were from a Protestant or other Christian background
7.1% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed
History
Ballycastle can trace its history back to the founding of a settlement around Port Brittas, the old name for Ballycastle Bay. It is from here that it has been suggested that Fergus Mór mac Eirc, a purported king of Dalriada, sailed to Scotland and founded a large colony throughout Argyll.[12]
The settlement around Dunaneeny Castle, along with the settlements at Bonamargy Friary and the castle in the area of the Diamond merged to become the present day town. It is from this castle, that stood on the site of Holy Trinity Church, which the town derived its name. Ballycastle Castle which had been in the possession of the MacDonnell's, before being seized by both Scottish and later Cromwellian troops, fell into disrepair with the last remaining walls being removed in the 19th century.[12]
Around the year 1786 Hugh Boyd, the son of the rector of Ramoan parish church, obtained a lease and permission from parliament to build a new harbour and pier to protect shipping. He is known for establishing coal shafts, potteries, a glass factory and a number of industries which under his care saw Ballycastle become a flourishing town. Hugh Boyd is credited for the construction or establishment of a number of buildings that still stand in the town today.[12]
The Ould Lammas Fair, historically a lamb sale, has now become a street get together with market stalls, busking and street performers, attracting upwards of sixty thousand people each year. The fair is normally held Bank holiday Monday and Tuesday at end of August based on the fact that fairs were always held on last Tuesday of the month. (When the bank holiday is the last day of August the fair occurs a week earlier.)
Fair Head is a headland near Ballycastle that rises 196 metres (643 ft) out of the bay. There is a man-made Iron Agecrannóg in the middle of a large lake at the top.[15]
Knocklayde, a heather-covered mountain with a height of 1,685 feet (514 m), is crowned by Carn na Truagh (the Cairn of Sorrow), and has views over Ballycastle, Rathlin Island, Fair Head, and Scotland.[16]
Glentaisie, the most northerly of the nine Glens of Antrim ('the Glynns'), lies at the foot of Knocklayde mountain. It is named after the Princess Taisie, the daughter of King Dorm of Rathlin Island. According to legend, Taisie, renowned for her great beauty, was betrothed to Congal, heir to the Kingdom of Ireland. The King of Norway also sought her hand in marriage, and when he arrived to claim his bride, her wedding celebrations to Congal had begun. The king and his army tried to capture Taisie, but in the subsequent battle he was killed, and his army fled leaderless and empty-handed.
The Carey, Glenshesk and Tow Rivers flow down from the Glens into the Margy River. It then flows into the Moyle Sea at the start of the Strand.[17][failed verification]
The Strand's Ballycastle Beach is designated a Blue Flag beach.
Pans Rocks, which are the remains of an iron salt pan lying at the far end of Ballycastle Beach, jut out into the sea and are a popular spot for fishing.
The Marconi memorial
The Devils Churn, lying just beyond Pans Rocks, has steps carved into the stone leading to an underwater tunnel.
Clare Park on Clare Road, was an estate owned by the then-local landed gentry, the McGildownys. The 17th-century house has been pulled down but it was set in a site high up on the Antrim coast.
The Corrymeela Community (a Christian organisation promoting peace and reconciliation, founded in 1965) is based at Corrymeela, just outside Ballycastle.
Close to the beach, there is a sculpture of the Children of Lir. According to the legend, the children were cursed to spend 300 years on the Sea of Moyle, upon which Ballycastle is a coastal town.
Buildings of note
Church of the Holy Trinity
St Patrick's and St Brigid's Church is a Catholic church located on Moyle Road. Known locally as 'the Chapel', it was initially designed by Fr. Jeremiah McAuley who also designed St. Peter's Cathedral in Belfast. It was erected in 1870. An octagonal spire was added in 1898 and there were further alterations in 1993. The spire was used as a mast by Marconi to send the first radio broadcast to Rathlin Island in 1898.[18]
Holy Trinity Parish Church is a Church of Ireland church in The Diamond, Ballycastle's main square. Like the rest of The Diamond, the church is Grade 'A' listed. Built by Colonel Hugh Boyd, who bore the total cost, the church was completed in 1756 and is popularly known as Boyd's Church. It was built in Graeco-Italian style with an apse-shaped chancel, and an octagonal spire about 100 feet (30 m) high. It was effectively a chapel for the Boyd family and its estate for many years. The remains of many Boyd descendants are in the vaults below – although it was always subject to Episcopal jurisdiction. It was given to the Church of Ireland in about 1950. The church is open every day from 9am-5pm.
Kinbane Castle is on a headland projecting into the sea, about 3 miles (5 km) from Ballycastle on the road to Ballintoy. Originally a two-storey building, it was built in 1547 by Colla MacDonnell, who died within its walls in 1558.
The Ballycastle Presbyterian Church located in Castle Street has a distinctive round tower.[19]
Transport
Rathlin Island Ferry, Ballycastle Harbour
Bus services in Ballycastle are operated by Translink.
A ferry runs between the town and Rathlin Island as part of a lifeline service. Since 2008 this ferry has been operated by the Rathlin Island Ferry Ltd[20] but previously it had been operated by Caledonian MacBrayne beginning in 1996.[21]
A passenger ferry service to Campbeltown on Scotland's Kintyre peninsula, and Port Ellen on Islay, operated by Kintyre Express, runs seven days during summer months and only on Mondays and Fridays during winter months.[22] Sea Containers Ltd previously ran a ferry from Ballycastle to Campbeltown from 1997 to June 2002.[23]
Loyalist paramilitaries left a car bomb outside the Roman Catholic church (St. Patrick's & St. Brigid's) in the town on 26 August 1973. It was timed to explode as massgoers left the church. But the service ran late, and the bomb detonated when the congregation were still inside the church, avoiding large-scale loss of life. 50 people were injured, 3 of them seriously.[24]
On 19 June 1979 the Irish Republican Army bombed five hotels in different seaside towns in Northern Ireland, including Ballycastle's Marine Hotel. William Whitten, a 65-year-old Protestant hotel guest, was seriously injured in the blast; he died three weeks later.[25][26]
Spence McGarry (46), an off-duty member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), was killed when a Provisional Irish Republican Army booby trap bomb attached to his car exploded in Castle Street car park, Ballycastle on 6 April 1991.[27] Gerard Butler was convicted in 1993 for the attack, and sentenced to 22 years in prison.[28]
In 2001, there was an attempt at mass murder by the Red Hand Defenders when a car bomb was left in Castle Street during the annual Lammas Fair.[29]
Parade disputes
In the past, there has been unrest during Orange Order parades in the town. In 2001, there was serious public disorder at 12 July parade. As a result of this, the Silver Plains flute band, from nearby Moyarget, was banned from marching in the town due to allegations of sectarian conduct and paramilitary trappings.[30]
Climate
As with the rest of Northern Ireland, Ballycastle experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. The nearest official Met Officeweather station for which online records are available is at Ballypatrick Forest,[31] about 4 miles (6.4 km) east-southeast of Ballypatrick.
Sports of local interest include tennis, bowling (Mary Street), hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, (Whitehall/Leyland Road), soccer, golf, quidditch and skateboarding.[citation needed]There is additionally a local pool league between the various pubs in the town.
Golf
Ballycastle Golf Club offers an 18-hole championship course open year-round to both members and non-members.[33] The course is one of the four courses played each June in the world-renowned Causeway Coast Golf Tournament.[34]
Tennis
During the Summer, the town hosts two tennis tournaments, one of which is run by the Moyle District Council.[35]
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