The name comes from Mac Aodha (Magee) a prominent Irish family in the area. An earlier Irish name was Rinn Seimhne (peninsula of (the district of) Seimhne) from an original tribal name.[1]
The Bissett family held the tenancy of the peninsula in Elizabeth I's reign (1558 - 1603), their rent being an annual offering of goshawks, birds which bred on the rugged white chalk cliffs nearby.
At the outset of the Irish Rebellion of 1641, a number of Catholic residents were murdered by Scottish and English troops from the nearby garrison at Carrickfergus; despite claims by an anonymous 17th century author that this amounted to "above 3,000 men women and children",[2] the true figure is now thought to have been two dozen.[3] This is alleged to be the first massacre to take place during the rebellion and the War of the Three Kingdoms.[4]
In 1711, the Islandmagee witch trial resulted in eight women being convicted of witchcraft and sentenced to a year's imprisonment. The last such trial to take place in Ireland, it is hoped to include these in a new historical tour.[5]
In the 19th century, the first dinosaur fossil bones found on in Ireland were discovered near Islandmagee.[6]
Archaeology
Islandmagee is the home of the Ballylumford Dolmen. Known locally as the "Druid's Altar", this megalithic monument could date to 2500 BC (The Early Bronze Age), or be the remains of an earlier Neolithic simple passage tomb dating to c. 4000 BC. It consists of four upright stones, with a heavy capstone and a fallenstone within the structure. The fallenstone may have been put there to block the entrance to the tomb.[7]
Neolithic houses have been excavated at Ballyharry, on the Islandmagee peninsula.[8] Finds included Neolithic pottery, flint arrowheads, javelin heads, polished stone axe fragments and quernstones.[9]
Dinosaur remains were found in the area in the 19th century and in the 20th century. These were the first find of dinosaur fossil bones ever found in Ireland.[10]
Gas storage project
The Gas storage project, owned by famous ship building firm Harland & Wolff, will consist of 7 caverns storing up to 500 million cubic meters of gas and is the only one in North West Europe to have 'Project of Common Interest' status from the European Union. Isandmagee Energy- About Us, Isandmagee Energy, 21 August 2021, retrieved 26 August 2021 The facility is expected to provide 25% of the UK's gas capacity when it is completed. Preston, Allan (13 August 2021). "Former naval chief joins board of Harland & Wolff owners". The Belfast Telegraph. London.
The peninsula is part of the parish of Island Magee. The boundaries of the parish and the peninsula match.
Controversy
The gasline project is the subject of objections, citing "concerns of harm to dolphins, porpoise and whales". This caused the Environment Agency to extend the response time for consultation.[11][12] In January 2022, the group "No Gas Caverns Islandmagee" confirmed that they have mounted a legal challenge against the project.[13][14]
There has also been controversy over commemorating the Islandmagee Witch Trials. A local councillor said it would be a 'shrine to paganism'.[15] But others have said it should go ahead. One historian citing "It's a dark event in our history - but it happened. People are fascinated by what happened at the Islandmagee witch trials, and the council could get a lot more tourism value from their interest".[16]
Townlands
The civil parish contains the following townlands:[17]
