The Black Nun's Grave, Ballycastle

The headstone in front of you is said to mark the grave of Julia McQuillan, otherwise known as the Black Nun. It's said that the Julia lived in Bonamargy Friary after it was abandoned by the Fransiscan monks.

The story of the Black Nun is shared on Robert Starrs' site -

On a wild stormy night the sinful sister of the "black nun" crept to the door of the cell where she was praying. The poor repentant woman implored her sister Julia to pray for her, but she would not answer, and upon being touched fled from her cell out into the graveyard, where she continued to pray in the storm. After a time she beheld issuing from the cell she had vacated beautiful gleams of light. Wonder¬ing at the sight she approached the cell, and, looking in, beheld her repentant sister kneeling on the floor with her hands in prayer in the centre of the gleam of light, and she heard a voice saying, "Come unto Me and I will give you rest," and her sister replied, "I come," and died, the light fading away. The "black nun" at once perceived how wicked she had been, and how her sinful sister was nearer heaven than she was, practising her austerities alone. After that night it is said she never ceased succouring the sick, the poor, and the fallen.

The placement of Julia McQuillan's grave is interesting - it's at the former doorway to the Friary chapel. It's been said that she requested to be buried there out of humilty so that people would walk over her on their way into the chapel.

Apparently, Julia also gave up on being buried in a coffin, requesting that she be buried without one and that another poor person should have hers.