Ballycastle

Having been a resident of Ballycastle for some 18 years and a frequent visitor ever since, two distinctive sights remind me that I'm home: Knocklayde Mountain - that hulking, brooding giant that stands watch over the town - and Fair Head, the distinctive cliff which beautifully frames the Ballycastle beach to the east.

Kinbane Castle (also known as Kenbane, meaning "white headland") is a little-known jewel in the North Coast of County Antrim. A secluded ruin at the bottom of a steep cliff face, the castle commands excellent views of the surrounding coastline with Fair Head to the East and Rathlin Island to the North. Travelling further west will take you past Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge and on to the Giants Causeway.

There is an air of peace and solitude at Kinbane which is difficult to find elsewhere, perhaps because the castle is slightly off the beaten track. It is situated atop a huge limestone outcrop which rises from the rocky shore to 100 feet at its far end.

A Short History Of Bonamargy Friary

It is only appropriate to begin by mentioning that the olde worlde pronunciation of Bonamargy was Bun-na-Mairgie, which means "at the foot of the Margy". The Friary can be found on the road out of Ballycastle, on the Cushendall road. The Friary is situated in the middle of Ballycastle's golf course, and is a stone's throw from the beach. As you pass out of town, you will see the ruins on the right hand side in the midst of Ballycastle's golf course - it's a good job the Friary doesn't have windows!