BALLINTOY,
a parish, in the barony of CAREY, County of ANTRIM,
and province of ULSTER, 4 miles (N.W.) from Ballycastle;
containing 4061 inhabitants, of which number, 278 are in the village.
This parish
is situated on the most northern part of the coast of Antrim, which
is here diversified with creeks and bays, and with cliffs and headlands
of singular and romantic appearance. It lies opposite to the north-west
point of the island of Rathlin, and
comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 12,753 3/4 acres (including
Sheep and Carrickarede islands), of which about one-half
is arable, one-third pasture, and the remainder hog. The surface is
boldly varied: immediately above the village rises the lofty hill of
Knocksoghy, covered with rock and furze ; there is also another
hill called Croaghmore, which rises to a great height, and may
be seen at a great distance; its sides are arable, and on the summit,
which is fine pasture, without any heath, are a cairn of stones and
some graves. The land about the village and near White Park bay
is in a high state of cultivation. Sea-weed, of which some is made into
kelp, and shell sand and lime are the chief manures. The village contains
about 60 houses: the road from Ballycastle to Bushmills
passes through the parish, and commands some pleasantly diversified
scenery and some highly romantic views, among which are White Park
bay and the beautiful windings of the shore studded with detached
masses of basaltic rock and limestone.
Near it
is Mount Druid, the residence of the Rev. Robert Trail,
a handsome mansion deriving its name from the Druidical relic on the
hill above it.
In the
hills are found mines of wood-coal, which seems to be peculiar to this
part of the coast : it is found in strata generally under basalt, varying
from two inches to two feet in thickness, and displays
the grain, knots, roots, and branches of timber; it is generally used
as domestic fuel, but its disagreeable smell renders it very ineligible
for that purpose. These mines belong of right to the Antrim family,
who are lords in fee; but their claim has never been asserted to prevent
the tenants raising as much coal as they might require. There are extensive
quarries of good stone, which is obtained for building and also for
repairing the roads; and limestone abounds in the parish. Some of the
inhabitants are employed in spinning yarn and weaving, but the greater
number are engaged in agriculture. There are salmon fisheries at Portbraddon,
Carrickarede, and Laryban, on the coast. The insulated rock
of Carrickarede is separated from the main land by a chasm 60
feet wide and more than 80 feet deep; at this place the salmon are intercepted
in their retreat to the rivers. The fishing commences early in spring
and continues till August: a rude bridge of ropes is every year thrown
across the chasm, which remains during the season, and a singular kind
of fishery is carried on, which is generally very productive. The other
fish taken off this coast are glassen, grey gurnet, cod, lythe, ling,
sea trout, mackerel, and turbot: a species of red cod, and a small thick
red fish of indifferent quality, called murranroe, are also found here.
About 80 boats are employed in the fishery, which are drawn up in the
several creeks along the shore; there are also several bays, into one
of which, called Port Camply, vessels of light tonnage occasionally
sail from the Scottish coast. At Port Ballintoy there is a coast-guard
station, which is one of the eight stations that form the district of
Ballycastle. Fairs are held in the village for horses, Scotch
ponies, cattle, pigs, and pedlery, on June 3rd, Sept. 4th, and Oct.
14th. The parish is within the jurisdiction of the manorial court of
Ballycastle, which is held there every month.
The living
is a rectory, in the diocese of Connor,
and in the patronage of the Bishop: the tithes amount to £415.
7sh. 8d. The church, a plain edifice with a spire,was rebuilt on the
site of the ancient structure, in 1818, by aid of a gift of £800
from the late Board of First Fruits; it is romantically situated on
a plain on the sea-shore, backed by lofty hills. The glebe-house was
built by the present incumbent in 1791, and is situated on a glebe of
40 acres, subject to a rent of £25. 5sh. Late currency.
In the
R.C. divisions this parish is united to that of Armoy,
and contains a small chapel.
There
is a place of worship for Presbyterians in connection with the Synod
of Ulster.
A parochial
school was founded and endowed by Mrs. Jane Stewart, under whose
will the master is appointed by the vestry held at Easter, and has a
salary of £15 per annum. At Prollisk and Island
Macallen are two schools, supported by a society of which the
late Dr. Adams was the originator, which, with the parochial
school, afford instruction to about 240 boys and 80 girls; and there
are also three private schools, in which are about 90 boys and 30 girls.
The splendid ruins of Dunseverick castle, one of the earliest
Scottish fortresses, situated on a bold and isolated rock projecting
into the sea, at the north-west extremity of the parish, and formerly
the seat of the O'Cahans, form an interesting feature on the
coast; traces of the outworks are still visible, and the remains of
the keep, consisting only of part of the shell crowning the summit of
the rock, which has been rendered more inaccessible by clearing away
immense masses from the base, in order to make it the more precipitous,
derive much interest from the singularity of their situation. At Port
Coan, near the Giants' Causeway, a singular cavern, the sides
and roof of which are formed of round pebbles imbedded in a matrix of
basalt of great hardness. At the other extremity of the parish, on the
sea-coast to the east of the village, and about a mile from the road
leading to Ballycastle, are the ruins of Mac Allister's castle,
a small fortress erected by the native chieftain whose name it bears,
but at what precise period is not known; it is situated on the verge
of a frightful chasm, on the lower extremity of an abrupt headland connected
with the shore by a narrow isthmus, which is perforated at its base
by several caverns, in one of which are some basaltic columns. There
are some remains of the ancient church of Templeastragh, the
burial-ground of which is still in use.
