Ballycastle is a traditional seaside town in the Moyle district of County Antrim, set against a backdrop of forest parks, rivers, glens, and mountains, with the North Channel on its doorstep.
The seafront is the town’s main draw, with views across to Rathlin Island, Fair Head, Kinbane Head, and the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland. Along it you’ll find the marina, Bonamargy Friary, a golf course, tennis courts, a bowling green, and the mouth of the River Margy, alongside the town’s pubs, cafes, restaurants, and places to stay. The tennis courts and bowling green sit on a genuine piece of history — the site of the original 18th- century harbour, dug out of the riverbed and long since filled in.
Ballycastle has punched above its weight musically, too — Quay Road Hall, on Ann Street, hosted the showband circuit through the 1950s and 60s, drawing acts that played the same ballroom trail as Portrush’s Arcadia and the Golden Slipper at Milligan. Among the names who played it: Engelbert Humperdinck, and — genuinely — the Rolling Stones.
The town was formerly two distinct settlements — the Upper Town, centred on the Diamond and Holy Trinity Church, and the Lower Town around the harbour — before growing into the single town seen today. The old courthouse on Castle Street now houses Ballycastle Museum, covering the town and Glens’ folk history.