Glens of Antrim

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Glenariff Glenariff.jpg
Glenariff
Glendun: the Glendun Viaduct can just be made out among the trees in the middle distance, and on the skyline is Crocknamoyle Glendun - geograph.org.uk - 465779.jpg
Glendun: the Glendun Viaduct can just be made out among the trees in the middle distance, and on the skyline is Crocknamoyle

The Glens of Antrim (Irish: Glinnte Aontroma), [1] known locally as simply The Glens, is a region of County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It comprises nine glens (valleys), that radiate from the Antrim Plateau to the coast. The Glens are an area of outstanding natural beauty and are a major tourist attraction in north Antrim.

Contents

The main towns and villages in the Glens are Ballycastle, Cushendun, Cushendall, Waterfoot, Carnlough and Glenarm.

The Lordship of the Glens

From the mid-13th century onward, the Lordship of The Glens belonged to the Bissett family, Anglo-Norman in origin but Gaelicized over generations. With the marriage of John Mor Macdonald, second son of John of Islay, Lord of the Isles, to Margery Bisset in the late 14th century, the Glens came into the ownership of the MacDonnells of Antrim. John Mor gained the title Lord of Dunyvaig and the Glens. [2]

The nine glens

From north to south, the nine glens are:

Irish nameMeaningRef
Glentaisie Gleann TaiseTaise's valley/damp valley [3] [4]
Glenshesk Gleann Seiscbarren valley [3]
Glendun Gleann Doinnevalley of the [river] Dun [3] [4]
GlencorpGleann Corpvalley of the body (or bodies) [3] [5]
GlenaanGleann Athainvalley of the burial chamber [4] [6]
GlenballyeamonGleann Bhaile Uí Dhíomáin
Gleann Bhaile Éamainn		valley of Ó Díomáin's town
valley of Éamonn's town		 [3] [4]
Glenariff Gleann Aireamhvalley of the ploughman/arable valley [3] [6]
GlencloyGleann Claidheamhvalley of the sword [3]
Glenarm Gleann Armavalley of the army [3] [6]

Tenth glen

Glenravel is sometimes considered a tenth glen. It lies to the southwest of Glenballyeamon and Glenariff, being separated from the latter by the Glenariff forest park.

The main settlements of Glenravel are Cargan, Martinstown and Skerry (Newtowncrommelin).

Archaeology

Madman's Window in Antrim, ca. 1860 (National Library of Ireland) Madmans Window in Antrim.jpg
Madman's Window in Antrim, ca. 1860 (National Library of Ireland)

Artifacts of the Neolithic period have been found in various places of the Glens of Antrim including Bay Farm II and Madman's Window. [7]

The Glens are mentioned in the song "Ireland's Call". DI Sean Duffy, in the Troubles mysteries by Adrian McKinty, is from the Glens.

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cushendall</span> Village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dervock</span> Village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Dervock is a small village and townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is about 3.5 miles (6 km) northeast of Ballymoney, on the banks of the River Bush. It is situated in the civil parish of Derrykeighan and the historic barony of Dunluce Lower. It had a population of 714 people in the 2011 Census.

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Dál nAraidi or Dál Araide, sometimes latinised as Dalaradia or anglicised as Dalaray, was a Cruthin kingdom, or possibly a confederation of Cruthin tribes, in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages. It was part of the over-kingdom of Ulaid, and its kings often contended with the Dál Fiatach for the over-kingship of the province. At its greatest extent, the borders of Dál nAraidi roughly matched those of County Antrim, and they seemed to occupy the same area as the earlier Robogdii of Ptolemy's Geography, a region shared with Dál Riata. Their capital was Ráth Mór outside Antrim, and their eponymous ancestor is claimed as being Fiachu Araide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waterfoot, County Antrim</span> Village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Waterfoot or Glenariff is a small coastal village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is at the foot of Glenariff, one of the Glens of Antrim, within the historic barony of Glenarm Lower and the civil parishes of Ardclinis and Layd. The village is in the townland of Warren, 16 miles (26 km) north-east of Ballymena. The 2001 Census recorded a population of 504 inhabitants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cargan</span> Hamlet in County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Cargan is a hamlet and townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It lies at the foot of Slievenanee in Glenravel – locally known as "The Tenth Glen" along with the more widely known nine Glens of Antrim. It is part of Mid and East Antrim district. It had a population of 588 people in the 2011 Census.

Martinstown is a small village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Located 6 miles from Ballymena, it is situated in Glenravel, locally known as "The Tenth Glen", alongside the widely known nine Glens of Antrim.

Ballyvoy is a small village and townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is on the main A2 coast road 5 km east of Ballycastle and 17 km north west of Cushendall. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 72 people. It lies within the Antrim Coast and Glens Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is part of Causeway Coast and Glens District Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randalstown</span> Town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Randalstown is a townland and small town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, between Antrim and Toome. It has a very prominent disused railway viaduct and lies beside Lough Neagh and the Shane's Castle estate. The town is bypassed by the M22 motorway with junctions at both the eastern and western ends of the town. It had a population of 5,151 people in the 2021 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glenshesk</span> Glen in County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Glenshesk is one of the nine Glens of Antrim in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It was shaped by glacial erosion. The glen lies on the eastern side of Knocklayde mountain and flows out to the sea at Ballycastle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Bay Castle</span> A castle in Northern Ireland

Red Bay Castle is situated in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, on a headland projecting into the sea north of Glenariff situated on the road to Cushendall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ardclinis</span> Parish in County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Ardclinis is a civil parish and townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is situated in the historic barony of Glenarm Lower.

References

  1. ↑ "Glinnte Aontroma/Glens of Antrim". logainm.ie. Archived from the original on 9 December 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  2. ↑ An Historical Account of the Macdonnells of Antrim by George Hill, 1873, at. p. 21
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Logainm.ie Archived 3 December 2012 at the Wayback Machine (Placenames Database of Ireland)
  4. 1 2 3 4 Moyle District Council Area Archived 7 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine , Northern Ireland Place-Name Project, Queen's University Belfast
  5. ↑ "Glencorp". Place Names - NI. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 Place Names NI Archived October 1, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ O'Sullivan, Aidan; Breen, Colin (2007). Maritime Ireland. An Archaeology of Coastal Communities. Stroud: Tempus. p. 63. ISBN   978-0-7524-2509-2.

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