Ballycastle
June 7, 2023
HM 225. I fell in love with Ballycastle - why?
I sailed here from Glenarm single handed, which is something I rarely do and I was sad I had no-one to share the experience of drifting silently beneath the impressive 200m "Fair Head" cliffs just a few miles east of my destination.
Not knowing if there would be anyone to take my lines, I had them all ready for me to hop off the boat (Photo 4). I need not have worried, the marina here is full of friendly people and I was soon tied up.
Now a beautiful seaside resort, it is difficult to imagine the place in 1742 as a newly built harbour, bustling with 40 ships trading coal, salt, linen and locally made wine bottles to countries as far away as America. All this commerce was established by one extraordinary man, local landowner Colonel Hugh Boyd. He not only built Ireland's first railway here, he created a mini Industrial Revolution in the town and broke the stranglehold that English and Scottish colliers had had on Ireland up to that point.
Colonel Boyd was one hell of a character, for in 1760, then aged 70, he ‘Led 200 local militia against the Frenchman Thurot at Carrickfergus.’ Sadly after he died the harbour silted up and the boom faded as fast as it had grown. However the inner dock is now occupied with some fine tennis courts, a fitting legacy to a great man.
Visitors are not the only happy people, talking to Harbour Master Aiden Read, he told me he knew how lucky he was to live here. Born in the town, he had grown up a fisherman in Kilkeel, Co Down, but had always wanted to return to Ballycastle - I can see why, they are two very different places. Together with his cheerful colleagues David and Shaun they look after the small harbours of Ballintoy and Dunseverick towards the famous Giant's Causeway.
To top it all, after phoning a local fisherman, my crew Richard and I were treated to three enormous lobsters which were left for us in a secret keep-net on the quay. A very happy stay in a very happy town.
@will_miller02
I sailed here from Glenarm single handed, which is something I rarely do and I was sad I had no-one to share the experience of drifting silently beneath the impressive 200m "Fair Head" cliffs just a few miles east of my destination.
Not knowing if there would be anyone to take my lines, I had them all ready for me to hop off the boat (Photo 4). I need not have worried, the marina here is full of friendly people and I was soon tied up.
Now a beautiful seaside resort, it is difficult to imagine the place in 1742 as a newly built harbour, bustling with 40 ships trading coal, salt, linen and locally made wine bottles to countries as far away as America. All this commerce was established by one extraordinary man, local landowner Colonel Hugh Boyd. He not only built Ireland's first railway here, he created a mini Industrial Revolution in the town and broke the stranglehold that English and Scottish colliers had had on Ireland up to that point.
Colonel Boyd was one hell of a character, for in 1760, then aged 70, he ‘Led 200 local militia against the Frenchman Thurot at Carrickfergus.’ Sadly after he died the harbour silted up and the boom faded as fast as it had grown. However the inner dock is now occupied with some fine tennis courts, a fitting legacy to a great man.
Visitors are not the only happy people, talking to Harbour Master Aiden Read, he told me he knew how lucky he was to live here. Born in the town, he had grown up a fisherman in Kilkeel, Co Down, but had always wanted to return to Ballycastle - I can see why, they are two very different places. Together with his cheerful colleagues David and Shaun they look after the small harbours of Ballintoy and Dunseverick towards the famous Giant's Causeway.
To top it all, after phoning a local fisherman, my crew Richard and I were treated to three enormous lobsters which were left for us in a secret keep-net on the quay. A very happy stay in a very happy town.
@will_miller02