Ballycastle

Fringed by the wild Atlantic ocean, Ballycastle is a village on the north west coast of Ireland, approx 26km from Ballina in County Mayo. In Irish 'Baile an Chaisil' - meaning the town of the castle - myth, legend, history and folklore all thrive in this ancient coastal place.

Dotted along its cragged coastline, interspersed with tall cliffs, are tranquil pretty beaches and sheltered coves. To the east of Ballycastle lies Killala Bay and to the west, out in the Atlantic, are the tall Stags of Broadhaven (600 million year old rocks).

Activities around Ballycastle

There is much to see and do for the visitor to Ballycastle including walking, swimming, fishing, scuba diving, horse-riding, bird watching, art exhibitions and the Tir Sáile Sculpture Trail.

Ballycastle History

The modern day parish of Ballycastle is a combination of the two ancient parishes of Kilbride and Doonfeeney which were separate parishes up to penal times. The north coast road is one of the most scenic coastal roads in Ireland and it is here that the first settlers began to farm the slopes of the Behy/Glenurla hillside over 5000 years ago. As early as 1470 the name Ballycastle was in use and it was referred to as a parish in the Catholic directory of 1836, by which time it was a thriving small town.

The overall area is extremely rich in items of interest to biologists, archaeologists and students of history, megalithic tombs, early Christian and mediaeval ruins.

Downpatrick Head

Downpatrick Head, a spectacular headland 126ft above the sea, is in an area of great scenic beauty, 3 miles north of Ballycastle village. The ruins of a church, stone cross and holy well mark the site of an earlier church founded here by St Patrick. Mass is celebrated on the last Sunday of July ('Garland Sunday') at Downpatrick Head. A statue of St Patrick was constructed here in 1912 and this was replaced by a new statue in the early 1980's.

There are ruins of a small stone building at the top of Downpatrick Head which was a lookout post during the Second World War and is now used to view the many species of birds and wildlife along the high cliffs here.

At Downpatrick Head there is an amazing blow-hole known as 'Poll na Seantainne' with a subterranean channel to the sea. In the aftermath of the 1798 rebellion, 25 men lost their lives here after they took shelter on the ledge at the bottom, and failed to get out before the tide came in.

Dún Briste

A sea stack known as 'Dún Briste' can be found at Downpatrick Head. This sea stack was separated from the mainland in 1393 as a result of high seas and people were taken off it using ships' ropes. Located a distance of approx 228 metres from the shore, Dún Briste is 63m by 23m and 45m high.

Local legend tells that a pagan chieftain, Crom Dubh, lived there whom St Patrick tried to convert to Christianity, but failed. Crom is said to have set his two fierce hounds on the saint, who drew a circle on the ground with his crozier. As the hounds entered the circle they became obedient and even licked the saint's feet. Crom grew so angry that he rushed at St Patrick, but with three strikes of the saint's crozier the sea stack was separated from the mainland, leaving Crom Dubh marooned there. It is said that Crom survived for a while on the stack as best he could, fishing and catching sea birds, but his power over the people was broken.

The Céide Fields

Five miles on the western side of Ballycastle are the Céide Fields - the oldest Stone Age settlement in Europe. Preserved beneath the wild blanket bog is an intact 5000 year old landscape of stone-walled fields, dwellings and megalithic tombs. The people who lived here were peaceful farmers tending their livestock. There is no evidence that they were under threat of attack. Céide Fields is not just one of the oldest field systems in the world, it is also the most extensive Stone Age monument in the world.

The Céide Fields Interpretative Centre explains the archaeology, botany, geology, and zoology of the site. There are exhibitions, audio-visual shows and a tearoom. The story of the fields is told at 12 points along the guided tour and you can discover for yourself a buried wall using a centuries old method of probing. Visitors can step down from the present day bog into an untouched landscape which had lain buried for almost fifty centuries.

At Céide Fields the road overlooks the magnificent, 365 ft high, cliffs of Céide, with a panoramic view of horizontal layers of sandstone 350 million years old.The cliffs at Céide are the nesting place of gulls, fulmar, raven and peregrine falcon. This is a breath-taking and hugely popular viewing point for visitors to the Ballycastle area of North Mayo.

Flora

A rich lichen flora indicates particularly clean air and our sea waters are renowned for their clarity, rewarding divers with spectacular views.

Much of the countryside here lies undisturbed, resulting in a variety of natural habitats such as blanket bog, mountain, lowland meadow, marsh, rocky shore, cliff, beach etc. The undulating local landscape does not lend itself to intensive agriculture.

As many as 200 different plants are common in the region, including such species as yellow flag, primrose, buttercup, marigold. Some of the local plants have their origin in places like North America (pipewort), the Arctic (purple saxifrage, mountain sorrel) and the Mediterranean (bell heather). Bog growing plants include heathers, sphagnum moss, bog cotton and orchids.

Fauna

The cliffs at Downpatrick Head are a natural haven for wildlife, especially birds. Amongst the birds that nest and breed here are the black headed gull, common gull, lesser black backed gull, herring gull, kittiwake, small black gullimot, fulmer puffins and the cormorant. Members of the crow family include the raven, hooded crow and magpie. Birds that visit the headland to rest during the traumatic storms on this western coast include the gannet, razorbill, storm petrel, great northern diver and many other species. Horse Island in nearby Belderrig is another bird-nesting location.

Ballycastle also has habitats suitable to many inland species. Some of these include the robin, pheasant, kestrel and blackbird. Mammals seen in Ballycastle include the badger, fox, hare, hedgehog, otter, rabbit and seal.

At low water one can search for periwinkles, limpets, crabs and edible seaweed along the rocky shore.

Seafront Activities

Ballycastle strand is one mile north of the village on the southern end of Bunatrahir Bay. Bordered by sand dunes it is ideal for sunbathing and the waters are clean and safe for swimming. A 15 minute drive in either direction will take you to Belderrig outdoor pool or to the beautiful sandy beach at Lacken. Ross beach, a blue flag beach is a 20 minute drive.

The coastal waters around Ballycastle and Lacken are growing in popularity with scuba divers and the entire coastline provides a range of spectacular dives. The unpolluted waters, excellent visibility and abundant sea life all contribute to make this area of North Mayo an attractive location for diving enthusiasts. Sheltered launching areas and suitable diving conditions ensure that diving can take place for nine months of the year.

Fishing enthusiasts will enjoy fishing from Ballycastle Pier and Downpatrick Head, where species include pollack, coalfish, bream, whiting, cod, herring, mackerel, salmon, dogfish, plaice, sole, ray, flounder and halibut. Salmon and trout angling can be enjoyed at Palmerstown River or the River Moy in Ballina.

Walking

Ballycastle is an ideal location for walking enthusiasts with spectacular scenery and a huge variety of landscapes to explore. In general, you are free to ramble in the bogs, hills and along the coastline, but there are also some mapped walks where directions are signposted along the route (more information from the Tourist Office).

ECO Label

Ballycastle has been confirmed with the ECO Label which signifies that an area has a top class environment.

Tír Sáile

North Mayo has one of the greatest concentrations of Stone Age tombs (megaliths) in Europe. It is now known to possess the intact farms of the tomb builders, preserved beneath the bog which covers the region. Tír Sáile has created a trail of permanent sculpture from the Moy Estuary to the Mullet Peninsula marking in a contemporary way this ancient landscape.