| Cairncastle (The Castle on the Cairn) |
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At the foot of the majestic Sallagh Braes, lies the village of Cairncastle. A small pub called Moore’s Meeting House (locals know it as ‘Matties’) is the focal point for the village and traditional music is a speciality. St Patrick’s Church, beautifully situated upon a height above the village boasts a romantic local legend. Saint Patrick’s is an established church in Cairncastle and was erected in 1815. It stands near the site of a much older church, some remains of which are still to be seen in the church yard. In the graveyard of St. Patrick’s Church, Cairncastle stands an old Spanish chestnut tree. The twisted, gnarled branches of the tree are in stark contrast to the native trees and shrubs around it. Locals tell the tale of the body of a young nobleman drowned when the defeated Spanish armada / galleon fled and foundered along the coastline at Ballygally in 1588 when Spain invaded English Shores. The nobleman’s body was discovered by locals who buried him in the churchyard of St Patricks. From his grave the seeds germinated and a Spanish Chestnut tree grew, possibly from seeds hidden in his pockets. Others say it was chestnuts in his pockets which he cracked open to drink the juice to keep him alive longer. The Spanish Chestnut tree is still there today, samples of which have been analysed and found to date back to the 16th Century, giving credence to the local legend. A short distance from the Coast Road under Ballygally Head stands a hard grey rock which becomes an island at high tide. On the rock can still be seen the ruins of an old castle, about 16 feet square, once the home of an old poet. It is this castle on the rock which gives its name to the local parish, ‘Cairncastle’ – ‘the castle on the cairn’. It is sometimes referred to as ‘O’ Halloran’s Castle.’ It was traditionally alleged to have been erected by an ancient prince to protect his high-born daughter from the advances of a suitor who was not approved of by the prince. However she was said to have ‘held family dignity and military fortification in derision, and was duly carried off by her enterprising admirer.’ There is a tradition that a passageway runs underground from the rock coming out at Knockdhu Mountain. The old stone castle (about 16 feet square) at the sea beyond Ballygally Head, sometimes referred to as ‘O Halloran’s Castle’ was said by Dobbs, writing in 1683, to be the residence in olden times of a poet called O’Gneeve or Agnew. It is said to have been erected by Anglo-Norman, Duncan Fitzgilbert, who owned lands in the area in the early 13th Century. The local Parish of Cairncastle is named after this castle on the rocks, the ruins of which can be seen close to the Coast Road today.
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