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Ulster/Ulaidh Northeast trail
Dunluce Castle/Dún Libhse, Dunseverick Castle/Dún Sobhairce, Kinbane Castle/Caislen Ceinn Bán, Ballyvennaght Portal Tomb, Ticloy Portal Tomb, Olderfleet Castle, Carrickfergus Castle, Belfast/Béal Feirste Castle, Ballintaggart Court Tomb and Ballynahatty/The Giants Ring Henge
Dunluce Castle/Dún Libhse
The castle is spectacularly built of a rocky outcrop and accessed by a bridge from the mainland. Parts of the castle can be dated back to the fourteenth century and in the early sixteenth century it is recorded as belonging to the MacQuillan and then later the MacDonnell clans. More on Dunluce Castle/Dún Libhse
Dunseverick Castle/Dún Sobhairce
The remains of a tower and of the castle are on this site which is surrounded by the sea on three sides. It is an ancient and important Irish historical site and one of the Royal roads from Tara ended here. More on Dunseverick Castle/Dún Sobhairce
Kinbane Castle/Caislen Ceinn Bán
This castle was built in 1547 by Colla MacDonnell and is a two storey structure located on a headland projecting into the sea. The castle had been besieged by the English and it is said that in the sixteenth century a garrison of English soldiers were killed when laying siege to the fortress. More on Kinbane Castle/Caislen Ceinn Bán
Ballyvennaght Portal Tomb
There are two tombs on this site and the one to the west has a large capstone and portal stones standing about one and a half metres in height. Altagore Stone Fort-this stone fort dating from 500-1200 AD is about fifteen metres in diameter surrounded by a wall reaching about three metres in height with internal stairs and terrace. More on Ballyvennaght Portal Tomb
Ticloy Portal Tomb
Travelling south along the A2 from Cushendun to Carnlough. Take the A42 southwest towards Ballymena. Ticloy Tomb is north of the A42 and north from the Killycarn Road in County Antrim. The tomb has two capstones raised to about 1.8 metres high. More on Ticloy Portal Tomb
Olderfleet Castle
These are the ruined remains of a thirteenth century four storey tower house. It is in the harbour area of Larne/Latharna . In 1315 Edward Bruce, the last High King of Ireland, landed here with an army of 6000 to conquer Ireland. More on Olderfleet Castle
Carrickfergus Castle
This is a Norman Castle built in the twelfth century with a number of alterations made over the years. It has been subjected to a number of sieges by French, English, Scottish and Irish. Click here for more on Carrickfergus Castle
Belfast/Béal Feirste Castle
THis was built in the 1860's and replaced an earlier twelfth century Belfast Castle which was burnt down in the early eighteenth century. The present Scottish style building is open to the public and provides leisure and restaurant facilities. More on Belfast/Béal Feirste Castle
Ballintaggart Court Tomb
Originally located at Ballintaggart in County Armagh this tomb is now beside the Ulster Museum in Belfast/Béal Feirste. It is a four chambered Megalithic tomb with orthastats bordering a forecourt. More on Ballintaggart Court Tomb
Ballynahatty/The Giants Ring Henge
This is a high circular bank enclosing an area of about 180 metres in diameter with five entrances and a small Neolithic passage grave within it. More on Ballynahatty/The Giants Ring Henge