Glenarm

Glenarm River in the forest park

Glenarm is one of the famous Glens of Antrim. Its name also belongs to the village at its foot, on the coastal road.

Glenarm Forest Park is an 800-acre nature preserve once part of the demesne of Glenarm Castle, but now in public and maintained by the Ulster Wildlife Trust. Other notable features include a salmon fishery and Glenarm Castle. The most recent addition to the village is the restoration of its distinctive limestone-built harbour. The following is an old picture of the quay before it collapsed, taken in 1965.

The glen is the southernmost of the Nine Glens of Antrim. The village is named for the glen, and the glen from the old Gaelic Gleann Arma, meaning "Valley of the Army.

Village

Glenarm
County Antrim
Glenarm Bay
Location
Grid reference:	D3115
Data
Local Government
Council:	Mid & East Antrim

Glenarm village lies on the coast of the North Channel, north of the port town of Larne and the village of Ballygalley, and south of the village of Carnlough, all in County Antrim.

The village had a population of 582 people in the 2001.

St. Patrick's Church of Ireland and Glenarm Bay

History

Barbican gate to Glenarm Castle

Dating back to Norman times, the village is the family seat of the MacDonnells, who once occupied Dunluce Castle on the north coast of Antrim. The village is now a Conservation Area, and its main street (Altmore Street) leads directly to Glenarm Forest, from which can be seen Glenarm Castle, on the far bank of the little river which runs through the village to the sea. The imposing entrance to Glenarm Castle, the Barbican Gate, is at the heart of the village. The Castle dates from 1750, with early 19th century alterations. Glenarm claims to be the oldest town in Ulster having been granted a charter in the 12th century. The Barbican Gate to Glenarm Castle was restored by The Irish Landmark Trust, a conservation charity that saves buildings that are at risk of being lost, thus giving this landmark back to the local community through Open Days and self-catering holiday lets.

It is thought that the Vikings established a base at Larne for a time. According to Snorri Sturluson, the Norse historian, Connor, King of Ireland, defeated the raiding Orkney Vikings at "Ulfreksfjord" in 1018. This may refer to the same place as one of the Anglo-Norman names for the Larne area, Wulfrickford.

The first castle at Glenarm is recorded in a 1270 Inquisition, where it is shown as being let to John or Robert Bisset by the Bishop of Down and Connor. As the Bissets are shown as tenants of the castle, it is likely it was built some time previously, probably by the de Galloways. It was situated on the site of a present day Baptist church.

After the defeat and flight of the Gaelic chiefs after their long war with Queen Elizabeth I, King James VI & I determined at the start of the 17th century, the area was earmarked for plantation by Protestant settlers from Great Britain, which marked the beginning of the Plantation of Ulster. This was an ad hoc private enterprise in Antrim and north Down and mainly involved lowland Scots. In 1603 Sir Randall MacDonnell, who in the intervening years had made peace with King James I, used his new-found influence to persuade him to not only grant him his native Glens of Antrim but also the north Antrim Route. However, Larne and its immediate environs were obtained by the English lord Sir Arthur Chichester.

Glenarm Castle

On their return to Glenarm, Sir Randall began a new castle, built on the opposite side of the river from the old one, on the site of the present castle. This new castle continued to be improved and added to until Sir Randal MacDonnell's death in 1636. The old castle must also have been repaired during this period as it was leased to the Donaldsons, who were kinsmen of the MacDonnells, at the start of the 17th century. Records show they still held the castle tenement in 1779, but it must have been abandoned before 1835 as a letter from this date refers to the 'foundations of a very extensive old castle which stood in the centre of the town until a few years ago'.

During the rebellion of 1641, Alexander MacDonnell, the Earl of Antrim's brother, who was in charge of and resided in Glenarm, fought on the native Irish side. He raised several regiments who were garrisoned in Glenarm under the command of Alester McColl. In 1642 when an invading Scots army, under the command of General Robert Munro, was sent by parliament to deal with the rebels they burnt Glenarm, including the new castle. They captured both Alexander and the Earl and they were imprisoned in Carrickfergus Castle. When peace was brought about the Acts of Settlement and Explanation restored all the MacDonnells land to them. They did not, however, rebuild the castle in Glenarm at this time, but moved to Dunluce Castle and later Ballymegarry.

In the 17th century the religious needs of Glenarm were served by a small church and graveyard on Castle Street, at the site of the converted schoolhouse. The foundation date of this church is unknown, but Richard Dobbs, in his 1683 Descriptions of the county of Antrim, describes the church as being one of only three slate roofed buildings in the village. The Bridge into the Castle grounds was constructed beside this church and was completed in 1682. Dobbs also states that a Presbyterian meeting house was to be found at some distance from the town. The position of this building is unknown, but map evidence suggests that it was in the vicinity of, or more likely under, the current non-subscribing Presbyterian church. Though no there was a Roman Catholic church, it is known that Edmund O'Moore became Glenarm's first Romanist parish priest, ordained in 1669 though unable to conduct masses openly: the closest site place of such covert meetings to Glenarm is called the Priests Knowe, or the Priest's Green, close to the Straidkilly Road, less than a mile from the village.

The 18th century saw the return of Lord Antrim to Glenarm and, with his funding, a number of major construction works were begun. A new castle was built over the remains of the castle destroyed in 1642. An inscribed stone shows that the castle was rebuilt by Alexander the fifth Earl of Antrim in the year 1756. This castle can still be seen as the central block of the current, much expanded, castle. In 1763 an agreement was reached between Lord Antrim and William McBride for the construction of St. Patrick's Church of Ireland on the site of the domestic quarters of the abandoned Franciscan friary. The grounds around the friary appear to have already been used as a graveyard at this time and this new church may have been partially built onto burials.

During the Famine

During the Great Famine, the Glens of Antrim did not fare as poorly as the rest of Ireland. The Earl of Antrim, now resident in Glenarm, and the Marquess of Londonderry organised relief schemes of food and money for their tenants and built soup kitchens throughout the Glens. Glenarm's soup kitchen is believed to have been to the rear of Altmore Street, along the river. The only other major historical event to occur in Glenarm during this period was in 1854, when a cholera epidemic afflicted the town. The epidemic began in the Bridge End Tavern and rapidly spread from house to house. A large percentage of the population eventually succumbed to the disease and was buried in a mass grave near the back wall of the graveyard of St Patrick's Church.

Sports

Glenarm Marina

Glenarm Harbour

• Rowing: a rowing club and an Annual Regatta (gig racing)
• Football: Glenarm Rovers FC
• Gaelic games: Shane O'Neills Gaelic Club

Highland Games tournaments are regularly held in Glenarm Castle.

Events

• The Dalriada Festival is held at Glenarm Castle and within the village, which celebrates sport, music and fine food from all over Scotland and Ireland, as well as hosting traditional Ulster Scots cultural events.
• As part of the Dalriada Festival Glenarm Castle has started to host large outdoor concerts which as of 2012 has welcomed artists like General Fiasco, The Priests, Duke Special, Ronan Keating, Sharon Corr, Brian Houston, David Phelps and the likes.
• Summer Madness, Ireland's biggest Christian Festival, moved from its annual residence at the Kings Hall, Belfast, to Glenarm Castle in 2012. The yearly Festival may stay at Glenarm.

Outside links

• Glenarm Castle