Carnlough Village, County Antrim

Carnlough Village is one of the most picturesque locations on Northern Ireland’s famous Antrim Coast. Situated approximately 14 miles north of Larne on the scenic Causeway Coastal Route, Carnlough enjoys a spectacular setting between Carnlough Bay and Glencloy, the second of the renowned Nine Glens of Antrim.

Today, visitors are drawn to Carnlough by its stunning coastal scenery, historic harbour, rich heritage and welcoming atmosphere. The village provides an excellent base for exploring the Glens of Antrim, the Causeway Coastal Route and many of Northern Ireland’s most famous attractions.

Origins of Carnlough

The name Carnlough is believed to derive from the Irish “Carn La”, meaning “Cairn of La”. According to local legend, St Patrick established a Christian community in the area and left one of his followers, La, in charge. When St Patrick returned and discovered that many converts had reverted to pagan practices, La was overcome with remorse and is said to have buried his severed hand beneath a cairn, giving the village its name.

Furthermore, evidence suggests that people have lived in the Glencloy area since around 6000 BC. Early settlers were attracted by plentiful flint for tools and weapons, abundant wildlife and easy access to fishing along the nearby coastline.

History of Carnlough

The area surrounding modern Carnlough contains numerous archaeological sites that demonstrate its long and fascinating history. Vikings and Normans visited the area, while the powerful MacDonnell family controlled much of the Glens of Antrim from the fourteenth century onwards.

In the early seventeenth century, Randal MacDonnell, the first Earl of Antrim, encouraged settlement by Scottish families. As a result, the area developed the unique blend of Irish and Scots-Irish culture that remains an important part of local life today.

Carnlough Harbour

Carnlough Harbour is one of the village’s most recognisable landmarks. Built primarily from locally quarried white limestone, the harbour played a significant role in the area’s industrial past. During the nineteenth century, limestone extracted from nearby quarries was transported to the harbour before being shipped to Scotland and beyond.

Today, the harbour remains a popular attraction for visitors, photographers and walkers who enjoy its beautiful setting and spectacular views across Carnlough Bay.

Things to See in Carnlough

Carnlough Harbour
Glencloy Valley
Carnlough Bay
Cranny Falls Nature Reserve
Garron Tower
The HarbourView Hotel
The Antrim Coast Road

Visiting Carnlough Today

Whether you are travelling the Causeway Coastal Route, exploring the Glens of Antrim or visiting the local area, Carnlough Village offers a memorable combination of natural beauty, history and traditional Irish charm.

Located nearby is Bali-Hai Mail Order Nursery, specialising in quality Hostas, Agapanthus and a wide range of garden plants supplied throughout the United Kingdom.

Carnlough

Carnlough village is beautifully situated on the famous Antrim Coast Road (A42), 14 miles north of Larne, Co.Antrim, Northern Ireland. It boasts a magnificent backdrop – Glencloy – the second of the Nine Glens of Antrim – the ‘Glen of the hedges’. There are many local tales of how the village got its name but the most popular relates to Ireland’s patron saint. Local legend has it that St. Patrick founded a Christian group in the area and that one of his disciples, La, was left in charge of the new converts. Unfortunately, under La’s leadership the converts gradually returned to their pagan ways and on Patrick’s return, La was so overcome by remorse that he chopped off his hand and buried it beneath a memorial cairn – hence Cairn of La. The Cairn is believed to have been built on the site of the present Carnlough Integrated Primary School, opposite the Londonderry Arms Hotel.

A Brief History…

It is believed that the first settlers in Glencloy were primitive hunters and fishermen who arrived in the valley around 6000 BC. These first residents of Carnlough were attracted to the area by an abundance of flint which they used for tools and weapons. The glen also provided a source of food such as deer, wild pig, hare, fox and wolf and the nearby sea allowed the settlers to hunt for fish and shell fish. The area around the modern village is scattered with numerous sites of archeological significance and bears testimony to the ancient history of the village and its people. Early visitors to the area included the Vikings and the Normans but it was in the 14th Century that the area came under the control of the warlike MacDonnells, mercenaries from the Western Isles of Scotland. The MacDonnell family continued to dominate the area and in the early 17th Century, in an attempt to improve relations with England, Randal MacDonnell, the first Earl of Antrim granted around 25 lowland Scots families leases in the glens area. This ‘plantation’ of the glens gave rise to the unique mixture of Irish and Scots-Irish heritage which the visitor can enjoy to this day.

	View of Carnlough from Ballyvaddy Road 2003		View from Carnlough Harbour, overlooking Harbour Road and beyond to the now disused Carnlough Limestone Quarry.
	Carnlough Harbour from the Largy Road looking through ‘The Plantain’ and beyond to two of the headlands and the first of the Nine Glens of Antrim ‘Glenarm Glen’ in the background.		Harbour Road showing the Carnlough Bridge
	Close up of Carnlough Harbour.		Close up of Carnlough Harbour taken July 2004.
	Carnlough taken from Gortnacory Road showing Carnlough Bay.		Another view of Carnlough village taken from the Ballyvaddy Road showing the bay and the disused Carnlough Limestone Quarry.
	Cranny Waterfalls, accessed via the Waterfall Road, is the first local Nature Reserve.		Largy Coastal Apartments Carnlough’s new 5 Star Self-Catering Apartments overlooking Carnlough Bay and the North Channel to Scotland.(Click to view apartments)
	Largy Coastal Apartments		Garron Tower, now St. MacNissis College, was once the summer residence of the Marchioness of Londonderry, Frances Ann Vane who inherited the estate in 1834 and thereafter developed the limestone industry in Carnlough.

Carnlough Village from the air showing the harbour which is constructed mainly of a unique white limestone. To the left of the picture is the local Northern Bank, Carnlough Integrated Primary School, the famous Londonderry Arms Hotel, the Townhall which is now a Library and the well known Carnlough Bridge constructed 1854 as a mineral railway to carry limestone from the local Quarry to the cargo boats destined for Scotland. Havelock Place opposite the Harbour links Harbour Road to the High Street and the Largy Road. Bali-Hai Nursery, which is situated on the Largy Road (No 42 ), is open to the public by appointment only. Nursery is at Galdanagh Road, Carnlough, BT44 0JZ.