DUNSEVERICK 

Dunseverick Harbour Local fishing boats Templastragh Church ruin

Uninhabited and sheltered amongst basalt islets, the rugged beauty of Dunseverick harbour captures all that is synonymous with the North Antrim coast. It is a magical place to wander in the early evening when the sunlight shines from the west - as evening falls and shadows deepen,  if you look closely on the shoreline half way down the road towards the harbour, you will see a large rock at the water edge which takes on the resembles a figure holding a child. The  harbour is also where many local people began their long emigration trail during the 1800's, being rowed out to catch a passing schooner bound for Glasgow or Londonderry where they would embark on one of the many emigrant ships to Australia, New Zealand or the Americas. You can walk from the harbour  to Portbraddon along a winding path that  hugs the cliff and shoreline, past the old salt fields and kelp walls that once sustained local families.  Midway between Dunseverick harbour  and Portbraddon,  on the cliff top above the pathway, lies the  ancient site of Templastragh (Temple of the Flame) which was said to have been founded by St. Goban or Gobain in 648 AD.  Goban was a local man  known for his building skills and was responsible for many fine buildings in the area including another church in Glenshesk - it is said that a divine light  guided him to where he finally built the church of Templastragh. The ruins we see today date to the 1600's, the original site of Templastragh is believed to have been  a few hundred yards inland from the present site. A  stone mounted in the gable wall is carved with an early Christian cross which is believed to have come from the original church.

    Back    

   Next