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Kenbane Headland |
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Kenbane Castle |
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Situated a few miles to the east of Carrick-a-Rede is the secluded remains of Kenbane (White Head) Castle. There are many spellings for Kenbane, as is common with many local names, Kinbane, Kenbane, Kinbahn and Kenbahn, another name associated with it is Reuben's Castle. Exceptional in its location, the castle is built on a limestone headland which rises from below the surrounding basalt cliffs, the headland has a sea cave which passes through from one side to the other. This is a magical and haunting location where you can almost feel the past, the hollow below the castle is known as 'Lag na Sassenach' (Hollow of the English). It was here during the 1500s that a garrison of English soldiers laying siege to the castle were surrounded and massacred. Fires had been lit on the headland to call for assistance and help came from all directions, the location that the garrison had placed itself in was impossible to escape from being surrounded by sea on one side and steep cliffs on the other. The castle was built by Colla MacDonnell, brother of James and Sorley Boy of Dunluce around the 1540's during the height of the Mc Donnell supremacy along the coast. It was later given to the MacAlister's for loyal support to the MacDonnell cause in Ireland as galloglass warriors, the Earl of Antrim felt Kenbane Castle was just a reward for their loyalty. The castle is accessible by boat or down a steep cliff path which occasionally is closed due to rock falls, it was said to have been inhabited by a Mrs.MacAlister up until the late eighteenth century. There are a couple of fascinating natural limestone outcrops between the castle and the cliffs. One, when viewed from a hundred metres resembles an old man with a staff coming out of the sea, as a boy I remember my uncle telling me stories about the Old Man of Kenbane. The remains of an old salmon fisherman's cottage nestled into the cliffs, unfortunately the custodians of this precious heritage has let it fall into complete dereliction. A famine graveyard is nearby at Crockatinney. |
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