The town sits at the mouth of the two northernmost Antrim glens , Glenshesk and Glentaisie.

There is a beautiful marina and some great local pubs. There are also some nice shops.

Ballycastle is where the ferry to Rathlin island leaves from…..weather permitting ! There are also some “water taxis” available.

In June Ballycastle holds the Ould Lammas Fair , which is Irelands oldest fair , dating from 1606.

The stallholders do a roaring trade in Dulse (a tasty edible seaweed) and Yellowman (a bright coloured hard toffee).

There is a memorial to Guglielmo Marconi to commemorate the inventor of the wireless. He made his first transmission between Ballycastle and Rathlin in 1898.

Nearby , in the middle of a very good golf course , is Bonamargy Friary , founded around 1500…..the whole thing is very interesting , and a real hidden gem.

Try our extended Belfast tours and visit Ballycastle. Or on any of our tours of Ireland build in a trip along the Causeway coast.

The village is built around an abbey founded in 1193 by Affreca. She was the daughter of Godred , King of Man , and the wife of John De Courcey. It was founded as a thanksgiving for having made a safe sea crossing during a terrible storm.

The setting of the abbey is barely disturbed and reasonably complete. Its a great place to sit and take in the amazing history of Ireland. It really is beautiful.

The abbey shows Gothic features when Romanesque building was work was still common.

The village itself has a few great antique shops for those quality momentos to remember tours of Ireland.

It is accessible on our extended Belfast tours from your hotel , or cruise ship visiting Belfast

It takes its name from its curving bay set between a pair of symmetrical headlands (beanna chor, “curved peaks”) , and its sheltered position made it ideal for exploitation as a holiday resort. Have a look on any tours of Ireland or on our extended Belfast tours. Its ideal for a quick visit from a cruise ship docking in Belfast.

The town had been hugely popular with Belfast people since the railway came in the 1860s , but today it’s as much a suburb of Belfast as a holiday spot.  There are some very good local restaurants.

It still possesses a charm , stuck in a 1960s time warp with all the appropriate bucket-and-spade paraphernalia – giant swan boats to paddle around a mini-lake in the fun park , a miniature railway and amusement arcades.

There’s also a 500-berth marina , which make Bangor a good place for stocking up on provisions or exploring the coast , while for the land-based the town is well equipped as a stop-off point for dinner and a stroll along the promenade.

Bangor’s period of greatest historical significance was almost entirely associated with its abbey , which was founded by St Comgall in 586 AD , and from which missionaries set forth to convert pagan Europe. Though the abbey remained powerful for eight hundred years , there’s not a trace of the building left. The only vestige of its fame is the Antiphonarium Benchorense , one of the oldest-known ecclesiastical manuscripts , consisting of collects , anthems and some religious poems ; the original now lies in Ambrosian Library in Milan.

Other displays trace the rise of the Ward family , who were largely responsible for the town’s development and built Bangor Castle (now the town hall).

There’s also a fascinating collection of Eastern objets d’art collected by a local born diplomat , Sir John Jordan.

The tour was requested an co-ordinated by Sandra (Sam) Fraser and she had 15 in the party.

We left the ship with our driver David Irwin at 8.15 am and travelled directly to the Giants Causeway. That avoided the crowds and the other cruise ship coaches. We were able to see the causeway and leave before the crowds arrived. But it is a must see attraction.

Then on to the magnificent Dunluce Castle http://www.northantrim.com/dunlucecastle.htm

Then we visited Royal Portrush Golf Club….for a little shopping !!

A nice stop to view the beautiful coastline was followed by a scrumptious lunch at the Bushmills Inn http://www.bushmillsinn.com/

Following that we looked out over Whitepark Bay and visited Ballintoy Harbour http://www.northantrim.com/ballintoyharbour.htm (impossible in a larger coach)….I think that really was the highlight for some of our clients (actually we were friends by then ! ). Ballintoy is a true hidden gem.

Following the coast road we enjoyed the view over the rope bridge and Scotland on the horizon. We wre able to see Islay and the Paps of Jura.

Finally onto Ballycastle and back to Belfast via the Glens of Antrim.

Back safely on the ship by 4.30 pm I think our guests were very happy. Their testimonials will be posted very soon.

So if you are visiting Belfast on a cruise ship try one of our extended Belfast tours.

There is none more well known than “Waterford Crystal”.

Its quality is as magnificent as its history.

The House of Waterford Crystal has now located to a magnificent new home in the heart of Waterford City.

The highlight of any visit, the factory tour gives you an up close view of our manufacturing facility that produces 45,000 prestige pieces per annum.

Why not buy a piece ??…….They will even ship it home for you.

www.waterfordvisitorcentre.com

Visit this must see attraction on any Ireland tours…….Preferably with the experts…..Ireland Luxury Tours !!!

Castletown House is the most celebrated and magnificent Palladian style mansion in Ireland. It is situated in Celbridge , County Kildare. (Exit number 6 from the M4 at Celbridge West)

The extraordinary scale , decoration , plasterwork and collections at Castletown , as presented today , continue to bring to life this unique period in Ireland’s history.

www.castletown.ie

So if you vist on any Ireland tours…….. you will definitely not be disappointed at this hidden gem. It is quite simply magnificent.

Nearby is the wonderful Kildare Village Shopping Outlet (Nurney Road , Kildare), should you require a little retail therapy after your visit to Castletown House.