Dunluce Castle
 Castles |
Poised on the northern shores of Co. Antrim are the dramatically haunting ruins of Dunluce Castle, appearing to hang in spectacular fashion on the very cliff edge of this ragged coastline.
There is some evidence that an early Irish stronghold once occupied the site, but the earliest period that can be attributed to the present structure is the 14 th century - part of the remaining castle walls were built by members of the MacQuillan clan, Scottish mercenaries who resided in the region at the time. However, it was with the fiercesome MacDonnells, under the astute leadership of their clan leader Sorley Boye (‘Yellow Charles' in Gaelic) that the history of Dunluce is inextricably bound up. The MacDonnells were a branch of the Scottish MacDonalds, who took control of most of Antrim in the 16 th century. English incursions into Antrim culminated with Sir John Perrett laying siege to Dunluce Castle in 1584 and capturing it with the use of heavy artillery. Sorley Boye MacDonnell very quickly recaptured the castle in spectacular fashion, when one of his men, employed within the kitchens, hauled his comrades up the cliff face in baskets.
In 1588, Sorley Boye was able to repair and upgrade the castle with the proceeds of the salvaged wreckage from the Spanish Armada treasure ship Girona , which had been dashed onto rocks off the north Antrim coast. Sorley made peace with the English and his son Randal MacDonnell was created Viscount Dunluce and Earl of Antrim by order of James I of England; Randall was also granted 300,000 acres of prime Antrim land.
Some fifty years later, in 1639, Dunluce Castle paid a heavy price for its precarious location. Undermined by sea and wind a portion of the castle broke away and fell headlong into the frothing waves below. The section of castle claimed by the elements housed the kitchen and servants' quarters, and in fact took cooks and servants with it as it plummeted toward the deeps. Shortly after this disaster the MacDonnell clan, in its entirety, moved on to safer lodgings, abandoning Dunluce to its fate.
Despite centuries of neglect, much of this striking castle still remains standing on the cliff edge and will not disappoint new visitors seeing its jagged outline of turrets and crenellated walls for the first time. On the rocky headland upon which the castle stands is a cave, created by years of erosion, and now pierced right through the promontory. The bravest of visitors can make their way down the cliff face, and at its wildest, sea gales whip through the cave shrieking like banshees.
A short journey eastward from Dunluce, along the coastal route, is the tiny village of Bush Mills, the site of the oldest legal whisky distillery, established in 1608. Bushmills whisky is distilled three times during preparation, once more than Scotch; a guided tour covers the history and technology of whisky production finishing with the customary free tot of Bushmills' best.