Glens Of Antrim Historical Society
Formed in 1965 & recognised as one of the foremost Historical Societies in Ireland
When Jimmy and Honor Irvine came to live in Lemnalary House near Carnlough they brought new life to that historic house and at the same time enlivened the Glens of Antrim Historical Society, of which both were Life Members. While the records of the Society underline Jimmy’s vast contribution to its development, from his … Read more
Patrick Joseph Murray was born near Cushendun on 8th March 1872 and died in Glasgow, 84 years’ later. During the last war his youngest son asked for an account of his early life, and this followed in a series of letters. The letters have an interest well beyond family history, for they recall an … Read more
Eull Dunlop:- In the Old Churchyard, Ballymena, there is a gravestone which will be noted by those interested in Presbyterianism in Glenarm, a topic aired in The Glynns (1981) by S. Alex Blair. The stone records the death on 1 June 1899, at the age of 84, of Anne, daughter of John Atkinson and … Read more
Pearse, Connolly, Larkin, De Valera, Collins, Yeats, O’Casey: august company for any man in the political, social and cultural history of the Irish people. Not only was Peadar O’Donnell alive when they were alive but he was actively involved with them in matters of common interest; and he was still alive and active when … Read more
That the Glens of Antrim Historical Society is flourishing today is due in great measure to the input and influence of the late Jimmy Irvine. In the beginning (1965) the young Society was allowed to take root naturally in the Glens whence its culture spread beyond their mountain wall. So in those early years … Read more
While researching the White Documents in the Public Records Office (D2861)* I came across the following account of John White’s experiences as a Lieutenant in the 36th Herefordshire Regiment during the time of the Peninsular War. The extract contains four handwritten foolscap sheets. There is no trace of any other journal among these White … Read more
Benvan House, home of the Stewarts, is situated some 300 feet above sea level, overlooking Murlough Bay. It enjoys a magnificent view, not only of the Bay and Rathlin, but also of the Scottish Coast, from the Mull of Kintyre to Islay. On an exceptionally clear day, one can see the Paps of Jura, misty … Read more
In 1873 the Rev. George Hill published his classic “Historical Account of the Macdonnells of Antrim.” To him, more than to any other historian, are we of the Glens indebted for the reconstructed story of our past. This richly annotated tome of some 450 quarto pages of closely set type, is long since out of … Read more
As the French fairies were leaving Glenariffe for the last time they met a great procession with bright white lights coming down from Ballymena. When they looked back the lights had turned red. Not a fairy tale. What had passed in the night was the funeral cortege of the man on whose lips the fairies … Read more
In the Naval Museum of Madrid there hangs a portrait of a man who was a direct descendant of the famous Somhairle Buí MacDomhnaill. His name was Henry Randal MacDonnell and, among the records of the naval archives at Viso del Marqués, there is a large bundle of documents concerning him from which it is … Read more