Islandmagee

Islandmagee is a quiet peninsula on the east coast of County Antrim, between Larne and Whitehead. It has been home to people since the Mesolithic period and was once a petty-kingdom called Semne. The land is mostly rural with low numbers of residents. The Ballylumford power station stands on its northern edge, and the Scotland-Northern Ireland gas pipeline ends here. White chalk cliffs rise along parts of the coast, once home to goshawks. The peninsula has seen important but difficult events in history. In 1641, a small group of local people were killed near the start of the Irish Rebellion. In 1711, eight women were convicted in the last witch trial in Ireland. Their story may soon be included in a new historical tour. Archaeologists have also found Neolithic houses and the first dinosaur fossils ever discovered in Ireland here. Visitors can see the Ballylumford Dolmen, a 4,000-year-old megalithic tomb known locally as the Druid’s Altar. The remains of Neolithic homes at Ballyharry include pottery, arrowheads and axe fragments. The rugged coastline and cliffs remain a quiet place to walk. Wilbourne Park hosts Islandmagee F.C. in the Northern Amateur Football League. The peninsula’s mix of ancient sites and open land offers a peaceful visit.