Ballycastle Museum officially opens for 2023 season

Ballycastle Museum has been officially opened for the 2023 season by the Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Ivor Wallace.

Guests including museum volunteers attended the opening event on Saturday, with entertainment provided by members of Ballycastle / Baile an Chaistil Comhaltas.

The Mayor said: “The museum is able to extend its opening hours outside of the core summer months thanks to the dedication of the Friends of Ballycastle Museum, who volunteer their time and expertise to the museum. Council is very grateful to the Friends and all that they do to keep the museum open and the collection accessible to the public.”

The museum, housed in an 18th century Grade B+ listed building, contains a treasure trove of artefacts from the arts and crafts revival in Ulster. Other key items on display are the beautiful Taisie banner from the first Glens Feis (Feis na nGleann), thought to be the only remaining one of its kind. Visitors can also view the ‘Devils of Ballycastle’ sandstone statue fragments, featuring an enigmatic royal figure carved over 2000 years ago which once looked over Ballycastle harbour.

New items on display include a copy of a manuscript believed to have been found in 1822 at Bonamargy Friary. It is a 15th Century translation of Cardinal Bonaventura's 13th Century "The History of the Passion, Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord.” Mrs F. Boyd sold it to the British Museum on 21 April 1887 and it now forms part of the British Library's Collection of Illuminated Manuscripts. The copy was purchased and printed by the Friends of Ballycastle Museum, instigated and organised by Melanie Brown, who researched and tracked down the whereabouts of the manuscript.

Some recent donations are also on display including an order book from Nicholl’s Timber Yard in Ballycastle for 1901-1912 which contains the names of various local buyers in the area.

Admission to the Museum is free.

Opening hours are:

• April, May, June and September; Friday & Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 2pm to 5pm.
• July and August; Monday - Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 2pm to 5pm.