Ballycastle is situated on the northeast coast of Ireland tucked into the western corner of Ballycastle Bay about four miles west of Fair Head. The small town and harbour offer marina berths or, in fair conditions, the option to anchor outside in the bay.

The marina is enclosed behind substantial rock breakwaters which give complete protection. The harbour and bay afford safe access in all reasonable conditions at any stage of the tide as there are no dangers in the immediate harbour vicinity and the pierheads are lit. However, the approaches are subject to strong tidal streams with overfalls, so the tides' velocity with any countering winds must be the central feature of any navigation planning in this area.

Keyfacts for Ballycastle

Position and approaches

Haven position

55° 12.468' N, 006° 14.348' W

This is in the middle of Ballycastle's outer harbour area.

What is the initial fix?

This is approximately 150 metres east of the lit northern end of Boyd's Breakwater. Track in on 270°, or due west, from here to come south of the northern breakwaters pierhead.

What are the key points of the approach?

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What's the story here?

Ballycastle Bay stretches between Kinbane Head and Fair Head and is enclosed to the north by Rathlin Island. At the head of the bay, 3½ miles west by southwest of Fair Head, is the seaside town of Ballycastle which is a popular resort town. The town is fronted by a small harbour protected by substantial breakwaters. A ferry serves Rathlin Island from behind the northern breakwater and a marina occupies the south side of the harbour.




The 74-berth marina reserves 16 to 20 visitor berths and supports vessels of up to 20 metres LOA with drafts from 3 metres LWS, on the outer berths, and 2 metres LWS on the inner berths. The harbour is operated by the Ballycastle Harbour Master John Morton and all visiting vessels should make berthing arrangements prior to entering the harbour. The Marina Office is open during most daylight hours and can be contacted for bookings via Ch. 80 [Ballycastle Harbour], on +44 (0)28 207 68525 / +44 (0)7803 505084.




During settled conditions or with moderate offshore winds, a temporary anchorage can be taken in the bay outside the harbour. The bay is sheltered from east through south to west and clear of strong tidal streams. Easterly or south-easterly winds make the smoothest water when anchored outside the harbour. However, be prepared to move at short notice as the bay is exposed to onshore winds and can be subject to sudden swell.




With westerly winds, there is generally a heavy ground swell along the whole coast to the west of Fair Head. This is always greatest with the east-going or flood tide, creating a heavy surf, which often gets up without any apparent cause.

How to get in?

Offshore details are available in northeast Ireland’s coastal overview for Malin Head to Strangford Lough . The details provided for Church Bay on Rathlin Island and its tidal data provide approaches to Ballycastle Bay as they face each across Rathlin Sound through which both are approached. The direction and velocity of the tide as detailed in the Church Bay entry should be the central feature of any navigation planning in this area. The tidal streams in Rathlin Sound can attain 6.5 knots at springs. For those approaching from the south, the roughest water may be experienced between Fair Head and Torr Head, where just off the point of Torr Head the Ebb runs up to 6 knots during Spring tides. However, if the tides have been well studied and embraced, a well-found yacht should have no difficulty sailing this area in conditions of up to Force 4 or 5.




However, unlike approaches to Church Bay, where Rathlin Sound is clear of outlying hazards, it has one single hard contact danger that is very much in the way of a vessel approaching Ballycastle from the west along the mainland. This is the very dangerous Carrickmannanon Rock off Kinbane Head, which is located 2½ miles southeast of Sheep Island and a similar distance from Ballycastle Harbour.

This small pinnacle rock set on a shoaling area is steep too on its outer side and lies 800 metres north by northeast of the headland and 2¼ miles northwest of Ballycastle. Carrickmannanon is normally visible as it nearly always breaks and dries to 0.3 of a metre but it has caught some of the best of mariners along this coast.

Carrickmannanon Rock – rock unmarked position: 55° 14.029' N, 006° 16.909' W




Local vessels will be seen passing inside the rock but newcomers are best advised not to. The tidal streams of Rathlin Sound rip past Carrickmannanon creating an eddy under its lee. This sets strongly back towards the rock and draws a vessel back upon it. Likewise between the rock and the headland heavy overfalls can be expected at various points of the tide. It is, therefore, best to entirely avoid the rock and its immediate surroundings. An astern sight line of Bengore Head open of Ballintoy Point, on 275° T, passes more than 800 metres north of Carrickmannanon.

Once past Carrickmannanon, a course can be steered to give Ballycastle’s North Quay pierhead a clearance of approximately 100 metres, where the Ballycastle Initial Fix is situated. Vessels approaching from eastward, from Fair Head, will encounter no dangers by keeping a ½ mile offshore or outside the 10-metre contour.




The position of the harbour is easily identified from miles around by the rounded summit of the 514 metres high Knocklayed, which stands 2.7 miles southwest of Ballycastle and can readily be identified from seaward.




From the initial fix turn to starboard and keep Boyd's Breakwater pierhead, the head of the southern 175-metre long east-facing wall, open to the sheltering and substantial North Pier. The North Pier, passed to starboard, is a large breakwater that carries a light Fl(3)G.6s6M at its head.




On the port side is the Boyd's Breakwater pierhead also with a light Fl(2)R4s1M. Boyd's Breakwater pierhead is obscured by the North Pier until a clearing bearing of 261° T is reached. South of this bearing, the southeast-facing entrance can be seen to open between the pierheads. By night come south immediately offshore of the harbour until Boyd's Breakwater light bears 275°T, or is well open of the north pierhead, and then turn in.





When steering northwestward into the entrance, the ferry quay which hosts the Rathlin Island ferry terminal will be seen at the middle of the north breakwater. Deep draft vessels should stand out on the approach as there is an area with only 2.2 metres LWS situated 20 metres off the pier head’s southeastmost corner.




Continue in behind the northern breakwater and once past the ferry terminal vessels intending on entering the marina should round hard to port to circle the head of Boyd's Breakwater after giving the ballast at its footing a sensible distance. Then enter the marina between the head of the Old Pier, to starboard, and the inner side of Boyd's Breakwater. There is plenty of room to manoeuvre.




Berth as directed by the Harbour Master. The pontons lettered 'A' - 'C' have 3 metres LAT with pontoon 'D', in the rear, having 2 metres LAT. Larger yachts tend to come alongside the hammerheads and a very large vessel may be directed by the harbour master to come alongside the pontoon on the North Quay of the outer harbour. This is a more easily addressed berth but can be subject to swell in strong northerly or northwesterly conditions.




The Old Quay on the south side of the outer harbour cannot be used as it is reserved for commercial fishing vessels.

Those anchoring off the pier head should not anchor too close east of the harbour as there is a submarine power cable that runs out to Rathlin Island in this area. This extends north-eastward from the foot of Boyd’s Wall and passes 100 metres from the head of the North Pier. It can be avoided by keeping at least 200 metres eastward. Vessels anchoring to the north of the North Pier should also keep well clear of the North Breakwater as the rock armour extends well out from the wall at all points.

Why visit here?

Ballycastle derives its name from the Irish 'Baile an Chaistil' meaning 'town of the castle'. The townland was named after a medieval castle that was situated in the middle of the present town on the site of which another castle was erected in 1609 by Randal Mac Donnell, 1st Earl of Antrim. These castles were situated very close to where the Holy Trinity Church is today, near 'The Diamond' where all Ballycastle roads converge, but no trace of the former castle remains today and very little of the later Mac Donnell castle.




Ballycastle has been a significant landing place since ancient times. A small hamlet grew up at the mouth of the little River Margie which flows into the sea close east of Ballycastle. The river's name originates from the Irish 'An Mhargaigh' meaning 'the boundary river' and the old hamlet alongside was known as 'Margietown'. An ancient fort would have existed here and the area was sometimes called 'Market Town', and later 'Port Brittas' which the bay was called at this time.





St Patrick came here in the 5th century and founded the 'Rathmudhain'. Ramoan, monastic settlement. The old graveyard at Ramoan stands on the original site but the ruins seen today are that of a later building. The oldest surviving building in the area is that of the Bonamargie Franciscan Friary. Its name is derived from the Irish 'bun na margaí' meaning 'foot of the river Margy' which describes its location close to the east bank of the river. The friary was established in 1485 by Rory MacQuillen and built of red sandstone, granite and dark basalt. It was shut down in the 1530s as part of Henry VIII's dissolution of monasteries. The church was burned in 1584, but the McDonnells, who acquired the friary in 1559, added a private chapel next to the ruin in 1621. Locked vaults hold the remains of the legendary clan leader chieftain, Sorley Boy MacDonnell, who was interred here in 1590 along with other Earls of Antrim.




Sorley Boy was born here in 1505 when this was known as Port Brittas and his clan held Antrim by force of arms during his tenure. The 16th Century McDonnell castle was then located west of the town, at Dunaneeny, on the cliffs overlooking Rathlin Island. It has vanished, save for a few stones near the cliff edge in the private estate of Clare Park. On the Kinbane headland that projects into the sea, two miles to the west of Ballycastle, his brother Colla McDonnell built Kinbane Castle the remains of which can be seen today. It was built in 1547 but Colla died within its walls in 1558 more than thirty years before Sorley Boy.




Sorley Boy was constantly at war with the crown forces sustaining terrible losses. A horrendous example of this was recorded by the Earl Of Essex, who described Sorley Boy MacDonnell haplessly watching Essex's massacre of his entire family on Rathlin Island from Ballycastle 'likely to run mad from sorrow'. Early in the 17th century, Sorley Boy's son Randal MacDonnell became clan leader. Although he had fought the crown as a rebel with the O'Neill clan for some years, in 1602 he deserted the lost cause and became reconciled with the Government.




He received the honour of knighthood and became the owner of vast estates stretching from Coleraine to Larne. Later he was created Viscount Dunluce and ultimately became the first Earl of Antrim. It was then he built a castle in the centre of the old town and it took on the name of Ballycastle which was first recorded in 1565. Sir Randal, though a Catholic, planted his own lands in County Antrim with Protestants, most of them Presbyterians, and was an effective manager. But the Ulster Plantations would lead to the Irish Rebellion of 1641 to put an end to anti-Catholic discrimination. After the rising and subsequent defeat of the native Irish chieftains, Ballycastle was reduced to a deserted town. In 1699 the tenements of the town occupied merely an area of three acres.




Rebirth came in the 18th century through Colonel Hugh Boyd who created the town that exists today. Under his guidance, the town flourished and the population returned to what was then a busy industrial town. Boyd brought economic prosperity to the area by investing in local natural resources. By 1760 he had coal mines, ironworks, salt pans towards Fair Head and tanneries, a brewery, soap works, bleach works and glass works around the town. The latter produced bottles, windows and plate glass and it was situated on what became known as Glass Island; between the old harbour and the Margie River.




Local natural resources such as limestone producing chalk, sand, seawater, fireclay and seaweed that were burned to make kelp producing many useful chemicals, were all used to facilitate these industries. A pier and safe anchorage was also built here in 1748 but were subsequently damaged in storms. Several harbours followed and were washed away over the centuries until the present substantial harbour was set in place.

What remained constant in Ballycastle since the Medieval period is the 'Ould Lammas Fair' centred in 'The Diamond' town square which dates back to 1606. The harvest fair has been held in Ballycastle for more than four centuries and it is one of the oldest traditional fairs in Ireland. Held on the last Monday and Tuesday of August, over the bank holiday weekend, the seaside town is taken over by hundreds of street traders, horse dealers and musicians not to mention its fireworks display. Thousands of people descend on the town for the fairground rides, entertainment and market stalls that feature local crafts and traditional specialities. Chief among these are the 'yellowman' (a hard chewy toffee-like honeycomb) and dulse (dried salted seaweed).

Today Ballycastle is a charming town where the old seafront shops and bars look out across the marina and harbour. It is a small uncrowded town surrounded by dramatic scenery. Situated on the most north-easterly tip of County Antrim, it has the spectacular Fair Head, 190 metres or just over 600 feet, to the east plus a blue flag beach 'The Strand' reaching out eastward from the harbour toward it along the south of the bay. Kinbane Head, meaning 'white head' referring to its white limestone, with Colla McDonnell's castle lies close to the west. It overlooks the isolated dangerous Carrickmannan rock offshore named after Ireland’s Neptune Manannán Mac Lír because it is here it is said he drowns sailors that displease him. Out to sea are views across to Rathlin Island and the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland, whilst behind is the northern mainland limit of the Antrim Coast and Glens Area - two of which Glentaisie and Glenshesk converge here. With such varied scenery all around, one is compelled to pursue and explore the natural beauty at hand.




Immediately of interest will be the slopes of the easily climbed Knocklayde which is 517 metres high and crowned by 'Carn na Truagh', 'the cairn of sorrow'. This is a massive heather-covered mountain inland from Ballycastle and just off the Moyle Way footpath. It is an ideal destination to completely take in the scenery. Here you will also find Glentaise, the most northerly of the Nine Glens of Antrim, situated at the foot of Knocklayde mountain, and also a forest which is worth visiting. There is also an attractive cycling route from Ballycastle to Cushendun, via Torr Head, that offers spectacular views and scenery. The whole of Moyle, the North Channel, may be seen from the road above Torr Head.




From a cruising perspective, Ballycastle has it all; spectacular surrounding mountain ranges, forests, glens, lakes and coastline plus a secure 74-berth marina where a yacht may be left in security. It is an ideal northern base to explore the Antrim Coast Road, and Glens of Antrim, as well as the Causeway Coast.




From a passagemaker point of view, it is ideally situated just a few miles west of Fair Head which makes it the perfect tidal optimisation point. Being 33 miles from Campbeltown and 33 miles from Gigha it also makes a convenient arrival point for westbound Scottish vessels or even those intended on progressing southward. The marina is very sheltered, and just a few minutes walk from the town with a good range of shops, pubs, restaurants, and bus connections.

What facilities are available?

Ballycastle Marina berths provide power, water and onshore facilities that have showers, toilets and laundry as well as 24 hr. pin code access and Wi-Fi. Fuel is available at a fuelling berth to the north of the marina. The most recent addition to the building is a visitor information office on the ground floor with helpful staff that can provide you with all the local information including travel, attractions, eating out etc.

Fresh provisions including gas can be obtained from the town immediately southwest of the pier. This is a sizable town servicing a population of about 5000. A slip is available that can accommodate craft up to 10 metres in length with a draught of 1.5 metres.

Any security concerns?

The marina has 24 hour security and access to it is via a gate which is kept locked. A numbered code is issued to all boat owners who can unlock the gate whenever they wish to access their craft.

With thanks to:

Terry Crawford, local boatman of many decades.