Ballycastle

Ballycastle is the main resort at the northern end of the Glens of Antrim. People flock here in summer, but apart from peak season, this is a quiet town although brimming with community spirit. Ballycastle is shaped like an hourglass, with its strand and dock on one end, its pubs and chippers on the other, and the 1-km (½-mile) Quay Road in between. Beautifully aged shops and pubs line its Castle, Diamond, and Main Streets. On specific dates during spring and summer a lively artisan market is held when stallholders take over the seafront. Organized by Naturally North Coast and Glens Artisan traders, they sell handmade crafts and local food such as free-range rose veal, ethical goat meat, organically farmed salmon with fresh red dulce edible seaweed, and pollan, a delicious freshwater whitefish from Lough Neagh. The market is held on a rotating schedule in various coastal towns so it's best to check the website for dates www.naturallynorthcoastandglens.co.uk. While this market is extremely popular, the big annual event which attracts thousands to the town is the Ould Lammas Fair held on a fixed date over the bank holiday weekend at the end of August. The seaside town is taken over by hundreds of street traders, horse dealers, musicians and a fireworks display in what is Ireland's oldest traditional fair.