Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens officially opens Ballycastle Museum for the 2024 season
Wed, July 24, 2024
Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Ciarán McQuillan has officially opened Ballycastle Museum for the 2024 season.
Thanks to the valued support of the Friends of Ballycastle Museum, the Museum located at Castle Street, will have their permanent collections on display throughout the summer and with free entry, visitors are sure to be impressed.
The museum is housed in an 18th century Grade B+ listed building and contains a treasure trove of artefacts from the arts and crafts revival in Ulster. Visitors can view the ‘Devils of Ballycastle’ sandstone statue fragments featuring an enigmatic royal figure carved over 2000 years ago which once looked over Ballycastle harbour.
Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Ciarán McQuillan said: “Thanks to the dedication of the Friends of Ballycastle Museum, the Museum is now able to open after a delay due to remedial works.
“Council is extremely grateful to the members of Friends of Ballycastle Museum and thank them for all that they do to keep the museum open and accessible to the public.
“If you are visiting Ballycastle, I would encourage you to come along to see the collections in this, just one of five museums Council’s museums service offers visitors throughout the Borough.”
Items on display include a copy of a manuscript believed to have been found in 1822 at Bonamargy Friary – 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.
30 Treasures, a new publication, written by the Friends will be available to purchase in the Museum. It reveals fascinating stories about 30 objects within the collections, linking them to other objects and wider histories. A must have for anyone interested in the history of Ballycastle.
Admission to the Museum is free and it will be open throughout July and August on Friday & Saturday from 10am – 5pm and on a Sunday from 2pm –5pm.
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