Cushendall sits where three of the nine Glens of Antrim - Glenaan, Glenballyeamon, and Glencorp - meet the sea, in the shadow of the flat-topped Lurigethan Mountain. Locals call it the Capital of the Glens, and the name has stuck for good reason: it’s the largest and most central of the Glens villages.
Name and History
The name Cushendall comes from the Irish Cois Abhann Dalla, “foot of the River Dall” - the village grew up on the north bank of that river, and was once known as Newtownglens. In 1973, it became only the second Conservation Area designated in Northern Ireland, protecting the largely intact Georgian-era buildings along its original four streets.
The Curfew Tower
Cushendall’s best-known landmark is the Curfew Tower, built in 1817 by local landlord Francis Turnly to deter civil unrest. Its unusual design - a folly complete with its own dungeon - was inspired by towers Turnly had seen along the Great Wall of China while working there for the East India Company, giving the village centre a genuinely distinctive, slightly out-of-place landmark.
Layde Old Church
About a mile from the village, the ruins of Layde Old Church, a 13th-century Franciscan foundation, sit in a real, still-used graveyard. It’s one of the burial sites of the MacDonnell clan, the Earls of Antrim, and many family graves can still be found here - a quieter, less-visited piece of the same history covered more fully on this site’s Dunluce Castle and Kinbane Castle pages.
Getting There
Cushendall sits on the Causeway Coastal Route, on the coast road linking Cushendun, Glenariff, and Ballycastle. It makes a natural base for exploring the Glens of Antrim, including Glenariff Forest Park a short drive south.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cushendall worth visiting? Yes - between the Curfew Tower, Layde Old Church, and its position at the meeting point of three glens, it has more genuine historical texture than its small size suggests, plus easy access to Glenariff Forest Park and Cushendun.
What is Cushendall famous for? Being known locally as the Capital of the Glens, and for the Curfew Tower, its Great Wall of China-inspired 1817 landmark.
How far is Cushendall from Belfast? About 45 miles, roughly an hour’s drive via the Glens of Antrim or the Causeway Coastal Route.
