... The two giants challenged one another to a contest of strength, and Finn set about building a great causeway that would allow Benandonner to cross from his liar in Fingel's Cave to the beautiful shores of County Antrim without getting his feet wet.
As this version of the legend maintains, ... Read review
Offering comfort and value by pretty Carrickfergus Harbour, Premier Inn Carrickfergus is ... more
0.5 miles from the town centre and is ideal for visiting the castle and the marina.Carrickfergus Premier Inn is 9.5 miles (15.3 km) from Belfast and has an on-site Brewers Fayre restaurant serving great-value pub favourites in a family-friendly environment. The all-you-can-eat breakfast includes the expected cooked items, including vegetarian sausages. There is also a wide continental selection.Some rooms at Premier Inn can take 2 adults and up to 2 children (under 16 years). The 2 children also get a free full breakfast when accompanied by an adult eating a full breakfast.
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Pages: 174, Paperback, Ulster Historical Foundation
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Advantages: Dramatic views clothed in the mysteries of both legend and science Disadvantages: Access for the handicapped is necessarily restricted
...to the beautiful shores of County Antrim without getting his feet wet.
As this version of the legend maintains, late one evening the tired Finn, having nearly completed his work on the causeway, broke away from his labors and fell into a sound slumber--intending to finish his task the next morning. Meanwhile, Benandonner, a much larger giant with a longer stride, found the nearly completed path and strolled over to fulfill the challenge ... ...from her own sleep by the thunderous footsteps of the approaching Benandonner. Realizing that her work-weary husband could never win a test of strength with his enormous rival, Oonagh hurriedly covered her husband in her own nightdress, put a sleeping cap on his head, and bundled his sleeping form like that of a child. When Benandonner appeared, she shushed him and warned him to be quiet, lest he wake her baby. The Scottish giant quickly decided ... more
Ireland thrives on legends that blend myth and reality in an unknowable measure. It is a land of saints and dragons, warrior-kings and gods, fairies and giants. It is a land of mystery and music. And at the northernmost edge of this green and magical island lies a geological formation that has fascinated its human visitors for centuries--and that, quite naturally for Ireland, is mixed inextricably with legend.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Legendary Finn ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The legend of the Giant's Causeway features Finn McCool (also rendered as MacCool or MacCumhaill), a wee lad of a giant merely 52 and a half feet tall, who is said to have built the Causeway. Details associated with Finn's remarkable feat vary considerably with the telling. One common version holds that the gentle, fair-haired Finn found himself in a shouting contest with another giant, the mighty Benandonner (whose name is also subject to variations in spelling), who lived across the Irish Sea in Scotland. The two giants challenged one another to a contest of strength, and Finn set about building a great causeway that would allow Benandonner to cross from his liar in Fingel's Cave to the beautiful shores of County Antrim without getting his feet wet.
As this version of the legend maintains, late one evening the tired Finn, having nearly completed his work on the causeway, broke away from his labors and fell into a sound slumber--intending to finish his task the next morning. Meanwhile, Benandonner, a much larger giant with a longer stride, found the nearly completed path and strolled over to fulfill the challenge with his Irish neighbor. Oonagh, Finn's wife, was awakened from her own sleep by the thunderous footsteps of the approaching Benandonner. Realizing that her work-weary husband could never win a test of strength with his enormous rival, Oonagh hurriedly covered her husband in her own nightdress, put a sleeping cap on his head, and bundled his sleeping form like that of a child. When Benandonner appeared, she shushed him and warned him to be quiet, lest he wake her baby. The Scottish giant quickly decided that if this be the child, he had no wish to meet the father. As Benandonner retreated back across the causeway, he used his great strength to tear up the causeway as he went, leaving only bits of the path as it entered the sea.
♦ Variations ♦
One variation on the Causeway legend features Finn as a great warrior who built his path in a rage, the better to defeat an enemy that threatened the Antrim Coast. Yet another makes him a lonely giant who built a path across the sea to win the heart of his lady love, a giantess who lived on one of the Western Isles. And, of course, the Scots have their own versions that, not surprisingly, are far different!
As a final note, the ancient name for the Causeway, "Clahain a Fomhaire" (stepping stones of the Fomorians) connects local lore on this magnificent strip of coastline to the Fomorians--Ireland's pre-Celtic inhabitants. Whether or not the Fomorians were giants, who can say?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Geology ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For those among us who are more impressed with science than legend, the Giant's Causeway may be explained as a field of polygonal basalt columns (each with from five to eight sides), caused by the rapid cooling of molten rock pushed up from below the earth's crust some 60-odd million years ago. Over the millennia, the crystallized basalt has been weathered by wind and water to create the magnificent formations we see today as part of Ireland's spectacular northern coast.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The History ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Over the centuries, the Causeway Coast has provided refuge for Viking raiders and settlers, presented deadly perils to Spanish galleons, and proven itself a haven for smugglers slipping goods into Ireland beyond the grasp of the tax collector.
The Causeway's fame as a tourist attraction and as a destination for scientific expeditions began in the early 18th century, apparently spurred by a 1692 account published by the Bishop of Derry, who noted the area's unusual formations. The basalt formations of the Antrim Coast provided crucial source material for the study of igneous rocks and have contributed significantly to our understanding of their origin.
As the Causeway's fame escalated throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, an entry gate was established to collect fees at the cliff's edge and local people--most notably the "grannies"--offered food, drink, and keepsakes from makeshift stalls on the Causeway itself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Causeway Today ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
However you explain its origin, the Causeway today is a dramatic stretch of coastline in Northern Ireland. Administered by Britain's National Trust since 1961 and designated as a World Heritage Site, the Giant's Causeway attracts as many as half a million visitors a year.
The National Trust Visitor Centre, located on the cliffs along the edge of the Antrim Plateau above the Causeway, offers visitors an orientation to the site and to the 12 miles of trails it maintains. In clear weather, the clifftop paths feature astonishing views along the Causeway Coast. Paths from the Visitor Center down to the Causeway and portions of a so-called mid-cliff paths offer hikes of varying degrees of challenge and, of course, provide closer views of individual formations. Less foolhardy folk may elect to purchase tickets on the Causeway Coaster, a minibus ferrying visitors back and forth between the Causeway and the Visitor Centre.
Himself and Yours Truly opted to walk down the steep but well-maintained path to the Causeway. The National Trust has provided a number of interpretative placards offering descriptions of the local floral and fauna, not to mention the local geology. As we walked, we enjoyed truly spectacular views of the surrounding headlands, points, and bays on either side of the Causeway. Arriving as we had under an Irish blessing, the weather had obligingly cleared just in time for us to make the best of the scenery. With Great Stookan on the left and Port Roesdan on the right, we could see the full sweep of that portion of the Antrim Coast. We even imagined that, like Finn McCool, we could see the coast of Scotland in the distance.
The Causeway itself consists of roughly 40,000 basalt pillars. The closely packed stones of the Grand Causeway in particular project the very image of an ancient roadbed disappearing into the sea. Some of the Causeway's stones rise as high as 40 feet above the "pavement" level, creating what has been referred to a "moonscape" effect--though Yours Truly saw far too much water to think of the moon as an appropriate metaphor. Like millions of other visitors, we moved from pavement stone to pavement stone, admiring the artistry of Mother Nature in creating the Causeway. We climbed among the irregularly graduated pillars of the Small Causeway and we sat on the Wishing Chair--wishing mainly for a more prolonged stay.
Other formations visible along the paths near the Causeway include aptly named protrusions of polygonal basalt along the cliff face such as the Giant's Organ and the Harp. A brown boot-shaped slab of basalt known as the Giant's Boot lies on the rocky beach not far above the water line, for all appearances a discarded remnant of some long-ago antics by the likes of Finn McCool.
The climb back to the Visitor Centre is all uphill and, of course, seems much longer than the climb down. The climb up provided Yours Truly with a welcome excuse for stops along the way to search for specimens of the rare flora native to the area, including the red broomrape and the oyster plant.
At the end of the climb awaited the revitalizing refreshments of Centre's Tea Room--and other amenities. The National Trust also maintains a gift shop and stocks a number of books on the history and geology of the Causeway.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Getting There ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Himself and Yours Truly drove to the Giant's Causeway from Ardee, which is located just south of the border between Ulster and the Republic. Our plan was to head east to the Cooley Peninsula, then travel as much as we could by the coast roads until we reached the Causeway. The only problem with that plan was that there was simply too much to see for a day trip. Having rounded the peninsula, we caught the A28 at Newry, then the A29 at Armaugh, and headed north. At Portrush, we caught the A2 to Bushmills, then followed local signage on the B146 to the Causeway.
For those of you who might be worried about the enduring impact of the Troubles and their effect on travel between the Republic and Northern Ireland, don't. The border is so widely ignored and poorly marked that we didn't know for sure when we made the crossing. As for currency, we carried pounds sterling as well as euros, but we noticed that a great many businesses in both Northern Ireland and the Republic accepted both currencies.
Other means of getting there include:
By Train - Check service offered from Belfast or Londonderry to Coleraine.
By Bus - The Causeway Rambler (Ulsterbus No. 376) between Bushmills and Carrick-a-Rede runs in the summer; or Ulsterbus No. 252 is a circular route via the Antrim Glens from Belfast.
By Car from Belfast - Follow the M2 to the A26, heading north. At Coleraine take the A29 to Portrush, then the A2 to Bushmills, and the B146 to the Causeway. Drive time from Belfast: approximately 1 hour 15 minutes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fees ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Guided tours (available June – Aug): £2.50, child £1, family £6.50. Group rates available.
Admission: Free (donations welcome)
Causeway Coaster minibus to stones: Free for National Trust members
Parking (not operated by the National Trust): Motorbike £2, car £5, minibus £10, coach £20
Advantages: Stunning scenery; A phenomena you won't see anywhere else Disadvantages: Er, very tiring.
Many, many, many years ago (you get the idea), the warrior giant of Ulster, Finn McCool was challenged to a ‘scrap’ with the Scottish giant Benandonnor. In order for Benandonnor to get across, Finn built a highway from Antrim to the Isle of Staffa, Benandonner’s home.
One day after the highway was built Benandonner came over to Antrim whilst Finn was asleep. Finn’s wife realised that he was much bigger and stronger than her ... ...a woman) covered Finn with a blanket and a baby’s bonnet. When Benandonner arrived and saw the baby he didn’t stay around to see Finn: if the baby was that big then how big would Finn be! When he went back across to his home on the Isle of Staffa he destroyed the highway in his wake, and today the Giant’s Causeway is what remains.
Ok, the scientific version is millions of years ago, cooled down larva that was compressed to form ...
HappyBunny 28.07.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of County Antrim (Ireland)
Advantages: An accessible and relaxed coast, with a winning combination of attractive towns and stunning scenery Disadvantages: Inland, Antrim has less to offer the visitor
...a mark of respect.
County Antrim is a place of contrasts. With a few exceptions there isn’t that much to see and do, inland. Antrim itself is uninspiring, except for a few older buildings like its interesting courthouse. The Irish Linen Centre in Lisburn is well worth a visit and the best place in Northern Ireland to understand how linen is made and used. But, it’s the Antrim coast, which is the glory of the county. Portrush may be a ... ...name for itself as a destination for surfers. Both Portrush and Portstewart have splendid, expansive beaches, which never seem to be so crowded that it’s impossible to find a quiet spot. We liked Portrush, with its characterful, fleapit cinema and lovely, bracing walks around Ramore Head.
Further along the coast, the cliffs rise higher and so does the beauty of the landscape. Dunluce castle is a few miles along the coast from busy Portrush ...
plwood 17.08.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of County Antrim (Ireland)
Advantages: Spectacular natural structure Disadvantages: Cold, wet and windy iost of the time
...It is world famous as County Antrim's 'wonder of the world' and although similar structures to this can be found off the coast of Scotland (Fingal's Cave) and in Iceland, this one is the most striking and awesome spectacle of them all.
All around you is the wild and windy Atlantic Ocean, off the coastline of County Antrim. The Causeway itself looks like a stack of huge squared off blocks, all on top of each other. The fabulous colours of the rock ... ...the light and the weather. It is made up of more than 40,000 closely packed basalt columns. Some of these are as much as 90 feet thick. The highest columns reach about 40 feet above sea level. These were formed about 60 million years ago when molten lava came up from the seabed. The sheer scale of the Causeway is breath taking. This is a cold and windy place, even on a warm day and it is easily accessible from Port Ballintrae and Port Rush. There ...
jan007 09.11.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of County Antrim (Ireland)
Value for Money
Sightseeing
Shopping
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Ease of getting around
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~ ~ The Royal Portrush Golf Club was the first true links (seaside) course in Ireland, opening for play in 1888.
It is situated no more than a drive and a pitch from the town on the north CountyAntrim coastline, almost within spitting distance of the famous “Giant’s Causeway”.
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and bag-searches. Such things have not existed here for over a decade. What people need to see about this country is the Lakes of Fermanagh, the Mountains of Mourne and the Walls of Derry. So let me give you a guided tour County by County. Highly recommended by me, and I should know! I live here!
COUNTYANTRIM
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If you?re coming to Northern Ireland by Plane or Ferry then it is more than likely that Antrim will be the first sight you see. The capital of the country, Belfast is located in Antrim, and is home to the two main airports, and Ferry ports. Belfast is a sprawling great city, and having survived probably the hardest times in the past it is now a modern buzzing place with a great nightlife and a varied culture. Belfast is also a great shopping place for all the shopaholics out there, but Antrim has much more to it ...
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The Royal Portrush Golf Club was the first true links course in Ireland,
opening for play in 1888.
It is situated no more than a drive and a pitch from the town on the north CountyAntrim coastline, alongside the famous ‘Giant?s Causeway?.
Similar in design and layout to the Old Course at Saint Andrews,
Scotland, it boasts large, undulating putting greens, and fairways carved
from the natural humps and hollows of the ever-present sand dunes.
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