Carncastle

Carncastle or Cairncastle (from Irish: carn meaning mound and English: castle, given mound of the castle) is a small village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland near the town of Larne and inland from the village of Ballygally. It had a population of 66 people in the 2001 Census. It is situated within the Larne Borough Council area.

Church

Cairncastle Presbyterian Church is one of the oldest congregations of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. The congregation was founded in 1646, four years after the foundation year of the Presbytery of Carrickfergus, which is the oldest presbytery in Ireland. The current minister is The Reverend Anne Tolland, who was installed in December 2001.

Knockdhu

Knockdhu (from Irish: Cnoc Dhubh meaning "black hill") is a Bronze Age promontory fort and settlement situated approximately one mile to the west of Cairncastle. The site consists of a set of three banks and ditches, Bronze Age roundhouses, and a probable gatehouse. It was excavated for the first time in 2008 for a Time Team episode that was first broadcast on 18 January 2009.

Cairncastle Flute Band

One of the oldest Protestant marching bands in Northern Ireland. having been formed around 1855-1859. The band practice in the small village of Cairncastle but they are known to be from the mainland of Larne where the majority of their members come from.

See also

• List of villages in Northern Ireland
• List of places in County Antrim

References

Government

• NI Neighbourhood Information Service

Time Team

• Time Team: Heroes' Hill - Knockdhu, County Antrim
• Time Team: Finds report
• The Larne Times: "The Time Team find their holy grail at Cairncastle" (25 September 2008)