Legends of the Causeway Coastal Tour

When I was a child, I read a lot about the Northern Ireland because I knew that many of my ancestors had come from there after leaving Scotland. I thought it was unlikely that I would ever travel to Northern Ireland because of the political issues. However, I to my surprise, I recently found relatives still living there and made my first trip to visit in 2018. My cousins have taken me on two tours of the North Coast since I first visited two years ago. I would like to share some our photographs with a short description of each and the legends associated with that place.
Cushendun - The Fuldiew Story. A young lady, upon returning to Cushendun from a short visit
to a neighboring village, learned that her sweetheart had died at sea a few days before and that his body had been returned in a small rowboat to Cushendun Harbour and buried in a nearby church yard. The following morning, she was missing from her home. Her family went to look for her and found her dead body lying across the grave of her sweetheart with her goodbye note etched onto his tombstone. The last line said, “ SHIP LOVE IS MORED HEAD AND STARN FOR A FULDIEW.” The word “fuldiew” meant a sailor’s wage. Sometimes she is still seen wandering the banks of beautiful Cushendun Harbour or walking in the graveyard at night. No one seems to know her name.

Cushendum Harbour Photo by Steven Love

Cushendun Harbour Photo by Karen Bell

The Fuldiew Bench – Photo by Karen Bell

Ballintoy is an ancient fishing village. It preserves much of its charm from the past with its church, its ancient buildings, rocky shores, mist shrouded hills, and its beautiful rocky Ballintoy Harbour. Many scenes from Game of Thrones were filled in the Ballintoy area.

Ballintoy Church Photo by Stephen Love

Ballintoy Harbour Photo by Stephe Love

Ballintoy Harbour Photo by Stephen Love

Ballintoy Harbour Photo by Karen Bell

Stranocum – The Dark Hedges. Sightings of a “grey lady” have been reported walking the path hedge-lined path. Some believe she has wandered away from her grave in a nearby abandoned cemetery. She has been said to vanish as soon as she passes the last tree on the path. If you are a Game of Thrones fan, you will probably remember seeing scenes filmed at the Dark Hedges.
The Dark Hedges. Photos by Karen Bell.



Bushmills - The geological explanation of the Giant's Causeway is that it is an area of about
40,000 interlocking basalt columns that are the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. However, the legend associated with the causeway is that a giant, Finn McCool, needed an overland route to Scotland from the North Coast of Ireland, so he built the Giant’s Causeway

Basalt columns at Giant’s Causeway. Photo by Karen Bell.

Giant’s Causeway. Photos by Karen Bell.

Apparently, he enjoyed music because he has left his organ there.

The Giant’s Organ. Photo by Karen Bell.

Looking out to see from the Causeway. Photo by Karen Bell.

Downhill Demesne - The Mussenden Temple at Downhill Beach is one of the most famous sites on the Coastal Route. The temple was built in 1785 as a library for the niece of the 4th Earl of Bristoll and Bishop of Derry, Frideswide Bruce.
Mussenden Temple. Photo by Stephen Love.

Mussenden Temple. Photo by Stephen Love.

Downhill Beach and Mussenden Temple. Photo by Stephen Love.

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Bushmills - Dunluce Castle was built in 1500 by the McQuillan family who came from Scotland a couple of hundred years before. According to the legend, the castle’s kitchen and servant area fell into the sea in 1639, and today the cries of the staff can still be heard on stormy nights. Never mind that it may just be the wind. Several ghost sightings have been reported including a man in a purple cloak and a white lady wandering in the mist.

Photos by Stephen Love

The legend that I would like to honor is that of my Uncle John Donley Bell who was killed at sea when the Germans sank his ship in the Irish sea in 1944. He was 23 years old. I came here to tell hm that I that I hope his bones have come to rest on these shores with his people. I know my grandparents would echo this line, “ SHIP LOVE IS MORED HEAD AND STARN FOR A FULDIEW.”

United States Coast Guard WORLD WAR II Electrician's Mate 2nd Class, John D. Bell MIA/KIA Hometown: Ohio

Service # 517228

Awards: Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal

W/Star

Captain: Cdr Kenneth C. Phillips, USCG

Photo by Stephen Love