HISTORY
Ballygally Castle is in the village of Ballygally, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, located approximately 3 miles (5 kilometres) north of Larne. The castle overlooks the sea at the head of Ballygally Bay. Now run as a hotel, it is the only 17th century building still used as a residence in Northern Ireland, and is reputed to be one of the most haunted places in all of Ulster.
The castle was built in 1625 by James Shaw, of Scotland, who had come to the area and rented the land from the Earl of Antrim for £24 a year. Over the main entrance door to the castle, leading to the tower, is the Middle Scots inscription "Godis Providens is my Inheritans". The castle did come under attack, from the Irish garrison at Glenarm, several times during the rebellion of 1641 but each assault was unsuccessful. The castle was owned by the Shaw family until it passed into the hands of William Shaw in 1799. He sold the estate for £15,400. In the 1950s the castle was bought by the carpet tycoon Cyril Lord and was extended and renovated. It is now owned and run by the Hastings Hotels Group. The bawn and walled garden are registered as Scheduled Historic Monuments.
Built in 1625 by James Shaw and his wife Isabella Brisbane. Shaw, a native of Greenock, Scotland, came to Ireland in 1606 to seek his fortune. In 1613, he received a sub-grant of land from the Earl of Antrim. It was on this land that the castle was built.
The original castle served as a place of refuge for the Protestants during the Civil Wars. During that time, it was handed down from fathers to sons and in 1799 it was passed to William Shaw, the last squire of Ballygally. In the early 1800s the Shaw family lost their wealth and the estate was sold to the Agnew family for £15,400.
For several years it was used as a coastguard station, before the Reverend Classon Porter and his family took residence. It was then taken over by the Moore family. They then sold it to textile millionaire Mr. Cyril Lord in the early 1950s, who refurbished it as a hotel.
GHOSTLY GOINGS ON
Ballygally Castle is renowned as one of the most haunted places in Northern Ireland. A regular ghostly visitor is thought to be Lady Isabella, wife of James Shaw, who built Ballygally Castle. The story goes that her husband only married her to produce an heir. The moment their son was born, he snatched the baby and had Isabella locked in a room at the top of the castle. Trying to escape, she plunged to her death. You can visit the Ghost Room in the tower but no one is allowed to stay there anymore.
CURRENT SITUATION
After centuries of private ownership, Ballygally Castle was turned into theelegant Candlelight Inn in the 1950s by‘Carpet King’ Cyril Lord, who becamefamous from the TV ads for his carpetcompany. Its candelabra brand wasdesigned around distinctive light fittings,some of which can still be seen in the 1625 Room. Sir Billy Hastings bought Ballygally Castle in 1966. Beautifully refurbished, the hotel has preserved the castle’s unique character and many of its features.
