- Islandmagee
Islandmagee (in Irish: "Oileán Mhic Aodha", ie Magee’s island/peninsula) is a
peninsula on the east coast ofCounty Antrim ,Northern Ireland , located between the towns ofLarne andCarrickfergus . It is part of theLarne Borough Council area and is a sparsely populated rural community with a long history since themesolithic period.As part of an agricultural
crop rotation programme of old beans were grown to supply nitrogen to the soil. "Bean Eaters" became a nick-name for the people of Islandmagee.Settlements on the peninsula include Ballystrudder, Portmuck, Mill Bay and Ballykeel, while Brown's Bay is a popular tourist attraction. It is the site of Northern Ireland's main power station Ballylumford.
History
The Bissett family held the tenancy of the peninsula in Elizabeth I's reign, their rent being an annual offering of goshawks, birds which bred on the rugged white chalk cliffs nearby.
*Islandmagee is the home of the
Ballylumford Dolmen . Known locally as the "Druid's Altar", this dolmen could be 4000 years old, or could be the remains of an even earlier passage grave. The dolmen consists of four upright stones, with a heavy capstone and a fallenstone within the structure. This may have been put there to block the entrance to the tomb. [cite web | title=Ballylumford Dolmen | work=Discover Northern Ireland | url=http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/shortbreaks/product.aspx?ProductID=2954 | accessdate=2007-12-05]Sport
*Islandmagee F.C. play at the highest level of amateur football in Northern Ireland, in the Northern Amateur Football League Premier Division.
*Two golf clubs, Whitehead Golf Club (18 holes) and Larne Golf Club (9 holes) lie on the peninsula, as do two horseriding centres - Rainbow Equestrian Centre and Islandmagee Riding Centre.
*Fishing continues to be the most common sport practiced in the region.References
* [http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/town_Home.aspx?co=16&to=334&ca=0&sca=0&navID=1 Culture Northern Ireland]
External links
* [http://www.islandmagee.co.uk/ Islandmagee Community website]
* [http://www.islandmageefc.vze.com/ Islandmagee Football Club Website]
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