The Antrim McDonnell Heritage Centre

Your journey begins in the 14th century, when John Mór MacDonnell (Eoin Mór Mac Domhnaill) first crossed from Scotland to Glenarm – the start of a dynasty that would help shape the history of the North Antrim coast. Through tales of shifting alliances, fierce rivalries, and survival during the turbulent wars of the 16th and 17th centuries, you’ll discover how the family rose to prominence while based at the iconic Dunluce Castle.

Glenarm remains the ancestral home of the McDonnell (MacDonnell) family, one of the oldest lineages in these islands, with roots stretching back more than 2,000 years. Among their most legendary figures was the formidable Sorley Boy MacDonnell (Somhairle Buidhe Mac Domhnaill), the warrior chief who secured the family’s power and influence across the region.

It was his son, Randal MacDonnell, who was the first Earl of Antrim and went on to build Glenarm Castle in 1636 – establishing the estate as the family seat that continues to this day.

A visit to the Heritage Centre reveals not just a family history, but an epic story of migration, conflict, resilience, and legacy that still echoes through Glenarm today.