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RAM
RAMOAN, or RATHMORAN, a parish, in the
barony of CAREY, county of ANTRIM, and province of
ULSTER; containing, with the post-town of Ballycastle
(which is separately described), 4739 inhabitants. This
place, called also Rathmona, signifying “the fort in the
bog,” is situated on the sea-shore, and forms the western
boundary of Ballycastle bay. The coast, consisting of
bold, precipitous cliffs, is here too abrupt to afford a
convenient landing-place, except the quay at Ballycastle,
which was constructed at considerable expense, though
now in a dilapidated state. The parish comprises,
according to the Ordnance survey, 12,066½ statute acres,
principally under cultivation; the system of agriculture
is highly improved, but the lands in several parts being
very much exposed, the wheat does not ripen well. The
quality of the land differs much, but is in general pro-
ductive, and the extensive mountain of Knocklaide
affords good pasturage: it is one of the highest in the
county, half being within this parish, and the other half
in that of Armoy; its summit is 1685 feet above the
level of the sea at low water. There are considerable
tracts of bog near the Coleraine road, and of waste land
in the line towards the Giants’ Causeway, and near the
base of Knocklaide. Coal of excellent quality is found
here, but no mines have been opened, though the col-
lieries in the adjoining parish of Culfeightrim, usually
known as the Ballycastle collieries, were formerly worked
to a considerable extent. Superior freestone, in colour
and grain equal to Portland stone, is quarried here, but
not to any great extent. The spinning of linen yarn, and
the weaving of cloth, are carried on in some of the farm-
houses. A market and fairs, and courts leet and baron,
are held at Ballycastle. Clare Park is the elegant seat
of Chas. M c Gildowney, Esq.; Glenbank, of Mrs. Cup-
page; and the glebe-house, of the Rev. Leslie Creery.
The living was formerly a vicarage, united to that of
Culfeightrim, the rectories of which, since 1609, were
appropriate to the chancellorship of Connor, till 1831,
when, on the decease of Dr. Trail, the last chancellor, it
became a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Connor,
under the provisions of the act of the 5th of Geo. IV.,
cap. 80, and now constitutes the corps of the chancellor-
ship, with cure of souls, in the patronage of the Bishop.
The tithes amount to £400: the glebe-house was built
in 1809, at an expense of £480, of which £369 was a
gift, and £110 a loan, from the late Board of First Fruits;
the glebe comprises 26 acres of good arable land, valued
at £39 per annum. The church is a small edifice, and
was rebuilt in 1812, at an expense of £369, a loan from
the same Board: it contains some very ancient monu-
ments. There is also an endowed church, or chapel, at
Ballycastle. In the R. C, divisions the parish is called
Ballycastle; it contains two chapels, one in the town,
the other at Glenslush. There are two places of-wor-
ship for Presbyterians, in connection with the Synod of
Ulster, one of which is in the town, and the other near
the church; both are of the third class: there is also a
Methodist meeting-house. About 400 children are edu-
cated in five public schools, of which the parochial
school is principally supported by the rector; and in
five private schools are about 180 children. There are
also six Sunday schools. At Ballycastle are almshouses
founded by Hugh Boyd, Esq., who also endowed a
charter school, now discontinued, near the church, with
12 acres of land. On the summit of Knocklaide is a tumu-
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lus called Cairn-an-Truagh, said traditionally to be the
burial-place of three Danish princesses. There are se-
veral raths in the parish, some terminating in a pointed
apex, and others flat on the top like a truncated cone;
of the latter sort, one, within a quarter of a mile of
the town, is called Dun-a-Mallaght, the “cursed fort.”
The castle of Doonaninney stands on a bold headland,
300 feet above the level of the sea, commanding the
channel and the isle of Rathlin: two miles westward
are the noble and romantic ruins of Kinbane, or Ken-
bann, castle, built on a projecting cliff of limestone rock,
running out several hundred feet into the sea, under
some bold headlands, which rise 280 feet above the
ruins. In the town of Ballycastle are the remains of
the edifice which gave name to the place; an uninterest-
ing gable is all that exists: about two miles hence, on
the Glenslush water, are the ruins of a very extraordinary
castle, called Goban-Saor, which once was the residence
of the powerful chieftain O’Cahan: and immediately
adjoining the quay of Ballycastle are the interesting
ruins of the abbey of Bonamargy, founded by Mac
Donnell, in 1509, which was perhaps the latest erected
in Ireland for Franciscan monks; the chapel is in tole-
rable preservation, being the burial-place of the Antrim
family. According to Archdall, St. Patrick founded
a religious house here, called Rath-Moane, in which he
placed St. Ereclasius. Vast quantities of beautiful peb-
bles are found along the shore, among which are chalce-
dony, opal, dentrites, and belemnites. On the lands of
Drumans, on the side of the great mountain of Knook-
laide, is a spring, the waters of which are strongly
chalybeate, and may be conveyed to distant places
without any diminution of their effect.
RAMSGRANGE, a village, in the parish of ST.
JAMES, barony of SHELBURNE, county of WEXFORD,
and province of LEINSTER, 9 miles (S.) from New Ross,
on the road from Arthurstown to Salt Mills; containing
220 inhabitants. Here is a R. C. chapel belonging to
the union or district of Hook; being in a dilapidated
state, it is in contemplation to build a new one on a
different site. Near the chapel is a residence for the
priest.
RAM’S ISLAND, in the parish of GLENAVY, barony
of UPPER MASSEREENE, county of ANTRIM, and pro-
vince of ULSTER; the population is returned with the
parish. This small island, which is situated about two
miles from the eastern shore of Lough Neagh, comprises,
according to the Ordnance survey, 6a. 3r. 23p.: it is
partially planted with fruit trees and otherwise improv-
ed and ornamented, and with the remains of its ancient
round tower forms an interesting object from the shores
of the lake. The tower, of which 43 feet still remain,
is divided into three stories, and has an entrance on the
south-west nearly level with the ground; in the second
story is a window facing the south-east, and in the third
is another facing the north. About 5½ feet from the
ground are the remains of some letters or characters
cut on the stones in the interior, but so obliterated by
time as to be now illegible.
RANDALSTOWN, a market and post-town (for-
merly a parliamentary borough), in the parish of DRUM-
MAUL, barony of UPPER TOOME, county of ANTRIM,
and province of ULSTER, 17¼ miles (N. W. by W.) from
Belfast, and 97¼ (N.) from Dublin, at the junction of
the mail coach roads from Coleraine and Magherafelt to
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