Gray — Irish Cromlechs. 239 



on the slope of the hill to the west of the old road from Larne 

 to Glenarm. There are many other antiquarian remains in the 

 same locality, and worked flints are found scattered over the 

 surface of the fields. 



11. DRUIDS' COTTAGE CROMLECH, ISLANDMAGEE. 

 Sketch No. 14. 



The subject of this sketch may be found at the road-side, on 

 the hill overlooking Larne Lough, from the northern extremity 

 of Islandmagee, opposite the point of the Curran, and about 

 one mile from the ferry. A cottage has been built adjoining 

 the cromlech, so that the latter stands within a few yards of the 

 front windows — a circumstance that has, doubtless, served to 

 preserve the monument up to the present. The cap-stone, 

 which is about six feet long, covers a chamber formed of blocks 

 of stone standing on end, and together form a very fair example 

 of our Irish cromlechs. The folk-lore of the locality refers to this 

 monument when it had a far more imposing appearance, being 

 in early times surrounded by other stones, possibly a complete 

 circle. The building of the cottage and other improvements 

 removed all trace of the circle, and the cromlech now stands 

 alone. Early in the present century a number of gold orna- 

 ments were found in the immediate vicinity of the cromlech,* 

 and worked flints may still be found on the surface of the 

 sloping ground towards the lough. 



12. FAIR HEAD CROMLECH, BALLYCASTLE. 



Away to the east of Ballycastle, above the collieries, on the 

 rocky plateau of Fair Head, there are the remains of a small 

 cromlech. Within living memory this monument was com- 

 plete, and the chamber was the favourite retreat of badgers. 

 Here the country sportsmen came with their dogs to hunt, and 

 the "sport" resulted in the overturning of the cap stone and 

 the comparative destruction of the monument. 



* See Dublin Penny Journal. Vol, J., 1832. Page Z09. 



