County Antrim offers some of the most dramatic landscapes in Northern Ireland—but its scenic coastlines, historic towns, and centuries-old buildings also carry a darker reputation.
From ancient castles to former workhouses, this is a county with no shortage of ghost stories backed by decades of local testimony and modern-day investigations.
At Ballygally Castle, guests have long reported encounters with the spirit of Lady Isabella Shaw, believed to wander the halls after being locked in a tower room and falling to her death. Further east, Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast offers one of the most documented examples of paranormal activity in the county. With a long history of executions and political imprisonments, the site has produced consistent reports of apparitions, unexplained footsteps, and cell doors slamming shut—particularly around the old execution chamber and the Condemned Man’s Cell.
And at Carrickfergus Castle, one of the best-preserved Norman strongholds in Ireland, stories persist of a ghostly soldier named “Buttoncap,” allegedly executed by mistake in the 18th century. His spirit is said to wander the castle walls to this day.
Explore my directory of haunted locations in County Antrim. If you know of a site that’s missing, you can suggest it here.
From the basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway to cliff-top castles that stare defiantly into the Atlantic, this is a county where myth and history stand shoulder to shoulder. Ancient forts crown windswept hills. Ruined towers guard lonely shorelines. And in the shadow of dramatic landscapes, centuries of conflict, folklore, and whispered encounters linger.
Below, you’ll find carefully selected tours and experiences that allow you to experience Antrim properly - from guided coastal walks and castle tours to immersive heritage experiences and atmospheric evening explorations.
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