Shane's Castle is a ruined castle near Antrim in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, which was mostly destroyed in 1816 by fire. The castle is situated on the north-east shores of Lough Neagh, 2.7 miles from Randalstown. Built in 1345 by a member of the Clandeboy O'Neill dynasty, it was originally known as Edenduffcarrick, meaning "brow of black rock" (from the Irish éadán dúcharraige). It owes its present name to Shane McBrian McPhelim O'Neill, who ruled Lower Clandeboy between 1595 and 1617.

History

Shanes' castle was originally built in 1345. In 1809 it was decided to rebuild the Plantation castle to a design by John Nash, however a fire in 1816 left the castle in ruins though the family papers were saved. Subsequently a large Victorian-Gothic Castle was built in the 1860's, this survived until it was burnt down in 1922 by the IRA.

In popular culture

The castle's 1816 destruction by fire was the subject of John Neal's poem "Castle Shane," published in The Portico the same year. The ruins have been used in the HBO TV series Game of Thrones.

Shane's Castle Railway

History

Shane's Castle Railway was a gauge tourist railway in the grounds of the castle run by Raymond O'Neill, 4th Baron O'Neill. It was laid by NIR staff in their spare time using 75 lb/yd track with curves to CDRJC standards and opened on 30 April 1971. The line had three stations (Antrim, Millburn and Shane's Castle) and was 1 mi long. It closed on 31 October 1995 due to declining visitor numbers There had previously been a gauge line in the castle grounds between 1940 and 1956, which was used by the British Army for transport to and from a bomb dump.

Rolling stock

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