In Northern Ireland terms, this has always been 'a place apart' - indeed the building of the picturesque Coast Road from Glenarm to Ballycastle in the last century was a final attempt to bring the region under effective Government control. In many ways they look towards Scotland as much as the rest of Ireland. The Scottish connection is emphasised in local surnames such as McAlister, McKay, McNeill and common forenames like Alasdair, Randal and Archie. One of the finest ballads in Irish Gaelic, Airde Cuan, written about these Glens, by Sean Mac Ambrois in the middle of the last century. Mac Ambrois' song tells how he left his native Glendun, perhaps to escape the potato famine, and settled in Ayrshire where he ultimately died pining for the hills of home, which he could still see on the western horizon. His song tells of his love for the 'cuckoo glen'; (Glendun) and of playing hurling at Christmas on the 'white strand' (the beach at Cushendun).

Is iomai Nollaig bhi me fein/ I mBun Abahnn Doinne is me gan cheill/Ag iomain ar an tra bhan/ Mo chaman ban in mo dhorn liom
(Many a Christmas I was carefree in Cushendun, playing hurling beside the white strand, with my white hurling stick in my fist)

Traditional culture survived well in the Glens of Antrim because of their remoteness and the Irish language was in daily use around Cushendall until early this century. Feis na nGleann was founded in Glenariff in 1904 under the inspiration of the celebrated Belfast folklorist and historian F J Bigger There were competitions in language, traditional music and dancing as well as athletics and hurling. The Feis was maintained by the Gaelic League (Connradh na Gaeilge) which fostered the 20th century revival of national culture throughout Ireland. This enthusiasm for traditional culture has survived into modern times, and there are many notable singers and musicians associated with this area.

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