1 High St, Carnlough, Ballymena BT44 0EP
It had to be an exceptional bar to get me to make a special journey to Carnlough to see it. I thought I had completed my pub odyssey of the north but then I noticed in a local Sunday Paper that THE WATERFALL was awarded Bushmills bar of the year in Northern Ireland for 1990. I thought my book would not be complete until I had seen and recorded it. Carnlough lies at the foot of Glencoy, one of the famed nine glens of Antrim. By the way, can you name the nine glens? Here’s a little poem that will help you to remember them;
There are nine glens in Antrim Nine great glens in all Glenarm is the first one. and near Cushendall There lovely Glenariffe, Glenan and Glendun, And nestling between them Glenballyeamon Glencorp and Glenshesk Come on and don’t be lazy, There is only Glencoy And the last one Glentazy.
The passing traveller on the wonderful coast road passes through Carnlough under the fine Limestone bridge built in 1854 to carry the little railway which brought limestone from the quarries to the picturesque harbour. The other main road is High Street. Just a few yards into this street is our prize winning bar..THE WATERFALL. Immediately I entered it I couldn’t help but be impressed. It’s smallish consisting of a public bar with a lovely red tiled floor and low beamed ceiling, the bar counter made from reclaimed bricks from the old corn mill that was opposite it. In fact, in this building, lived some of the workers and it is still known locally as the Mill Tenement. The fireplace is also made from the reclaimed bricks and it was a nice idea to varnish them. Bolted unto the ceiling is a collection of antique guns, (look out for the long Arabian Gun) swords and bayonets. There’s a miner’s lamp and carbide lamp for a bike to be seen as well as a copper diver’s helmet. Adorning one of the walls is a collection of horse’s bits as well as a very old poster advertising A Famous Trotting Match 1872 (as old as the bar itself) to be held on Glenarm beach.
To the rear, is the lounge bar cum restaurant in the same modern-olde worlde style with its green curved wooden bar and yule posts between the canopy and the counter. On the shelves are rows of attractive large dinner plates. The illuminated lead glass window originally in the owner’s former bar, the Bridgend in Glenarm depicts a scene that looks like Waterfoot Arch, near Ballygally, the Black Arch near Ballygally. Again, reclaimed bricks are used in the fireplace with red tiles on the floor, solid wooden chairs with red cushions, green tulip lighting and a selection of acoutrements around the walls. When I got speaking to our amicable host Sean McClements, I was amazed when he told me he designed, refurbished and renovated the bar all by himself. ‘Then you’re a builder by trade’ says I. ‘No, just a handyman.’ What a handyman! It’s hard to believe he created this delectable little bar by himself. I was certainly glad I made the journey, for it’s a fine bar in every sense of the word, completed at a fraction of the cost of some of the opulent bars that I have seen in my travels, yet it compares favourably with the best of them. You’ll love this bar as I did and you’ll tell your friends about it when you get back home.
As I was leaving, Sean lifted a gilded door stopper off the floor. This, by the way, was the ‘Master Team’ trophy won by a team from this bar calling themselves The Antrim Coasters. It was the first year of the Nationwide contest and the quizmaster was Angela Rippon. As I said it’s a remarkable bar, full of surprises.
THE PARTING GLASS
All the money e’er I had I spent it in good company; And all the harm I’ve ever done, Alas! it was to none but me. And all I’ve done for want of wit To memory now I can’t recall; So fill to me the parting glass, Good Night and joy be with you all!
Oh, all the comrades e’er I had They’re sorry for my going away; And all the sweethearts e’er I had They’d wish me one more day to stay, But since it falls unto my lot That I should rise and you should not, I gently rise and softly call – Good Night and joy be with you all.