Read about County Antrim towns from the Belfast and Ulster Towns Directory 1910.
The Story of Belfast
County Antrim from Samuel Lewis' Topographical Directory of Ireland 1837
County Antrin from George Bassett 1888
Sketches of Olden Days in Northern Ireland by Rev. Hugh Forde Dunluce Castle and Dundeverick Castle
Early industries in Belfast from the Story of Belfast by Mary Lowety.

Aontroim / Co. Aontroma - meaning "Solitary Farm"

County Antrim is situated in the north eastern corner of Ireland, it has an area of 972 Sq. Miles (622,000 Acres) (3,046 square kilometer) it is bordered to the north by the Atlantic and east by the North Channel (Northern part of the Irish sea), and to the west the river Bann forms the county boundary with Co Londonderry. Lough Neagh (The largest fresh water lake in the UK and Ireland) forms the rest of its western boundary from Toome at the north of the lake where the Upper Bann leaves the Lough for the sea at Coleraine. To the south it has a county boundary with Co Down and Belfast Lough

The county's geography ranges from lush lowland meadows in the Bann and Lagan valleys and also bordering Lough Neagh, to the rugged grandeur of the uplands along the east coast. The Glens of which there are nine. Torr head and nearby Fair Head are only 13 miles from Scotland, consequently the culture and history of the two areas are inextricably interwoven.

Most of the county is a high, basalt plateau, The plateau is about 80 kilometer in length and 50 wide. The beautiful Antrim coast road is built on a raised beach at the foot of the high basalt cliffs. The Antrim plateau is cut by valleys known as the nine Glens of Antrim. These valleys, which run eastward to the sea, were formed by glaciers in ancient times. The cliffs of Fair Head mark the Northeast corner of the basalt block. At the Giant's Causeway, the outflow from a volcano formed into about 40,00 pillars of black basalt, legend attributed this to a giant Finn McCool Most of the plateau is flat. Its highest point are at Trostan 554 metres (1,817 ft) above sea level, followed by Knocklayd at 517 metres (1,695 ft)

Along Antrim's eastern and northern coasts are many harbours some cleft from the rock, from one of these it's said, l Deirdre (Of the sorrows) and the sons of Uisneach embarked for Scotland to escape the wrath of King Conor.
At the top right hand corner of the county Fair Head stands proud above the sea, overlooking Murlough bay and giving a birds eye view of Rathlin Island.

Agriculture is the main industry. Barley, oats, and potatoes are the main crops. But livestock production is more important. Farmers in the county raise cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry. The textile industry was once important, chiefly for linen and, more recently, synthetic fibers. This industry is now in decline.

Coal mines at Ballycastle were worked until recently. Lignite (brown coal) is found in large quantities in the county, although there is much opposition to its extraction. Most of Northern Ireland's electricity is generated by stations at Ballylumford and Kilroot. Iron ore and limestone were mined up until the 1970's.

Read about industries in County Antrim from Samuel Lewis; Topographical Directory of Ireland published in 1837.

The town of Antrim situated close to the Northeast corner of Lough Neagh , the largest inland lake in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Antrim and Ballymena are the administrative centres of their respective districts. The government has named them as new towns, which are centres for rapid, industrial, and urban development. Larne is also an industrial centre, it is the main port for ferry traffic to and from the rest of the United Kingdom. The smaller port of Carrickfergus is dominated by its great Norman castle. Portrush and Portstewart are popular seaside resorts on the Atlantic coast. Ballycastle looks across a narrow sound (channel of water) to Rathlin Island. The traditional Lammas fair is held at Ballycastle every August. Bushmills is famous for its whiskey distillation.

Northern Ireland's main air and sea terminals are located in the county of Antrim. Belfast International Airport is at Aldergrove, The ferry port of Larne, serving the short sea route to Stranraer, in Scotland, handles most of Northern Ireland's freight traffic, the remainder is carried from Warrenpoint in Co Down. The county has a good network of main roads. The M2 motorway connects Belfast with Larne, with the airport, and with all the main routes to the north and west. The railway links Belfast to Larne and to Antrim, Ballymena, and Derry in the north.

The principal towns of the county are Antrim, Belfast (Capital of N I .) Ballycastle, Ballymoney, Ballymena, Carrickfergus and Lisburn. The county has a population in excess of 250,000