Welcome to Lissanoure Castle, a dreamy wedding venue nestled in Ballymena, Co. Antrim. The castle belongs to Peter and Emily Mackie and is situated in the heart of their privately owned estate. It is described as a truly stunning and serene setting in the middle of the country amidst a natural backdrop of woodlands, parkland and lakes at the foot of the Glens of Antrim.

Lissanoure Castle is available for bespoke or package weddings throughout the year in either the Castle Coach House and/or the Barn, giving you the flexibility to create your own unique day. The fantastic on-site team at Lissanoure Castle will be on hand to help with everything from the big ideas to the last-minute details.

We have chosen never to hold two events on the same day as we want to make your day absolutely perfect. Whether you are planning an elopement, an outdoor ceremony or a spectacular affair, we will make sure that you and your guests will have a day that you will remember.

CASTLE COACH HOUSE AND COURTYARD

In the Castle Coach House, there are two main reception rooms that lead off from a central hall:

• The Macartney Room, which is fully furnished, has an open-log fire and a fully licenced bar.
• The Dining Room can seat up to 100 people. It also has an open log fire and a dance floor.
• At one end of the building, there is a fully fitted catering kitchen and a bride's room with an en-suite bathroom.
• We have a licence to hold weddings and civil partnerships.
• All the main rooms open out into the Castle Courtyard, where there is the iconic clock tower. There is an archway under the clocktower which leads you out towards the outdoor ceremony area and also down towards the lake.

THE CASTLE BARN

Next to the Castle Coach House is the Castle Barn. This reception space gives you the option of holding a much larger wedding celebration, as it can hold up to 300 guests. Smaller weddings can be accommodated by partitioning it off. The Castle Barn contains the following:

• Dance floor
• Large Stage
• Comfortable seating
• Open log fire
• Catering kitchen
• Licenced stocked bar with staff

CEREMONIES

We have two beautiful locations at Lissanoure Castle to hold ceremonies.

• Inside the Castle Coach House, with its welcoming open fire in the hallway, the ceremony can take place in the main reception room off the hallway for up to 150 guests.
• If you would prefer an outdoor wedding ceremony, we have a wonderful covered area in the garden between the castle walls.

There is also the Church of Ireland, All Saint's Church, at the gates to the estate, where many of our couples get married

SERVICES OFFERED

Over the years, Lissanoure Castle has played host to some truly spectacular events, from weddings, ceremonies, corporate celebrations and charity fundraising. During this time, we have worked with a range of first-class suppliers to ensure that every element runs smoothly, from delicious food, perfect decorations, fabulous flowers, a variety of entertainment and memorable photography to suit you and your plans for the day.

At Lissanoure Castle, we work closely with every couple to make sure dreams are turned into reality. Years of experience combined with attention to detail and a warm and friendly approach means you are in safe hands when planning your day with us.

HISTORY

Records show Lissanoure Castle dating back to the 1300s. There are conflicting records as to who built the castle. Some records state Sir Philip Savage and others Richard Óg de Burgh, second Earl of Ulster. A map published in 1610 by the surveyor John Speede shows a castle on the north shore of the lake called Castle Balan.

1600 - 1733: Lissanoure Castle was owned by the O'Hara family of Crebilly.

1733: It was bought by George Macartney, who paid the O'Hara family £5,985 for the 6,146 acres in 8 townlands. He was MP for Belfast and became the oldest member of the House of Commons, having sat in Parliament for 54 years. During his lifetime, he bought seven more townlands and became one of the largest landowners in Co. Antrim.

The estate was passed down through the Macartney family until the beginning of the last century when it was purchased by the Mackie family of James Mackie & Sons of Belfast.

In 2000, Peter (great-great-grandson of James Mackie) and Emily Mackie took over the running of the estate and worked hard to preserve the traditional family estate with farming, forestry and the running of Lissnaoure Castle.

LOCATION

The Lissanoure Castle is 45 minutes north of Belfast, and Dublin Airport is 2.5 hours away. It is only 20 minutes from the north coast of Ireland. Other interesting locations which are nearby:

• Giant's Causeway
• Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge
• Dark Hedges
• Royal Portrush Golf Club
• Ballycastle
• Dunluce Castle
• Bushmills Distillery