43 Castle Street, Ballycastle

Project Attributes

Project:

Ballycastle Museum

Owner:

Ballycastle Museum

Date:

14th May 2025

Address: 43 Castle Street

Listing: not listed

Construction date: 1740-1759 (Historic Buildings Record HB05/15/009)

Year	Owner/lessee	Business name	Building use	Notes
1835	Charles McGildowney and James Tweed		Woolen drapery?	Historic Buildings Record HB05/15/009. James Tweed may be the woolen draper listed in the post office directory of 1843-1844.
1859	Mary McCambridge, and Robert Bell		Grocery?	Robert Bell is listed in Slater’s 1856 Directory as a grocer. Historic Buildings Record HB05/15/009.
1864	Mary McCambridge, and Robert Bell			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
1865-1869	David McCaughan			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
1870	Vacant			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
1871	Hugh Archer			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
1872-1887	Hugh Archer and David Kennedy			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
1888-1901	J.P. O’Kane			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
1901	Joseph P. O’Kane			Census – building no. 18 Joseph P O’Kane, 38, head of family, RC, Justice of the Peace and merchant and auctioneer, married Kate O’Kane, 40, wife, RC, married Daniel O’Kane, 14, son, RC, scholar, not married Mary O’Kane, 13, daughter, RC, scholar, not married Joseph P O’Kane, 11, son, RC, scholar, not married James O’Kane, 9, son, RC, scholar, not married Kathleen O’Kane. 8, daughter, RC, scholar, not married Paul O’Kane, 6, son, RC, scholar, not married Fannie O’Kane, 3, daughter, RC, scholar, not married Annie O’Kane, 2, daughter, RC, scholar, not married Sarah Stewart, 19, servant, RC, cook-domestic servant, not married
1902-1911	J.P. O’Kane			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
1911	Joseph P. O’Kane			Census – building no. 19 Joseph P O’Kane, 48, head of family, RC, merchant auctioneer and Justice of the Peace, married Catherine O’Kane, 49, wife, RC, married Joseph P O’Kane, 20, son, RC, single Paul O’Kane, 16, son, RC, scholar, single Fannie O’Kane, 14, daughter, RC, scholar, single Annie Xavier O’Kane, 13, daughter, RC, scholar, single John Malachie O’Kane, 8, son, RC, scholar, single Bella Gillen, 20, servant, RC, domestic servant, single
1912-1917	J.P. O’Kane			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
1918-1921	Hill Brothers			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
1922-1928	Michael Quinn		Milliners shop	SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers. JMcC research.
1929-1930	Vacant			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
1935-1968	William J. Scally		Grocery	Historic Buildings Record HB05/15/009. JMcC research states (erroneously linking the story to no.45) that Willie Scally and his sisters Mags and Rose, worked in the shop, as did Harry McVickar. Dan Colgan, the postman, used to ride into the shop on his bike, spin round the pole that stood in the middle of the shop, drop the mail and ride out again!!
1968	McFarlane & McNabb			Historic Buildings Record HB05/15/009.
1969-1972			Library	Historic Buildings Record HB05/15/009.
1985?			Shop	Historic Buildings Record HB05/15/009.
c.1998			Dwelling Chinese takeaway	According to current owner, another Chinese take away operated at the property for about six months before A Taste of China was established.
c.1998-2015		A Taste of China	Dwelling Chinese takeaway	Historic Buildings Record HB05/15/009. According to current owner, A Taste of China operated for about 17 years before he took on the property in 2015.
2015 – present		Red Dragon	Dwelling Chinese takeaway	Spoke 22/11/23 and 17/10/24 to current owner. Believes he has a cellar, but it is not accessible. All of his flooring is solid except for one room in the house which has a wooden floor.