Glens of Antrim Residents Concerned Over Isolation Risk from Second Landslide

A group of residents residing in the Glens of Antrim is expressing apprehension about potential isolation from neighboring towns, a situation arising from two distinct landslides impacting their access route. The most recent landslide occurred on Glenshesk Road on Saturday. This event, which took place during Storm Bert, involved the erosion of a roadside verge, thereby exposing a cliff edge adjacent to the tarmac. This particular road, which connects the town of Ballycastle with the village of Armoy, has already experienced a partial closure for eight months. This initial closure was a consequence of a previous landslide that occurred in March, when a substantial segment of the road detached and descended into a steep valley, resulting in 20-minute detours for some local inhabitants. The Department for Infrastructure informed BBC News NI that it is presently formulating a “detailed design solution” concerning the road. Kevin McCaughan, a resident situated between the two landslide locations, informed BBC News NI that approximately 19 homes are similarly affected. He reported that families have already started moving their vehicles away from their residences due to concerns that the new landslide might deepen and expand, potentially leading to a complete road closure. “If it went, we’d be cut of from both sides,” he stated, clarifying that no alternative backroads provide access to their homes. He further added, “We left Mum’s car down at the other side of the landslide in case we got cut off.” The 26-year-old software developer is also employed part-time on his mother’s farm. “We have livestock at the other side of the valley but we’re lucky – we can access them by quad,” he commented, noting that his neighbours did not share the same advantage. Since the initial landslide occurred at the end of March, some farmers have been required to travel through Ballycastle to reach their livestock. Mr. McCaughan explained that what was typically a “three-minute journey” to inspect sheep and cows has now become a 20-minute detour, translating to a 40-minute round trip. “That could be a couple of times a day,” he added. He further noted that farmers whose children attend school in Armoy have been encountering even greater travel disruption due to the existing diversion impacting their school run. Subsequently, on Saturday morning, one of his neighbours identified the new landslide. “He joked that we’ll need a helicopter soon,” Mr. McCaughan reported. This remark may have been made from experience, as it would not represent the first instance of the area being isolated from external access. In November 1998, an RAF Chinook helicopter was deployed to airlift animal feed to farmers in Glenshesk who had become stranded due to a major landslide. During the storm on Saturday, local residents positioned traffic cones along the road’s edge to alert other drivers to the potential hazard. Residents reported that personnel from the Roads Service visited the location over the weekend, and by Sunday afternoon, the area remained marked off with cones. Nevertheless, there is apprehension and frustration within the community regarding the protracted period it is taking to commence repairs at the site