Glenarm Castle in County Antrim can host company events for up to 80 guests in its Coach House, ceremonies for up to 80 in the castle and receptions for up to 200 in a riverside marquee on the estate. The ancestral home of the Earls of Antrim stands in the village of Glenarm on the Antrim coast, with a walled garden and woodland around it.
Seminars and company events
The Coach House is the estate's room for conferences, workshops and private gatherings. It seats up to 80 guests and comes with presentation equipment and its own toilets. A gated courtyard is reserved for the group, which gives you a place for breaks and informal networking outside the room. The estate accepts private, corporate and community bookings through an enquiry form that asks for the date, the number of guests and the type of event.
Weddings and receptions
The castle is licensed for religious and civil ceremonies and can seat up to 80 guests for the ceremony. A Castle Butler coordinates the day. The Walled Garden is available as a setting for wedding photographs. For larger celebrations, The Sheddings at River Lodge sits on the estate beside the Glenarm River. Its stretch tent, attached to the River Lodge building, seats up to 200 guests and also works for smaller receptions. The Sheddings is operated independently of the castle, so enquiries for that venue go to its own team.
Rooms and capacities
- Coach House: up to 80 seated, with presentation equipment and a private courtyard.
- Castle ceremony space: up to 80 guests.
- The Sheddings at River Lodge: stretch tent for up to 200 guests, run separately.
Accommodation
The castle does not offer bedrooms for event groups. The estate lists two places to stay: the Ocean View Pods, glamping pods about a two-minute walk from the castle, and Keeper's Cottage, a historic dwelling. Hotels and guesthouses in the surrounding area complete the choice for larger groups. Ask the estate how many guests the pods and the cottage take before you plan an overnight program.
Catering
Catering for the Coach House is prepared by the on-site chefs. The range runs from tea, coffee and scones for a break to a full three-course meal. Wedding catering at The Sheddings is handled by that venue.
History and setting
Glenarm Castle is the seat of the McDonnell family, Earls of Antrim, and dates from 1636. It is a Grade A listed building. The estate covers about 1,500 acres of woodland and farmland along the Glenarm River, and its award-winning Walled Garden is open to visitors in season. The castle also runs tours, afternoon tea and a heritage center on the Antrim McDonnell family, so day-to-day visitors share the grounds with private events.
Getting there
The estate is at 2 Castle Lane, Glenarm, Ballymena BT44 0BQ, on the Antrim coast road north of Belfast.
