Thursday 24 March 2016

Cushy Glen - The Highwayman (927 words)

A plaque of Cushy Glen at Largantea.

Picture the scene. It is a cold, wet and windy evening, the year is 1799 and a farmer from Bolea, Limavady has just sold livestock in Coleraine. He has made a good reward on his animals, but now is about to leave and ride back home.

Coleraine and Limavady are small market towns on the North Coast of Northern Ireland. The shortest route between the two towns is the Murder Hole Road, over the mountain. It is called this for a very grave (excuse the pun) reason.
This is because an infamous local highwayman known as Cushy Glen prowled on victims traversing between the towns. The legend of his atrocities have been passed down through the generations in the area for over two hundred years.

It is believed that Cushy Glen and his gang had recently held up the mail coach, killed all on-board and dumped their bodies in the Murder Hole. This was one of many robberies that ended badly for the victims.
Our farmer is well aware of stories and the dangers that may lay ahead, so he has another whiskey, or two. The barman has noticed that the farmer has quite a bit of cash on him and fears for his safety. The barman discreetly advises that the farmer take a lend of a flintlock pistol for his protection, from Cushy Glen.

Cushy Glen is also in Coleraine, he has heard that the farmer has made a lot of cash and will be leaving soon. He knows where the farmer lives, and the route home will take him past Cushy Glen’s own place, so he rides off and prepares to ambush the farmer near to his own place.

The farmer follows shortly afterwards, leaving Coleraine over the bridge and up towards the Murder Hole Road. He has just under ten miles to ride, the deeper he gets into the mountain the more dangerous it will be. He makes the flintlock pistol ready and places it on the side of his saddle.
Apart from the foul weather the journey is relatively uneventful. As the farmer rides past the Sconce Hill on his right, a shiver runs down his spine, this is where the mail coach was held up, but he knows he has not far to go to turn onto the Bolea Road, where he lives. It is starting to get dark now, but he should make the turn with the last glimmers of the sunset.
The statue of Cushy Glen at Largantea.

As he breaks the final hill and can just see the Bolea Road in the distance, a shadowy figure catches his eye. Its Cushy Glen, the ambush that the farmer feared is now on. With swift movement the figure now stands before him wearing long robes, a hat and scarf covering his face so only the highwayman's cold, dark eyes are visible in the dulling light. The highwayman has a flintlock pistol pointed directly at the farmer, he demands the farmer stop, which he does.
The farmer’s senses are now heightened and time itself seems to slow.
Cushy Glen orders the farmer to throw down his bag of cash. The farmer leans down as if to throw the bag under the horse's neck towards the highwayman. The farmer is holding the borrowed flintlock pistol instead of the bag of cash, he produces the pistol under the neck of the horse and with a loud bang, the infamous Cushy Glen has just been shot in the chest.
Cushy Glen had the farmer in his sights, but with the sudden noise the horse is startled and bolts. The horse then gallops with the farmer on its back towards the farm.

Cushy Glen drops to the ground, but is still alive. His wife had heard the shot as the ambush was so close to their place. She ran out and helped him into their small stone cottage, where she comforted him.
A local minister was sent for to treat Cushy, he was blindfolded so he could not know where they lived. The minister could not help Cushy, who died shortly afterwards.

Cushy Glen’s house at the end of Bolea Road.

The farmer was called James Hopkins who lived to the age of 94 and died in 1853.

So that is the story of Patrick (Cushy Glen) Cushaglen that still puts fear into travellers on the Murder Hole Road at night. Please note that the road has been called the Windyhill Road since the 1970s. I personally think that the name change will unfortunately help the demise of the story.

I cannot say if that is exactly how the story went, but it was James Hopkins who shot Cushy Glen with a borrowed pistol.


Old trees around Cushy Glen’s house.

The Sculpture Trail Map and Key.


References and sources:

Kenny Anderson (my uncle)


Also thanks to Pat McLaughlin ‏@Patmclaughlin18 who informed me that his grandfather would ride the Murder Hole Road, with a pistol for protection in the early 20th Century.
"Early in 20th century, my grandfather would ride on horseback, Coleraine to Limavady, with a pistol for protection."

 I believe that many locals, even to this day are apprehensive of using this route on a dark wintry night.

Don't just exist - LIVE! 

Get out there and chase it :) - briancunningham.co.uk


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