Culdaff Beach 

Culdaff is a charming picturesque plantation village situated near the coast between Malin and Greneely built around a tidy village green with a fine beach nearby at Culdaff Bay stretching from Bunagee toward Dunmore Head. 

The village is associated with the Young family who owned 7989 acres in the area in 1878 and who lived at Culdaff House, that now functions as an excellent Bed and Breakfast overlooking Culdaff Bay. 

Culdaff House has always been a place for hospitality and has had many famous visitors including Lord Lawrence who spent holidays with the Youngs and later married the daughter of Reverend Hamilton the Rector of Culdaff and became Viceroy of India in 1863. 

Near Culdaff  is a holy well dedicated to Saint Buadan ( the patron saint of the parish who became a missionary to Scotland) as well as a large stone in the Culdaff River locally referred to as St. Buadan’s or Bodan’s Boat. 

Another famous son was the actor Charles Macklin who was born in Gortinaren near Culdaff in 1690 and later moved to London to pursue a career on the stage, becoming one of the most famous actors of his generation.  Macklin was born Cathal MacLochlainn and Catholic soon changed his name and religion and, as well as acting, wrote a series of plays including ‘Love a la Mode’, ‘The True Born Irishman’ and ‘The MAN of the World’.  The most celebrated role that Macklin played is said to be that of Shakespeare’s Shylock of which Alexander Pope is reported to say “this is the Jew that Shakespeare drew”. 

Charles Macklin died in London allegedly having lived to be over 100 years old but his memory is celebrated each year during the Charles Macklin Autumn School an Arts festival which takes place in Culdaff in October with performances of his works.