The seven Glens of Antrim!

That is because part of the criteria for the funding meant the scheme had to take in an area restricted to 200 square kilometres.

And because of that the Causeway Coast & Glens Heritage Trust admitted they could not fit all of the nine Glens in.

That meant two of the Glens - Glentaisie and Glenshesk which run round Knocklayde Mountain near Ballycastle - were axed.

The other seven Glens stretching from the Glenarm area in the south to Cushendun in the north are still in.

The ‘lucky’ seven are: Glenarm, Glencloy, Glenariff, Glenballyeamon, Glenaan, Glencorp and Glendun.

Causeway Heritage Trust Director Helen Noble attended the main monthly meeting of Moyle District Council where she was asked by Ballycastle Independent councillor Seamus Blaney (pictured) why there were only seven Glens involved in the scheme which involves an application to the Heritage & Lottery Fund.

Ms Noble said all the Glens could not be included as the funding restricted the area involved to 200 square kilometres.

She added: “To get in as many as we could we homed in on the coastline and managed to get seven.”

Cllr Blaney claimed the Glens left out also run to the coast.

“The Glens left out are two of the of the most beautiful Glens. You have stonewalled two Glens out,” he told her.

Cushendun-based Independent councillor Randal McDonnell also asked: “Why is Glenshesk not included? It is one of the most important Glens.”

Speaking to the Times after the meeting, Cllr Blaney said: “It is unfair to axe two of the Glens who will lose out if the funding is secured and the Seven Glens of Antrim will never have the same ring to it as the famous Nine Glens of Antrim. Every schoolboy knows there are nine Glens and not seven!”