Cushendall is on the river Dall, the name derives from Gaelic and means 'Foot of the Dall', another suggestion appears in the Ordnance Survey Memoirs of 1830-38 which refers to Cushendall as being a corruption of the word Bunindalla or Bun-an-daaa meaning 'the foot of the the two rivers'' - the river Dall forms from the union of the Glenann and Glenballyemon rivers.

The village and surrounding area has lots of attractions from a beautiful beach, river and cliff walks, a marina and golf course. In the village you will find walks through the wildlife  habitat of the Cottage Wood. While just outside the village you will find the secluded beauty of the old Layde Church ruin.

Like many Ulster villages Cushendall is endowed with exceptional architecture and character, the summits of Lurigethan and Tievebulliagh both with remains of bronze age forts look over the village and the adjacent glens are scattered with traces of man's existence here since Neolithic times.

The Normans took the glens by force from local chieftains and held power here until the late 1300's. The Scottish McDonnells through the marriage of Margery Bissett to John Mor McDonnell (Lord of the Isles) then gained possession of the glens and over time expanded their power base right along the north coast. Their family burial sites are found in Bonamargie Friary at Ballycastle and nearby Layde Church.

A surge of development in the village took place in the 1600's with the advent of water power and migration of settlers from Scotland. There are references of Cushendall being assigned to the son of Henry Knowles, the vice-chamberlain and treasurer to Queen Elizabeth Ist but this arrangement was thwarted by Sorley Boy MacDonnell during a time of favour with the crown.