D Donnelly Hardware & Irish Art

Walking into D Donnelly Hardware on Main Street in Ballymoney feels like stepping back fifty years, which is precisely why you should. This isn't a museum pretending to be a shop - it's a proper working hardware store that's been family-run since 1876, and the building itself tells you everything about small-town Northern Ireland life.

The front displays are crammed with practical goods - the kind of place locals actually pop into for a replacement tap washer or a tin of paint. But venture further back and you'll find the real draw: an unexpected collection of Irish art and craft pieces tucked alongside the shelves. It's an odd pairing, genuinely eccentric, and absolutely worth twenty minutes of your time.

This appeals most to people who enjoy unglamorous local history, artists interested in how rural communities support craft, and anyone travelling the Causeway Coast who's had enough of the honeypot attractions. Children will tolerate it for a bit but won't linger - it's a quiet, contemplative sort of place.

Admission is free, though you'd be churlish not to buy something small. It's the kind of stop that anchors a morning exploring Ballymoney before heading to North Coast 9 Glamping or Watertop Farm for the evening. Neither glamping site is far away, making this a natural add-on when you're based nearby. Go on a weekday morning if you want to chat with staff - weekends can be busier with browsers.