Maggies Leap

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Newcastle and the surrounding area has its fair share of fokelore and stories passed down through the generations. Maggies Leap is one of these myths that local people grow up hearing about. You can find Maggies Leap much easier from a boat in the sea as it is difficult to see from the road.

Maggies Leap is located on the cliffs just outside of Newcastle on the Ballach Road. There is a great chasm between two of the cliffs and a massive drop that falls to the sea below. This myth gets its legend from a local girl called Maggie who was walking home with a basket full of eggs. In order to escape a soldier giving chase to her, she attempted to jump the chasm and fell to her death below.

There have however been different variations of the story in which Maggie jumps, makes it safely to the other side and not one of the eggs in her basket were broken.

Trevor Rose

My granny was born in Newcastle and Mum lived there as a teenager, she used to tell the story of Maggie carrying a basket full of eggs and being chased by a bull and in her version Maggie made it to the other side.

February 19, 2022, 6:16 am

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Margaret Mooney

I am trying to find out more about James Drysdale from Greenock who died 21/09/1870 aged 25, in a fall From Maggie’s Leap.
He was over from Greenock to visit friends in Seaforde. Sometimes in Scotland ‘friends’ means relatives. I have Drysdale ancestors and am trying to trace them back to Scotland from County Down.
There may be no connection with James. My ancestor was James Drysdale from the Cloughey area.

January 8, 2020, 2:19 am

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clemdan

My grandfather came from Brynsford and as a wee boy I spent many summer holidays there.
I was told the story many times and the leap ( lep ) got wider every time.
To day, any modern athlete could make the jump, back then dressed as a farm girl would be ?
I just hope she made it.

December 3, 2016, 6:58 pm

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