Last night there was a fire at Arthur Cottage, Cullybackey. Arthur Cottage was the ancestral home of Chester Alan Arthur, 21st President of the United States of America.

At the time of writing, the cause of the fire is not known, nor do we know if it was malicious. However, what I do know is that Arthur Cottage was a favourite place for me to visit on my bicycle when I was younger. It was about 3 miles away from my home in Ballymena, which is where I am as I type this article, and was a rather easy trip.

I well remember going and eating soda farls that had been baked there as we watched. It is sad to think that although the interpretative centre is still standing, the thatched roof and some of its contents have been lost.

I hope that if the fire was malicious – and the PSNI and NIFRS investigators will be doing their work to find out if it was – the culprits will be found and brought before the courts.

I am sure that Ballymena Borough Council will work quickly to ensure that the cottage is restored, and once more the ‘jewel in the crown’ of Ballymena’s tourist trail will be open to the public.

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