| Official Name: | Cargan |
| Irish Name: | Carraigín |
| Static Image Name: | The Legagrane Road, Cargan - geograph.org.uk - 1547797.jpg |
| Static Image Caption: | The Legagrane Road in Cargan |
| Map Type: | Antrim |
| Coordinates: | 54.9936°N -6.1819°W |
| Population: | 588 |
| Population Ref: | (2011 Census) |
| Unitary Northern Ireland: | Mid and East Antrim |
| Lieutenancy Northern Ireland: | County Antrim |
| Constituency Ni Assembly: | East Antrim |
| Country: | Northern Ireland |
| Post Town: | BALLYCASTLE |
| Postcode Area: | BT |
| Postcode District: | BT44 |
| Dial Code: | 028 |
| Constituency Westminster: | North Antrim |
| Belfast Distance Mi: | 25 |
Cargan [1] is a hamlet and townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It lies at the foot of Slievenanee in Glenravel – locally known as "The Tenth Glen" along with the more widely known nine Glens of Antrim. It is part of Mid and East Antrim district. It had a population of 588 people (223 households) in the 2011 Census.[2] (2001 Census: 411 people)
One of the earliest anglicisations of the townland of Cargan is Carrigan.[1] In the late 1800s, the village of Cargan was known as Fisherstown. An iron ore mine was opened up around the same time. The ore was shipped to Barrow-in-Furness, first by horse,[3] then from 1875 by railway to Ballymena. The railway closed in 1937.[4]
The Ballymena to Cargan railway line was opened in 1875 and extended to Parkmore and Retreat in 1876.[5] Cargan railway station opened on 1 June 1894, was closed for passenger traffic on 1 October 1930, and finally closed altogether on 12 April 1937.[6] It was on the Ballymena, Cushendall and Red Bay Railway which operated narrow gauge railway services from Ballymena to Parkmore from 1875 to 1940.[7]
On Census day in 2011: