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Portrush

Coordinates:55°12′17″N6°39′08″W/ 55.20474°N 6.65222°W/55.20474; -6.65222
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Portrush
Planes on the beach during the yearly air show
Portrush is located in Northern Ireland
Portrush
Location withinNorthern Ireland
Population6,150(Census 2021)
Irish grid referenceC855409
•Belfast50 miles (80 km)
District
County
CountryNorthern Ireland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townPORTRUSH
Postcode districtBT56
Dialling code028
PoliceNorthern Ireland
FireNorthern Ireland
AmbulanceNorthern Ireland
UK Parliament
NI Assembly
List of places
UK
Northern Ireland
Antrim
55°12′17″N6°39′08″W/ 55.20474°N 6.65222°W/55.20474; -6.65222

Portrush(fromIrishPort Rois,meaning 'port of thepromontory')[3]is a smallseaside resorttown on the north coast ofCounty Antrim,Northern Ireland.It neighbours the resort ofPortstewart.The main part of the old town, including therailway stationas well as most hotels, restaurants and bars, is built on a 1 mile (1.6 km)–longpeninsula,Ramore Head.It had a population of 6,150 people at the2021 Census.[4]

The town is well known for its three sandy beaches, the West Strand, East Strand and White Rocks, as well as theRoyal Portrush Golf Club,the only golf club outsideGreat Britainwhich has hostedThe Open Championshipin1951and2019.

History

[edit]
Portrush Harbour c.1900
Portrush Chapel, Ireland (1850)[5]

A number of flint tools found during the late 19th century show that the site of Portrush was occupied during the "Larnian" (lateIrish Mesolithic) period;[6]recent estimates date this to around 4000 BC.[7]

The site of Portrush, with its excellent natural defences, probably became a permanent settlement around the 12th or 13th century. A church is known to have existed onRamore Headat this time, but no part of it now survives. From the records of the papal taxation of 1306, the Portrush church – and by extension the village – appears to have been reasonably wealthy. The promontory also held two castles, at varying periods. The first of these, Caisleán an Teenie, is believed to have been at the tip of Ramore Head, and probably destroyed in the late 16th century; the other, Portrush Castle, may have been built around the time of thePlantation of Ulsterin the early 17th century. Nothing survives of either castle.[8]

Following theWars of the Three Kingdomsin the mid-17th century, Portrush became a small fishing town. It grew heavily in the 19th century as a tourist destination, following the opening of theBallymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine and Portrush Junction Railwayin 1855, and by the turn of the 20th century had become one of the major resort towns of Ireland, with a number of large hotels and boarding houses including the prominent Northern Counties Hotel. As well as the town's beaches and theRoyal Portrush Golf Club(opened 1888), the nearbyGiant's Causewaywas a popular tourist destination, with theGiant's Causeway Tramway– at the time, one of the world's longest electrified railways – built in 1893 to cater to travellers coming from Portrush.[9]

The town's fortunes peaked in the late 19th and early 20th century, and declined after theSecond World Warwith the growth of foreign travel. It escaped any involvement inthe Troublesuntil 3 August 1976, when a series of bombings of properties burned out and destroyed several buildings, though with no loss of life.[10]In a second attack in April 1987, two officers of theRoyal Ulster Constabulary(RUC) were shot in the back by theProvisional Irish Republican Armywhile on foot patrol on Main Street.[11]

Demography

[edit]

2021 Census

[edit]

On Census day (21 March 2021) there were 6,150 people living in Portrush.[4]Of these:

  • 59.8% belong to or were brought up in a "Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)" faiths and 24.7% belong to or were brought up in the Catholic faith.[12]
  • 57.0% indicated that they had a British national identity,[13]40.7% had a Northern Irish national identity[14]and 15.5% had an Irish national identity[15](respondents could indicate more than one national identity).

2011 Census

[edit]

On Census day (27 March 2011) there were 6,454 people living in Portrush (2,824 households), accounting for 0.36% of the NI total.[16]Of these:

  • 18.89% were aged under 16 years and 19.09% were aged 65 and over.
  • 51.78% of the usually resident population were female and 48.22% were male.
  • 66.90% belong to or were brought up in a "Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)" faiths and 24.84% belong to or were brought up in the Catholic faith.
  • 63.43% indicated that they had a British national identity, 32.89% had a Northern Irish national identity and 11.93% had an Irish national identity (respondents could indicate more than one national identity).
  • 42 years was the average (median) age of the population.
  • 15.75% had some knowledge ofUlster-Scotsand 4.83% had some knowledge ofIrish(Gaeilge).

Climate

[edit]

Portrush has anoceanic climate(Köppen:Cfb).

Climate data for Portrush (1991–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 8.0
(46.4) 		8.5
(47.3) 		10.1
(50.2) 		12.4
(54.3) 		14.9
(58.8) 		16.8
(62.2) 		18.2
(64.8) 		18.3
(64.9) 		16.8
(62.2) 		13.6
(56.5) 		10.6
(51.1) 		8.7
(47.7) 		13.1
(55.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 3.3
(37.9) 		3.2
(37.8) 		4.0
(39.2) 		6.1
(43.0) 		8.2
(46.8) 		10.4
(50.7) 		12.4
(54.3) 		12.6
(54.7) 		11.0
(51.8) 		8.0
(46.4) 		5.7
(42.3) 		3.8
(38.8) 		7.4
(45.3)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 88.2
(3.47) 		78.0
(3.07) 		65.0
(2.56) 		55.3
(2.18) 		57.5
(2.26) 		72.0
(2.83) 		85.4
(3.36) 		86.7
(3.41) 		75.0
(2.95) 		98.1
(3.86) 		110.6
(4.35) 		104.0
(4.09) 		976.3
(38.44)
Average rainy days(≥ 1 mm) 17.6 14.5 14.4 12.1 12.6 12.7 14.6 15.1 14.3 16.1 18.4 18.4 181.3
Mean monthlysunshine hours 52.7 72.7 115.0 189.5 224.6 164.4 159.1 146.7 126.9 98.2 53.3 37.7 1,441.3
Source:Met Office[17]

Places of interest

[edit]
Portrush's West Strand Beach.
Portrush shops
Portrush Town Hall
  • Attractions in the town include the "Coastal Zone"(formerly the Portrush Countryside Centre),[18]Waterworld swimming complex, and, on the edge of town, the links of theRoyal Portrush Golf Club,which hosted the 1951British Opengolf championship, and Ballyreagh Golf Course. The Open next returned to Portrushin July2019.[19]
  • For the 2019 Open,The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrewsinvested significant funds in the region to improve the rail service and worked with the club to modify the course so it could better host a modern major championship. The 2019 championship had the largest advance ticket sales of any Open ever held.[20]
  • There are two long sandy beaches in the resort: West and East Strand. White Rocks and Curran Strand stretch on from the East Strand and are backed by dunes. The coast continues pastDunluce Castleto theGiant's Causeway.It was once possible to travel to these attractions from Portrush on theGiant's Causeway Tramway). “To the People of the Sea”, a 13 ft (4 m) high bronze sculpture on the East Strand, inspired by the sails of local traditional boats, is by Cork-based sculptor Holger Lönze.[21]
  • Portrush is home to one of Northern Ireland's best knownnightclubs.The nightclubLush!was immortalised by CJ Agnelli ofAgnelli & Nelsonand Col Hamilton with one of their first releases, titled "Lush", and the later remixes, "Lush Gold".[22]
  • Portrush is also home toBarry's Amusements(nowCurry's Fun Park Portrush), the largest amusement park in Northern Ireland. ActorJames Nesbittonce worked there. The park was put up for sale as a potential development site in May 2021, and reopened as Curry's in May 2022.[23][24]
  • The Skerries,a series of small rocky islets just off the coast, are an important habitat for several species, some unique to Northern Ireland.[25]
  • Portrush Town Hallwhich was completed in 1872.[26]

Events

[edit]

Portrush hosts an annual air show at the beginning of September.[27]

TheRoyal National Lifeboat Institutionraft race is am annual event in which contestants must build a raft that can take them from the West Strand beach into Portrush Harbour. The event has been featured onNorthern Irelandnews broadcasts on several years and is a great credit to the RNLI's popularity locally.[28]

TheNorth West 200is a motorcycle road race following the triangular route around Portstewart, Coleraine and Portrush. Held every May, with events in various engine categories, it attracts crowds in excess of 150,000.[29]

A panorama of Portrush

Education

[edit]

The following schools are in Portrush:[30]

  • Portrush Primary School:a primary school with a nursery unit on Crocnamac Road. The school educates around 250 pupils aged 4–11. Portrush Primary was established in 1959.
  • Carnalridge Primary School.
  • Mill Strand Integrated Primary School.
  • St. Patricks Primary School.

Sport

[edit]

TheNorthern Ireland Milk Cupuses Parker Avenue in Portrush as one of the pitches for the tournament, and many teams stay within the town itself.[31]

Transport

[edit]

Portrush railway stationwas opened on 4 December 1855 and closed for goods traffic on 20 September 1954. The station is the last stop on theColeraine-Portrush railway line,where travellers can connect with trains toDerry,Belfastand beyond.

Portrush is a busy seaside resort, with a frequent train service run byNorthern Ireland Railwaysconnecting withUlsterbusservices linking toBushmillsand theGiant's Causeway.[32]

Lifeboat

[edit]

RNLIlifeboats have operated out of Portrush Harbour since 1860, and currently stationed there are the Severn classWilliam Gordon Burrand the D-class inshore vesselDavid Roulston.[33]

Notable people

[edit]
See also:Category:People from Portrush

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Port Rois/Portrush".Logainm.ie.Retrieved23 March2018.
  2. ^Dunluce Castle USArchived3 September 2012 at theWayback MachineNI Department of the Environment. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  3. ^"Place Names NI – Home".www.placenamesni.org.
  4. ^ab"Settlement 2015".NISRA.Retrieved21 August2023.
  5. ^"Portrush Chapel, Ireland".Wesleyan Juvenile Offering.VII.London: Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society: 31. March 1850.Retrieved19 November2015.
  6. ^
    • Woodman, P. C. (1974). "The Chronological Position of the Latest Phases of the Larnian".Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. Section C: Archaeology, Celtic Studies, History, Linguistics, Literature.74:244.JSTOR25506293.
    • Hewson, L. M. (1935). "Notes on Irish Sandhills".The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland.5(2): 238–242.JSTOR25513788.
  7. ^Price, T. Douglas (1987). "The Mesolithic of Western Europe".Journal of World Prehistory.1(3): 249.doi:10.1007/BF00975322.JSTOR25800527.S2CID162271625.
  8. ^"Cite information"(PDF).www.qub.ac.uk.Retrieved8 September2019.
  9. ^"Giant's Causeway Tramway – Discover Portrush".discoverportrush.com.Retrieved4 August2021.
  10. ^Melaugh, Dr Martin."CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1976".cain.ulst.ac.uk.Retrieved23 March2018.
  11. ^Melaugh, Dr Martin."CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1987".cain.ulst.ac.uk.Retrieved23 March2018.
  12. ^"Religion or religion brought up in".NISRA.Retrieved21 August2023.
  13. ^"National Identity (British)".NISRA.Retrieved21 August2023.
  14. ^"National Identity (Northern Irish)".NISRA.Retrieved21 August2023.
  15. ^"National Identity (Irish)".NISRA.Retrieved21 August2023.
  16. ^"Census 2011 Population Statistics for Portrush Settlement".Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency(NISRA).Retrieved6 August2019.
  17. ^"Portrush (County Antrim) UK climate averages - Met Office".Met Office.Retrieved4 July2024.
  18. ^"Education at The Coastal Zone Portrush".UK: doeni.gov.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 20 October 2013.Retrieved19 August2014.
  19. ^"Open Championship to be staged at Royal Portrush in 2019".BBC Sport.20 October 2015.
  20. ^Golf magazine,August 2019
  21. ^"Portrush East Strand Sculpture: To the People of the Sea by Holger Lonze".www.peopleofthesea.info.
  22. ^"Agnelli* – The Lush! Mixes (CD) at Discogs".Discogs.com.Retrieved22 August2014.
  23. ^"Historic Barry's Amusements in Portrush goes on sale for development".irishtimes.com.Retrieved25 June2021.
  24. ^"Curry's Fun Park: when is the Portrush amusement park open and what are the rides".www.newsletter.co.uk.Retrieved11 January2023.
  25. ^"Skerries Survey 2006"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 24 July 2011.Retrieved30 November2008.
  26. ^"Town Hall Kerr Street Portrush Co. Antrim (HB03/10/001)".Department for Communities.Retrieved18 June2022.
  27. ^"Web Hosting, Reseller Hosting & Domain Names from Heart Internet".niinternationalairshow.co.uk.
  28. ^"Portrush Royal National Lifeboat Institution website".[permanent dead link]
  29. ^"BBC Mobile – BBC Sport – N Ireland – North West 200 – About NW200".news.bbc.co.uk.Retrieved23 March2018.
  30. ^"Schools in Portrush".schools-search.co.uk.Retrieved19 August2019.
  31. ^"Northern Ireland Milk Cup Fixtures".Retrieved18 June2022.
  32. ^"Getting to Giant's Causeway".14 December 2018.Retrieved18 June2022.
  33. ^"RNLI launch lifeboat named after David Roulston".BBC. 16 April 2011.Retrieved18 June2022.
  34. ^Doward, Jamie (21 September 2014)."The real-life triumphs of the gay communist behind hit movie Pride".The Guardian.

Further reading

[edit]
  • Abdelmonem, M.G.Portrush: Architecture for the North Irish Coast.Ulster Tattler Group.ISBN978-0-9504092-1-4.
  • Deane, Ciarán (1994).The Guinness Book of Irish Facts & Feats.Guinness Publishing.ISBN0-85112-793-2.
[edit]
Wikivoyage has a travel guide forPortrush.
Wikimedia Commons has media related toPortrush.
  • "Portrush".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 22 (11th ed.). 1911.
  • Local Secrets on Things to do in Portrush– A list of the big attractions in Portrush, plus some local secrets to share. Specialist local information for lovers of golf, walking, fishing, riding and surfing.
  • Visit Portrush– Local guide to Portrush, featuring info on accommodation, activities, places to eat, services and travel.
  • Landscapes Unlocked– Aerial footage from the BBCSky Highseries explaining the physical, social and economic geography of Northern Ireland.
  • ‘To the People of the Sea’– Information on and images of the public sculpture on East Strand: three 13 ft high Drontheim yawl sails in bronze.
  • Portrushon theCulture Northern Irelandwebsite.
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