portrush

File:HarbourPortrush2.jpg

File:Portrush Chapel, Ireland (VII, p.31, March 1950) - Copy.jpg

A number of flint tools found during the late 19th century show that the site of Portrush was occupied during the "Larnian" (late Irish Mesolithic) period;

• {{cite journal |jstor=25506293 |page=244|last1=Woodman|first1=P. C.|title=The Chronological Position of the Latest Phases of the Larnian|journal=Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. Section C: Archaeology, Celtic Studies, History, Linguistics, Literature|year=1974|volume=74}}
• {{cite journal |jstor=25513788 |pages=238–242| title=Notes on Irish Sandhills | last1=Hewson | first1=L. M. | journal=The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland | year=1935 | volume=5 | issue=2 }} recent estimates date this to around 4000 BC.{{cite journal |jstor=25800527 |page=249|title=The Mesolithic of Western Europe|last1=Price|first1=T. Douglas|journal=Journal of World Prehistory|year=1987|volume=1|issue=3|doi=10.1007/BF00975322|s2cid=162271625}}

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 on Ramore Head at 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 the Plantation of Ulster in the early 17th century. Nothing survives of either castle.{{cite web|url=http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/CentreforArchaeologicalFieldworkCAF/PDFFileStore/Filetoupload,274001,en.pdf |title=Cite information |publisher=Queen's University Belfast |access-date=2019-09-08}}

Following the Wars of the Three Kingdoms in the mid-17th century, Portrush became a small fishing town. It grew substantially in the 19th century as a tourist destination, following the opening of the Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine and Portrush Junction Railway in 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 the Royal Portrush Golf Club (opened 1888), the nearby Giant's Causeway was a popular tourist destination, with the Giant's Causeway Tramway – at the time, one of the world's longest electrified railways – built in 1893 to cater to travellers coming from Portrush.{{Cite web|title=Giant's Causeway Tramway – Discover Portrush|url=https://discoverportrush.com/buildings/transport-travel/giants-causeway-tramway/|access-date=2021-08-04|website=discoverportrush.com}}

The town's fortunes peaked in the late 19th and early 20th century, and declined after the Second World War with the growth of foreign travel. It escaped any involvement in the Troubles until 3 August 1976, when a series of bombings of properties burned out and destroyed several buildings, though with no loss of life.{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch76.htm|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1976|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk|access-date=23 March 2018}} In a second attack in April 1987, two officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) were shot in the back by the Provisional Irish Republican Army while on foot patrol on Main Street.{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch87.htm|title=CAIN: Chronology of the Conflict 1987|first=Dr Martin|last=Melaugh|website=cain.ulst.ac.uk|access-date=23 March 2018|archive-date=7 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207062946/http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch87.htm|url-status=dead}}

On Census day (21 March 2021) there were 6,150 people living in Portrush.{{cite web |title=Settlement 2015 |url=https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=SETTLEMENT15&%7ESETTLEMENT15=N11000183 |website=NISRA |access-date=21 August 2023}} 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.{{cite web |title=Religion or religion brought up in |url=https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=SETTLEMENT15&v=RELIGION_BELONG_TO_OR_BROUGHT_UP_IN_DVO&%7ESETTLEMENT15=N11000183 |website=NISRA |access-date=21 August 2023}}
• 57.0% indicated that they had a British national identity,{{cite web |title=National Identity (British) |url=https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=SETTLEMENT15&v=NAT_ID_BRITISH&%7ESETTLEMENT15=N11000183 |website=NISRA |access-date=21 August 2023}} 40.7% had a Northern Irish national identity{{cite web |title=National Identity (Northern Irish) |url=https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=SETTLEMENT15&v=NAT_ID_NORTHERN_IRISH_AGG3&%7ESETTLEMENT15=N11000183 |website=NISRA |access-date=21 August 2023}} and 15.5% had an Irish national identity{{cite web |title=National Identity (Irish) |url=https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=SETTLEMENT15&v=NAT_ID_IRISH_AGG3&%7ESETTLEMENT15=N11000183 |website=NISRA |access-date=21 August 2023}} (respondents could indicate more than one national identity).

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.{{cite web | url = https://www.ninis2.nisra.gov.uk/public/AreaProfileReportViewer.aspx?FromAPAddressMulipleRecords=Portrush@Exact%20match%20of%20location%20name:%20@Exact%20Match%20Of%20Location%20Name:%20%20Portrush@23? | title = Census 2011 Population Statistics for Portrush Settlement | publisher = Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) | access-date = 6 August 2019}} 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 of Ulster-Scots and 4.83% had some knowledge of Irish (Gaeilge).

Portrush has an oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb).

{{Weather box

| width = auto

| metric first = yes

| single line = yes

| location = Portrush (1991–2020)

| Jan high C = 8.0

| Feb high C = 8.5

| Mar high C = 10.1

| Apr high C = 12.4

| May high C = 14.9

| Jun high C = 16.8

| Jul high C = 18.2

| Aug high C = 18.3

| Sep high C = 16.8

| Oct high C = 13.6

| Nov high C = 10.6

| Dec high C = 8.7

| year high C = 13.1

| Jan low C = 3.3

| Feb low C = 3.2

| Mar low C = 4.0

| Apr low C = 6.1

| May low C = 8.2

| Jun low C = 10.4

| Jul low C = 12.4

| Aug low C = 12.6

| Sep low C = 11.0

| Oct low C = 8.0

| Nov low C = 5.7

| Dec low C = 3.8

| year low C = 7.4

| rain colour = green

| Jan rain mm = 88.2

| Feb rain mm = 78.0

| Mar rain mm = 65.0

| Apr rain mm = 55.3

| May rain mm = 57.5

| Jun rain mm = 72.0

| Jul rain mm = 85.4

| Aug rain mm = 86.7

| Sep rain mm = 75.0

| Oct rain mm = 98.1

| Nov rain mm = 110.6

| Dec rain mm = 104.0

| year rain mm = 976.3

| unit rain days = 1 mm

| Jan rain days = 17.6

| Feb rain days = 14.5

| Mar rain days = 14.4

| Apr rain days = 12.1

| May rain days = 12.6

| Jun rain days = 12.7

| Jul rain days = 14.6

| Aug rain days = 15.1

| Sep rain days = 14.3

| Oct rain days = 16.1

| Nov rain days = 18.4

| Dec rain days = 18.4

| year rain days = 181.3

| Jan sun = 52.7

| Feb sun = 72.7

| Mar sun = 115.0

| Apr sun = 189.5

| May sun = 224.6

| Jun sun = 164.4

| Jul sun = 159.1

| Aug sun = 146.7

| Sep sun = 126.9

| Oct sun = 98.2

| Nov sun = 53.3

| Dec sun = 37.7

| year sun = 1441.3

| source 1 = Met Office{{cite web

|url = https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-climate-averages/gcg60d3cz

|title = Portrush (County Antrim) UK climate averages – Met Office

|publisher = Met Office

|access-date = 4 July 2024}}

}}

File:Portrush East Strand Beach.jpg

File:Portrush, County Antrim.jpg

File:Portrush Townhall - geograph.org.uk - 222871.jpg]]

• Attractions in the town include the "Coastal Zone" (formerly the Portrush Countryside Centre),{{cite web | url=http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/teachers_and_pupils/educational_places_to_visit/portrush-v1/the_coastal_zone_at_portrush.html | title=Education at The Coastal Zone Portrush | publisher=doeni.gov.uk | location=UK | access-date=19 August 2014 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020134752/http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/teachers_and_pupils/educational_places_to_visit/portrush-v1/the_coastal_zone_at_portrush.html | archive-date=20 October 2013 }} Waterworld swimming complex, and, on the edge of town, the links of the Royal Portrush Golf Club, which hosted the 1951 British Open golf championship, and Ballyreagh Golf Course. The Open next returned to Portrush {{nowrap|in July 2019.{{cite news |title=Open Championship to be staged at Royal Portrush in 2019 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/34576139 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=20 October 2015}}}}
• For the 2019 Open, The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews invested 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.Golf magazine, August 2019
• 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 past Dunluce Castle to the Giant's Causeway. It was once possible to travel to these attractions from Portrush on the Giant's Causeway Tramway). “To the People of the Sea”, a {{convert|13|ft|abbr=on|0}} high bronze sculpture on the East Strand, inspired by the sails of local traditional boats, is by Cork-based sculptor Holger Lönze.{{cite web|url=http://www.peopleofthesea.info/|title=Portrush East Strand Sculpture: To the People of the Sea by Holger Lonze|website=www.peopleofthesea.info|access-date=8 September 2019|archive-date=18 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618113827/http://peopleofthesea.info/|url-status=dead}}
• Portrush is home to one of Northern Ireland's best known nightclubs. The nightclub Lush! was immortalised by CJ Agnelli of Agnelli & Nelson and Col Hamilton with one of their first releases, titled "Lush", and the later remixes, "Lush Gold".{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/release/279478 |title=Agnelli* – The Lush! Mixes (CD) at Discogs |publisher=Discogs |accessdate=2014-08-22}}
• Portrush is also home to Barry's Amusements (now Curry's Fun Park Portrush), the largest amusement park in Northern Ireland. Actor James Nesbitt once 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.{{cite web |title=Historic Barry's Amusements in Portrush goes on sale for development |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/historic-barry-s-amusements-in-portrush-goes-on-sale-for-development-1.4558554 |website=The Irish Times |access-date=25 June 2021}}{{cite web |title=Curry’s Fun Park: when is the Portrush amusement park open and what are the rides |url=https://www.newsletter.co.uk/lifestyle/family-and-parenting/currys-fun-park-when-is-the-portrush-amusement-park-open-and-what-are-the-rides-3706289 |website=newsletter.co.uk |access-date=11 January 2023}}
• The Skerries, a series of small rocky islets just off the coast, are an important habitat for several species, some unique to Northern Ireland.{{Cite web |url=http://seasearch.wisshost.net/downloads/skerries%20report.pdf |title=Skerries Survey 2006|access-date=30 November 2008 |archive-date=24 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724132532/http://seasearch.wisshost.net/downloads/skerries%20report.pdf |url-status=dead }}
• Portrush Town Hall which was completed in 1872.{{cite web|url=https://apps.communities-ni.gov.uk/Buildings/buildview.aspx?id=1113&js=false|title=Town Hall Kerr Street Portrush Co. Antrim (HB03/10/001)|publisher=Department for Communities|access-date=18 June 2022}}

Portrush hosts an annual air show at the beginning of September.{{cite web|url=http://niinternationalairshow.co.uk/|title=Web Hosting, Reseller Hosting & Domain Names from Heart Internet|website=niinternationalairshow.co.uk}}

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution raft 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 on Northern Ireland news broadcasts on several years and is a great credit to the RNLI's popularity locally.{{cite web|url=http://www.portrushrnli/|title=Portrush Royal National Lifeboat Institution website}}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

The North West 200 is 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.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/mobile/bbc_sport/nireland/nw200/about/index.shtml|title=BBC Mobile – BBC Sport – N Ireland – North West 200 – About NW200|publisher=BBC News|access-date=23 March 2018}}

{{wide image|Portrush panorama.jpg|800px|align-cap=center|A panorama of Portrush}}

The following schools are in Portrush:{{cite web |url = http://www.schools-search.co.uk/school-search-town.php?town=PORTRUSH | title = Schools in Portrush | publisher = schools-search.co.uk | access-date = 19 August 2019}}

• 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.

The Northern Ireland Milk Cup uses Parker Avenue in Portrush as one of the pitches for the tournament, and many teams stay within the town itself.{{cite web|url=https://www.nihospice.org/media/2331/friday-premier-games.docx|title= Northern Ireland Milk Cup Fixtures|access-date=18 June 2022}}

The town also is also home to the Portrush Yacht Club, a popular stop for yachts travelling in from the Atlantic or to the western coast of Scotland. The yacht club runs an annual raft race to raise funds for the RNLI lifeboat in Portrush harbour.{{Cite web |date=2024-09-06 |title="We are also delighted to announce that we will be supporting RAFT RACE 2025 and the planning has already begun." |url=https://www.northernirelandworld.com/news/people/portrush-yacht-club-announce-that-raft-race-2024-raised-ps14000-for-portrush-rnli-4772424 |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=NorthernIrelandWorld |language=en}}

Portrush railway station was opened on 4 December 1855 and closed for goods traffic on 20 September 1954. The station is the last stop on the Coleraine-Portrush railway line, where travellers can connect with trains to Derry, Belfast and beyond.

Portrush is a busy seaside resort, with a frequent train service run by Northern Ireland Railways connecting with Ulsterbus services linking to Bushmills and the Giant's Causeway.{{cite web|url=https://giantscausewayofficialguide.com/about/getting-to-the-giants-causeway/|title=Getting to Giant's Causeway|date=14 December 2018 |access-date=18 June 2022}}

RNLI lifeboats have operated out of Portrush Harbour since 1860, and currently stationed there are the Severn class William Gordon Burr and the D-class inshore vessel David Roulston.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13101728|title=RNLI launch lifeboat named after David Roulston|date=16 April 2011|publisher=BBC|access-date=18 June 2022}}

{{See also|Category:People from Portrush}}

• Fred Daly (1911–1990) – golfer, winner of the 1947 Open Championship
• Gregory Gray (1959–2019) – musician, also known as Paul Lerwill and Mary Cigarettes.
• Mark Ashton (1960–1987) – LGBT activist, lived in Portrush{{cite news |first=Jamie |last=Doward |title=The real-life triumphs of the gay communist behind hit movie Pride |work=The Guardian |date=21 September 2014 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/sep/21/mark-ashton-gay-pride-film}}
• Darren Clarke (born 1968) – professional golfer, winner of the 2011 The Open Championship, lives in Portrush.
• Graeme McDowell (born 1979) – professional golfer who was the first Irishman to win the U.S. Open, grew up in Portrush.

• List of RNLI stations
• List of localities in Northern Ireland by population

{{reflist}}

• Abdelmonem, M.G. Portrush: Architecture for the North Irish Coast. Ulster Tattler Group. {{ISBN|978-0-9504092-1-4}}.
• {{cite book |last=Deane |first=Ciarán |title=The Guinness Book of Irish Facts & Feats |publisher=Guinness Publishing |year=1994 |isbn=0-85112-793-2}}

{{Wikivoyage|Portrush}}

{{commons category|Portrush}}

• {{cite EB1911|wstitle=Portrush |volume=22 |short=x}}
• [http://www.copperpotcottage.com/localarea 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.
• [http://www.visitportrush.co.uk/ Visit Portrush] – Local guide to Portrush, featuring info on accommodation, activities, places to eat, services and travel.
• [http://www.bbc.co.uk/ni/landscapes Landscapes Unlocked] – Aerial footage from the BBC Sky High series explaining the physical, social and economic geography of Northern Ireland.
• [http://www.peopleofthesea.info ‘To the People of the Sea’] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618113827/http://peopleofthesea.info/ |date=18 June 2013 }} – Information on and images of the public sculpture on East Strand: three 13 ft high Drontheim yawl sails in bronze.
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070319115512/http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/town_Home.aspx?co=16&to=342&ca=0&sca=0&navID=1 Portrush] on the Culture Northern Ireland website.

{{County Antrim}}

{{Northern Ireland towns}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Towns in County Antrim

Category:Seaside resorts in Northern Ireland

Category:Beaches of Northern Ireland

Category:Airshows in the United Kingdom