Situated largely on a basaltic peninsula called Ramore Head, which extends into the Atlantic Ocean, Portrush is a small seaside resort town on the north coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
The coastal town falls within the Causeway Coast and Glens District. Portrush is about eighty kilometers north-west of Belfast. It directly borders the neighbouring seaside resort of Portstewart to the west, while Coleraine, a significant market town, is about five miles to the south. Bushmills, famous for the Giant's Causeway, lies eleven kilometers to the east. Smaller localities, such as Ballyhome Upper and Herring Pond, are within a five-kilometer radius.
Portrush is well-known for its three sandy strands (West Strand, East Strand, and White Rocks Beach), each of which offers coastal vistas and lifeguard-patrolled swimming areas during the summer months. Barry's Amusements, a heritage funfair dating from 1925, once anchored the seafront with classic rides and arcades. Sold in 2021, it reopened in 2022 as Curry's Fun Park.
Founded in 1888, the Royal Portrush Golf Club features the championship-grade Dunluce Links and Valley Links courses. It made history as the only Open Championship venue outside Great Britain when it hosted The Open in 1951, again in 2019, and most recently in 2025.
The nearby Dunluce Castle, a 14th-century fortress situated on sheer cliffs, and the Giant's Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are within easy reach of Portrush.
The Coastal Zone, formerly the Portrush Countryside Centre, presents interactive marine and coastal exhibits, as well as Waterworld, an indoor pool complex with flume rides and a toddler area.
Regularly scheduled events in or near Portrush include the Open Championship at Royal Portrush, which draws the world's top golfers to compete on links terrain framed by towering dunes. Ould Lammas Fair in nearby Ballycastle revives centuries-old trading traditions, with livestock markets, artisan stalls, music, dance, and fairground rides. The RSPBA Pipe Band Contest, held annually in August, showcases Northern Ireland's piping excellence in the town centre of Portrush. Each November, Atlantic Sessions transforms the small town into a live-music hub, featuring dozens of local acts in various venues around town.
Archaeological discoveries of flint tools date Portrush's earliest habitation to the late Irish Mesolithic Larnian period, around 4000 BC, when hunter-gatherers exploited its rich coastal resources. The natural defensibility of the area led to a permanent medieval settlement by the 12th or 13th centuries, evidenced by church records from papal taxation rolls in 1306, which noted a prosperous ecclesiastical community on Ramore Head.
Two castles once dominated the promontory: Caisleán an Teenie, destroyed during the late 16th century, and Portrush Castle, built around the time of the Plantation of Ulster in the early 17th century. Neither is in evidence today.
Following the mid-17th-century Wars of the Three Kingdoms, Portrush reverted to a modest fishing port. The construction of the Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine, and Portrush Junction Railway in 1855 sparked a tourism boom. Grand hotels, such as the Northern Counties, were built to house visitors to the seaside town and the nearby Giant's Causeway Tramway, opened in 1893. By the early 20th century, Portrush ranked among Ireland's leading seaside resorts, before mid-century shifts in travel trends led to the decline of tourism to the area, and an eventual revival with major sporting and cultural events into the 21st century.
Portrush businesses, industries, schools, places of worship, libraries, museums, historical places, attractions, entertainment venues, organisations, and events are appropriate topics for this part of our web guide.
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Held along the Causeway Coast in Portrush, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, the event spans from Ballyreagh Golf Course to Kerr Street Green, offering multiple viewing points across a three-mile stretch of shoreline. Aerial program highlights are featured on the website, along with ground attractions. Additionally, STEM Village, in Village South, brings interactive exhibits from employers and educators to inspire careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
https://airshowni.com/
The public branch library serves the Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, community, offering a wide range of services for patrons of all ages, from story sessions for toddlers to craft groups and social clubs for adults. Its address, a map showing its location, hours of operation, statutory holidays, contact details, social media, core services, and regular events are highlighted, along with library policies and information about advance booking for groups.
https://www.librariesni.org.uk/libraries/county-antrim/portrush-library/
The Ramore is a multi-venue dining and entertainment complex on the Causeway Coast in Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It features six distinctive restaurants and bars under one roof, offering everything from fresh seafood and Asian-inspired small plates to wood-fired pizzas, premium wines, and craft gins. Its dining concepts (The Wine Bar, The Mermaid, Neptune & Prawn, Coast Pizzeria, Harbour Bistro, and Harbour Bar) are featured, with hours, menus, and other information.
https://www.ramorerestaurant.com/
Situated on Northern Ireland's North Antrim coast, overlooking the 13th-century Dunluce Castle ruins and Giant's Causeway, the Royal Portrush Golf Course is one of only two courses outside of Great Britain to host The Open Championship. It regularly ranks among the world's top links venues. Founded in 1888 as The Country Club, with a nine-hole layout, the course was later expanded to eighteen holes and became The Royal County Club in 1892. It is a venue for major amateur and professional events.
https://www.royalportrushgolfclub.com/
The White House, in Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, is a landmark department store on the North Antrim coast. Founded by Henry Hamilton in 1891, the store has served the community for over a century. In 1972, ownership passed to John Moore, who oversaw the modernisation of many of its original features. Its location, contacts, departments, and product lines are showcased on the website, and the Trocadero Restaurant, on the first floor, is also introduced.
https://whitehouseportrush.com/
