Portrush (Northern Ireland)

Portrush (Port Rois, which means "promontory port") is a small port town and seaside resort located in Northern Ireland (County Antrim, on the border with County Londonderry). The town has population around 7,000. Portrush Harbour is man-made and well protected by two high breakwaters.

• The main part of Portrush's old town, including most hotels, restaurants, bars and the railway station, is built on Ramore Head, a mile–long peninsula, pointing north-northwest. During the off-season, Portrush is the dormitory town for nearby campus of University of Ulster at Coleraine.
• The town is famous for its 3 sandy beaches, White Rocks, West Strand and East Strand, as well as Royal Portrush Golf Club, which is the only golf club located outside of mainland Great Britain to have hosted the Open Championship.
• Portrush was the base for Katie Hannan (life boat which damaged in 2008, after it ran aground during a rescue operation at Rathlin Island, currently based as a training boat for RNLI), Severn class lifeboat and Ken & Mary, D–class inshore lifeboat of RNLI. Lifeboats have operated from Portrush Harbour since 1860.
• Attractions in Portrush include Waterworld swimming complex, "The Coastal Zone" (former Portrush Countryside Centre), and, on the edge of the town, the links of Royal Portrush Golf Club, which hosted 1951 British Open golf championship, along with Ballyreagh Golf Course.
• Portrush homes one of the best known nightclubs in Northern Ireland. Kelly's complex includes a multitude of clubs and bars and is the largest nightclub complex in Northern Ireland. It includes the Lush! nightclub which attracts many of the top DJs in the world and hosts the events of BBC Radio 1.
• Portrush also homes Barry's Amusements, which is the largest amusement park found in Northern Ireland. Famous actor James Nesbitt worked in Barry's once.
• The Skerries is a collection of rocks situated off the coast, an important habitat for a number of species, some of which unique to Northern Ireland.