Barry's Amusements

Barry's Amusements is the largest theme park in Northern Ireland.^[1] It is situated in the centre of Portrush, County Antrim, on the north coast. It is a popular family attraction for visitors to the area.

History

In 1925, travelling members of the Chipperfield and Trufelli circus families were invited by the local railway company to permanently locate in Portrush on a site beside the railway station. The name 'Barry's' is based on an early supplier (Barr). Barry's maintains a mixture of traditional and modern amusements.

Opening hours

Barry's opens on a seasonal basis, normally from Easter Monday until the first week in September.^[2]

Workforce

Barry's has a long-standing reputation of providing jobs for teenagers in the local area; rides are operated by older members of staff but the ride attendants are mostly school-going teenagers.

Barry's in the media

• A book, Fun is Our Business was published by Colourpoint Books in 2006 to celebrate Barry's 80th anniversary.
• A BBC NI documentary "Your Place and Mine" was filmed about Barry's in 2006, it was aired around October of the same year.^[3]

Attractions

Name	Picture	Opened	Brief Description
Barry's Big Dipper		2003	A compact steel roller coaster, updated in 2003. Originally built in 1991 by Pinfari of Italy.
Experience		2006	This is one of Barry's main thrill rides, brought in to replace the Satellite. The ride is similar to the popular fairground attraction Orbiter.
Freak out		2003	The Freak Out is a pendulum-based fairground ride. The riders sit facing each other on chairs suspended around the bob on the pendulum. During motion, the pendulum climbs to a maximum angle of 120° and reaches a height of 22 metres (72 ft.). Whilst swinging, the chairs rotate around the axis of the pendulum.
Speedy Mouse		1999?	The big apple is Barry's kiddie roller coaster, the roller coaster carts are designed to look like a mouse and the ride takes the passengers through a giant apple, two rotations are given as the ride is quite short.
Barry's Express		2008	The Barry's Express is a new kids' train ride brought in for the 2008 season, it is a train with three carriages that travels around a circular track, with swaying carriages and music.
Turtle Splash		2006	The turtle splash is the only water ride in Barry's, it is a mini log flume designed for kids. The logs in which the passengers sit are designed as turtles to fit into the theme of the ride.
Dodgems			A large dodgem track with 27 cars, each able to seat two people.
Mini Dodgems			The mini dodgems are the kids equivalent to the dodgems, the speed has been reduced and the cars made smaller to allow the kids to reach the foot pedals and steering wheel.
Ghost Train			The dark ride consists of a train that moves quite slowly through a darkened tunnel decorated with horror related items (e.g. models of skeletons, witches and ghosts). "Spooky" music and/or sound effects are played through the ride.
Cyclone			The cyclone is a thrill twist ride in which riders, suspended in spinning cars experience the illusion that they will crash into other suspended, spinning cars. Riders are seated in small carriages clustered together and connected by beams at the top to a central point. The clustered vehicles are spun in one direction, while the ride as a whole spins in the opposite direction.
Carousel		1964	The carousel "seats" are in the form of wooden horses, which are moved mechanically up and down to simulate galloping. This particular carousel is boasted to be over 100 years old.[4]
Monte Carlo			The Monte Carlo is a kids ride in Barry's it has a variety of vehicles mounted on a circular platform which spins in a circle to make it feel like the child is driving their chosen vehicle.
Helter Skelter		1973	The Helter Skelter is a slide built in a spiral around a high tower. Users climb up inside the tower and slide down the outside on a mat.
Jumping Astro		2012	The Jumping Astro is a Drop Tower. The gondola carrying riders is lifted to the top of the vertical tower then released to free-fall down the tower, in this particular tower the riders "bounce" several times. Brakes activate to slow the gondola as it approaches the bottom of the ride.

See also

• List of theme parks in the United Kingdom

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Barry's Amusements.

• Barry's Amusements website