Barry's Amusements
Encyclopedia
Barry's Amusements is the largest theme park in Northern Ireland
and also the largest on the island of Ireland
.
It is situated in the centre of Portrush
on the north coast. It is a popular family attraction for visitors to the area.
In 1925, traveling 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.
Monday–Friday = Closed
Saturday = 12.30 – 10.30
Sunday = 12.30 – 9.30
In June Barry's opens 7 days a week with the following opening hours:
Monday - Friday = 10 – 6
Saturday = 12.30 – 10.30
Sunday = 12.30 – 9.30
During the summer (July–August) Barry's is open 7 days a week:
Monday - Sunday = 12.30 – 10.30
On certain special holidays e.g. Easter Monday, Tuesday, May Day etc. Barry's opens from 11 – 10.30
For more precise opening times a calendar can be found at the following link http://www.barrysamusements.com/opening.asp
in 2006 to celebrate Barry's 70th 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.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and also the largest on the island of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
It is situated in the centre of Portrush
Portrush
Portrush is a small seaside resort town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, on the County Londonderry border. The main part of the old town, including the railway station as well as most hotels, restaurants and bars, is built on a mile–long peninsula, Ramore Head, pointing north-northwest....
on the north coast. It is a popular family attraction for visitors to the area.
In 1925, traveling members of the Chipperfield
Chipperfield's Circus
Chipperfield's Circus was the name of a famous British family circus. The show toured Europe and the Far East. The dynasty goes back more than 300 years, making it one of the older family circus dynasties.-History:...
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.
Attractions
| Name | Opened | Brief Description |
|---|---|---|
| Barry's Big Dipper Roller coaster The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885... |
2003 | A compact steel roller coaster, updated in 2003. Originally built in 1991 by Pinfari Pinfari Pinfari is an Italian brand of portable roller coasters found at travelling fairs. The Pinfari company was founded by Daniel Pinfari in Mantua. The brand has been especially known for compact models with small footprints, such as the popular ZL42. Pinfari was liquidated on 15 July 2004, due to the... 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 Orbiter (ride) The Orbiter is a fairground ride invented by Richard Woolls in 1976.It has a number of articulated arms radiating from a central rotating vertical axis. Each arm supports a cluster of cars, which are lifted through 90° into the horizontal position once the ride is spinning... . |
| Freak out Freak Out (ride) A Freak Out is a pendulum-based fairground ride. It is a smaller version of the Afterburner ride; both of which are manufactured by KMG of the Netherlands.The riders sit facing each other on chairs suspended around the bob on the pendulum... |
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. |
| Big apple | The big apple is Barry's kiddie roller coaster, the roller coaster carts are designed to look like a caterpillar and the ride takes the passengers through a giant apple, two rotations are given as the ride is quite short. | |
| Barry's Express Train ride A train ride in an amusement park, or a municipal park setting, is a small ride consisting of a miniature train, often running on a permanent or portable track, but sometimes without any track whatsoever. In the latter case, the "trains" are simulated by connecting railroad-like cars behind an... |
2008 | The Barry's Express is a new kids' 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 Log flume (attraction) Log flumes originally referred to a special construct used to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain to a sawmill by using flowing water. Today, however, the term is also used to refer to an amusement ride consisting of a water flume and artificial hollow logs or boats... |
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 in to 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. | |
| SRV Motion simulator A motion simulator or motion platform is a mechanism that encapsulates occupants and creates the effect/feelings of being in a moving vehicle... |
The SRV is a motion simulator ride (a movie plays and the coach moves to make you feel like you are actually in it). The movie changes either on a yearly or bi-yearly basis, the current movie is Superstition. | |
| Ghost Train | The 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 Twist (ride) The Twist, also known as the Twister, Cyclone, Sizzler, Scrambler, Merry Mixer, Jambalaya, or Grasscutter is an amusement ride in which suspended riders spinning in cars experience the illusion that they will crash into other suspended, spinning cars. Riders are seated in small carriages clustered... |
The cyclone is a thrill 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 Carousel A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders... |
The "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. | |
| 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. |
Opening hours
Barry's opens on a seasonal basis, normally from around 2 weeks before Easter until the first week in September, the opening hours during the school season is:Saturday = 12.30 – 10.30
Sunday = 12.30 – 9.30
In June Barry's opens 7 days a week with the following opening hours:
Monday - Friday = 10 – 6
Saturday = 12.30 – 10.30
Sunday = 12.30 – 9.30
During the summer (July–August) Barry's is open 7 days a week:
Monday - Sunday = 12.30 – 10.30
On certain special holidays e.g. Easter Monday, Tuesday, May Day etc. Barry's opens from 11 – 10.30
For more precise opening times a calendar can be found at the following link http://www.barrysamusements.com/opening.asp
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 BooksColourpoint Books
Colourpoint Books are an independent, family-owned publisher based in Newtownards, Northern Ireland. They specialise in local history and educational textbooks....
in 2006 to celebrate Barry's 70th 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.
External links
- http://www.barrysamusements.com - home page of Barry's Amusements
- http://www.colourpoint.co.uk/titles/9781904242710-34.html - Fun is Our Business, the official book celebrating Barry's 70th anniversary