Portrush's seaside amusement park — the old Barry's, now Curry's Fun Park — where you walk in free and pick your rides: the Big Dipper, the dodgems, the ghost train, the waltzer and the carousel, plus a big loud arcade.
What you'll ride — the Big Dipper coaster, the dodgems (done up as New York taxis), the ghost train, the waltzer, the carousel, teacups, the giant wheel, a 40-metre swing tower and a set of gentler kiddie rides for the little ones.
Don't miss — the indoor arcade packed with 2p pushers, prize-ticket games and grabbers, and the Aqua Valley water ride when the sun's out. Fans of Derry Girls will know the Big Dipper and the ghost train from the show.
How long — most families give it one to three hours; easy to fold into a wider Portrush day with the beach and the prom right there.
Cost — free to walk in, then you buy tokens and pay per ride (most rides run a few tokens each, with token deals when you spend more). Prices change, so check current token rates on the day.
Come ready — bring a bit of cash or card for tokens, a coat for the sea breeze whatever the sky's doing, and the arcade's a warm, dry backup if a shower rolls in off the water.
Seasonal — mainly Easter to early September. The rides run through the warmer months and open from around noon; outside the season much of it winds down, so check the day before you travel on currysfunpark.com or their Facebook.
Pay per ride, not a fixed wristband. There's no single entry ticket — you spend on tokens as you go, so set a budget with the kids before you start.
Plan your visit
A classic Portrush funfair afternoon
Curry's Fun Park sits right on the prom in the middle of Portrush, so it slots straight into a seaside day — the East and West Strands are a stroll away, and you can drift between the rides, the arcade, an ice cream and the sand. The park is seasonal: it runs mainly from around Easter through to early September, opening from about noon, with the busiest, longest days over the school holidays and warm weekends. Entry is free — you buy tokens and pay for each ride (a few tokens a go, with better value when you buy a bigger bundle), so there's no wristband to commit to up front. Because dates, hours and token prices shift with the season and the weather, always confirm on currysfunpark.com or the Currys Funpark Portrush Facebook page before you set off.
Cafés & ice cream on the promBig indoor arcade — dry-day backupKiddie rides for the little onesTown car parks nearbyBeaches & prom on the doorstep
Worth knowing:
Opening dates, hours and token prices are seasonal and can change at short notice with the weather. Check currysfunpark.com or the Currys Funpark Portrush Facebook page the day you plan to go, and bring cash or card for tokens.
Before you set off
What to bring
💷Cash or card for tokensYou pay per ride on tokens, so bring a bit to spend and set a budget with the kids before you start.
🧥A coat for the sea breezeYou're right on the front — it can be fresh off the water even on a bright day. A wet spell? The arcade's warm and dry, so the fun rolls on.
👟Comfy shoesYou'll be on your feet between rides, the arcade and a wander along the prom and beach.
💧A hat and water on bright daysLittle shade around the open rides, so a sun hat, some water and a shady breather make a hot day here all the sweeter.
Good to know
Everything before you go
Cost
Free to walk in. Rides are paid with tokens bought on site — most rides cost a few tokens each, and there are better-value bundles when you buy more (a spend-more, get-extra-free deal is often running). There's no single wristband or fixed entry ticket. Token prices change through the season, so confirm the current rate on the day.
Season & hours
Seasonal — the rides run mainly from around Easter through to early September, opening from about noon, with daily opening and the longest hours over the summer holidays and warm weekends. Outside the main season much of it winds down. Always check currysfunpark.com or the Currys Funpark Portrush Facebook page before travelling.
What you'll ride
The Big Dipper coaster, dodgems (styled as New York taxis), the ghost train, the waltzer, the carousel, teacups, the Skyview giant wheel, a 40-metre high swing tower, spinning and pendulum thrill rides, the Aqua Valley water ride, and a set of gentle kiddie rides — buses, a convoy, swing chairs and more — for younger children.
Arcade
A large indoor amusement arcade sits alongside the rides — 2p pushers, prize-ticket games, grabbers and gaming machines. It's the warm, dry option if the weather turns, and a good spend-a-little stop for all ages.
Ages
Something for everyone — gentle kiddie rides and the carousel for toddlers and young children, bigger coasters, spinners and thrill rides for older kids, teens and adults. Height and age limits apply on some rides.
Food
Portrush is a seaside resort, so cafés, chip shops, ice-cream parlours and takeaways line the prom and nearby streets — you're never far from a cone or a poke of chips between rides.
Toilets
Public toilets are available in the town and around the seafront. Facilities on site can vary through the season — ask on arrival.
Getting around
The park is compact and mostly on the flat, right on the promenade. The rides are outdoors and the arcade is indoors and step-in from the front.
Parking
No dedicated car park — use the town car parks and on-street parking around Portrush seafront and the harbour, then it's a short walk along the prom.
How long
Most families spend one to three hours here, and it folds neatly into a wider Portrush day with the beaches, the harbour and the prom all close by.
Dogs
Assume dogs aren't suited to a busy ride park and indoor arcade; the open East and West Strands nearby are the better bet for a walk with the dog.
Questions
Before you go
Is it the old Barry's?
Yes — this is the famous Portrush amusement park long known as Barry's, on the same seafront spot. The Curry family, who run a fun park in Salthill in Galway, took it on and reopened it as Curry's Fun Park in April 2022, keeping it as a classic seaside funfair.
How much does it cost to get in?
It's free to walk in. You then buy tokens and pay for each ride — most rides are a few tokens each, and you get more tokens for your money when you buy a bigger bundle. Token prices change through the season, so check the current rate on the day.
When is it open?
It's seasonal — the rides run mainly from around Easter to early September, opening from about noon, with daily opening and the longest hours over the summer holidays. Dates and hours can shift with the weather, so check currysfunpark.com or the Currys Funpark Portrush Facebook page before you set off.
What rides are there?
The Big Dipper coaster, dodgems, the ghost train, the waltzer, the carousel, teacups, the giant wheel, a tall swing tower, spinning thrill rides, the Aqua Valley water ride and gentle kiddie rides for little ones — plus a big indoor arcade.
Is it any good if it rains?
The large indoor arcade keeps the fun going when a shower blows in off the sea — 2p pushers, ticket games and grabbers. Bring a coat, duck inside when it's wet, and head back out to the rides when it clears.
Is there parking?
There's no dedicated car park — use the town car parks and on-street parking around Portrush seafront and the harbour, then walk along the prom to the park.
Getting there
Eglinton Street, Portrush, Co. Antrim, BT56 8DX — right on the promenade in the middle of Portrush, a short walk from the East and West Strands and the harbour. There's no on-site car park, so use the town car parks and seafront parking. Portrush train station is a few minutes' walk away, with regular trains from Coleraine on the Causeway Coast line.
For generations, a trip to Portrush meant a trip to Barry's. The amusement park on the seafront traces back to 1925, said to have been founded by Francesco Trufelli — a former trapeze artist and circus manager — and Evelyn Chipperfield of the famous circus family, and it grew into one of Northern Ireland's best-loved seaside days out. Whole childhoods are stitched into the memory of it: the queue for the Big Dipper, the crash of the dodgems, the dark and the shrieks of the ghost train, the lights of the arcade on a summer evening.
The family offered the business for sale in 2019, and after it changed hands the doors were quiet for a spell. Then in 2022 the Curry family — who run Curry's Fun Park in Salthill, near Galway — took on a long-term lease and reopened the Portrush park at Easter as Curry's Fun Park, on 9 April 2022. New name over the door, same seafront spot, and the same job: to be the funfair at the heart of a Portrush summer.
The rides are a Portrush landmark in their own right — the Big Dipper and the ghost train even turned up on screen in the TV comedy Derry Girls. What keeps people coming back is simpler than any single ride, though: the smell of the sea and the candyfloss, the beach a stone's throw away, and the easy, timeless pleasure of a day at the seaside funfair.