Pirates Off Portrush is back!

Organisers, sponsors and participants from Pirates Off Portrush which takes place on June 30 and July 1.

Details of the programme for this year’s Pirates Off Portrush on Saturday, June 30 and

Sunday July 1 were revealed at the official launch party in Portrush Yacht Club on

Wednesday, attended by Deputy Mayor Councillor Trevor Clarke, sponsors, business owners and volunteers.

John McNally and John Moore from the organisers, Portrush Heritage Group, described their 2018 programme as the most ambitious staging to-date.

The stars of this year’s programme will be a ‘Thunder of Wild Dragons’ by Francis Morgan.

Francis created the 120 metre water-born, fire breathing dragon used for the ‘Return of the

Colmcille’ in the Derry/Londonderry 2013 European City of Culture.

Francis will be bringing a family of seven dragons to Portrush, Florence the Mummy Dragon is 13 metres long and her children, Raggle, Snap, Blackberry, Zsa Zsa, Jazzy and Bugsy are all three metres tall.

The programme of events kicks-off on Saturday morning at 11am with a Pirate Treasure Hunt and Face Painting from the Portrush Atlantic Hotel and a visit by Professor Peartree the Dragonologist.

From 12 noon there will be continuous programme of entertainment in The Amphitheatre with Pirate Dress and Dance Competitions, a chance to meet the Dragons and at the Arcadia Liz Weir will be Telling Stories of characters of sea and shore. The Flaming Dragon Show gets underway at 2pm followed by a parade of the town to Antrim Gardens where there will be further drama and a final parade back to the Amphitheatre where someone will have to walk the plank.

The day is rounded off with an outdoor Pirate Music Show starting at 7:30pm on Kerr Street Green.Producer Brian Moore will introduce Captain Jim and The Kracken Rock Pirates (aka The James Peak Experience) with Fire Performers.

Sunday’s Heritage Fair starts at 12 noon and has, for the children, a distinct circus feel

about it with Streetwise Circus Workshops, Babcock and Bobbins Comedy Circus Act,

Fairyland, Story Telling, Vintage Children’s Games, Damon Fire-Performer, Big Head

Characters, Face Painting and Minion, Sloth and Fairy Princess.

For the non-children there

will be an Artisan Market and Music by The Northern Ireland Concert Band.

All events are free admission:

Pirates Off Portrush is jointly sponsored by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council

and Portrush businesses of which Morelli’s are the lead commercial sponsor.

Thanks were expressed at the launch to the large group of volunteers who contribute

to the success of Pirates Off Portrush and to Portrush Yacht Club for allowing their excellent premises to be used for the launch.