The season of summer isn’t nearly as fun when you’re an adult as it was when you were a kid. And between the weather, the discontinuation of some of our favourite treats and holidays abroad being far more common than holidays at home, summers just aren't what they used to be.
You can't blame us, then, for being nostalgic for the summers we experienced growing up. From trips to the likes of Portrush or Newcastle to the thrill of playing outside 'til way past your normal bedtime, there’s no comparison to the summers of our childhood.
Take a walk down memory lane with us as we revisit some classic childhood memories of summers in Northern Ireland. If you were a kid here in the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s or ‘00s, some of these likely played a role in your past summers.
Read more: Old photos capture life in Northern Ireland in 1990
A trip to Barry’s Amusements
Located in Portrush and Bangor, Barry’s Amusements was home to many summer memories over the years. First opened at the pier in 1926, the Portrush location is the longest-running amusement park in Northern Ireland, though it’s now called Curry’s Fun Park under new ownership.
Many generations spent a summer’s day at either location through the years. Those who went to the Portrush Barry’s will remember various fairground rides such as its Dipper roller coasters, the Satellite, the Freak Out and so on, while visitors to the Bangor location (now demolished) particularly loved riding the Ghost Train and playing games at the arcade.
Watching summer TV schedules
These days, kids watch shows on every streaming service known to man or else YouTube videos of adults unboxing toys. We’ll never understand this on-demand selection of children’s programming when we grew up with TV channels airing marathons of kids shows to make the most of summer viewership.
Depending on your age, you might’ve been glued to anything like ‘Why Don’t You?’, ‘ThunderCats’, ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’, ‘Ed, Edd n Eddy’ or ‘Hey Arnold!’ and so on. And on a rainy day, your square eyes were in front of the telly so long you’d catch repeats of the episodes shown that morning in the evening.
Going to Dreamworld
Another one for the amusements lovers, Dreamworld off Boucher Road was very well-named. Its swinging Fredo-sponsored ship and the PlayStation area made it a haven for kids in the late ‘90s/early ‘00s.
Swimming at Pickie Pool
While Bangor is still home to Pickie Funpark, it was once home to the be-all-and-end-all of Northern Irish swimming: Pickie Pool. First opened in 1931, it was an outdoor sea-water pool with a 35ft diving board.
Pickie Pool attracted many casual swimmers looking to make the most of a sunny day. It also hosted many participants and spectators of swimming and diving contests until it was demolished in the late ‘80s.
Going on family picnics
There was nothing like making use of local scenery for a day out that cost your parents nothing but the price of the journey there and the packed lunch they brought along. Whether it was at Belfast Castle, Mount Stewart, Minnowburn or elsewhere, as long as we had a packet of Fives and space to run around, we were happy out.
Eating old-school ice-creams & ice-lols
The power the ice-cream man and the freezer in the local corner shop had over us knew no bounds. Our favourites included a 99, Dale Farm classics like Pear Picking Porky, Polly Pineapple and Joker, or HB products like Fat Frog and Loop the Loop.
Fish and chips by the sea
There's plenty of gorgeous coastal towns and villages in Northern Ireland, and plenty of gorgeous food to be had within them. As a kid, nothing beat a day of being burnt alive at the seaside, finished off with a trip to the chippy - be it Morton's in Ballycastle, John Macs in Newcastle or so on.
Visiting Belfast Zoo
Still a summer staple, a trip to the zoo was a must during the weeks you had off school as a kid. Remember the days of watching the birds at the free flight area or having your snacks or belongings nicked by Tina the kleptomaniac elephant?
What other childhood memories do you have of summer in Northern Ireland? Let us know in the comments below.
READ NEXT:
Club bangers that had everyone on the dancefloor in the '90s
Zoo-dini: a look-back at the most dramatic escapes of Belfast Zoo
A look-back at what we wore on a Belfast night out in the '00s
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here. To get the best of nostalgia delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our FREE newsletter here.
