Northern Ireland weather: Concert goers and day trippers make memories in the sun

Three concert taking place in Belfast got the perfect conditions as music fans of different tastes enjoyed Lionel Ritchie in Ormeau Park, The Classical with the Ulster Orchestra in Botanic Gardens and the AVA festival at Titanic slipways.

Many made the day trip to their favourite coastal resort with bumper numbers hitting Newcastle and Portrush.

The visitor centre in Newcastle, speaking ahead of what it had expected to be a bumper weekend, said that the previous bank holiday weekend had been particularly busy.

While it was unable to gauge footfall in the town they said that from Friday, May 26 through to Monday, May 29 there had been 451 visitors to the visitors centre.

A spokesperson said: “The bank holiday combined with the good weather saw a significant increase in visitors to Newcastle and this was reflected in the number of people through the doors of the visitor information centre.

“As we come closer to school holidays, visitors to the town will continue to rise."

At Portrush visitor centre it was a similar story with the good weather bringing people to the coast.

A spokesperson said: “The weather is a huge factor, when the sun comes out the people come out. Because children are still it school the weekend is much, much busier than Monday to Friday.

“We find that when Curry’s Amusements is open there are a lot more people around than when it is open. At the minute it is only opening on Saturdays and Sundays, but from June 9 it will be open every day of the week.

“There was a raft race last Saturday and Portrush Yacht Club will have its regatta in two weeks – those are great events when the sun is out.”

Still on the subject of ships and Royal Navy vessel HMS Penzance was in Co Down at the weekend to take part in the Sea Bangor Festival.

The Sandown Class mine hunter lowered the gangplank for one day only on Saturday, inviting visitors to learn more about how they protect vital shipping lanes from the threat of maritime mines.