Craigyhill bonfire: Builders of famous pyre 'are not going for a world record attempt this year' but still hope to see 40,000 visitors

‘It is still a brave size, but it is not as broad as they scaled it back from last year.,’ he added

‘Everybody is still excited about it because it will still probably be the biggest in Northern Ireland.

‘We got the world record last year even though Guinness still didn’t put it in the book – but word still got out,’ he said.

In 2024 the Craigyhill bonfire in Larne was reported to have reached a height of 205 feet and 6 inches, unofficially breaking the world record.

Although organisers said they attempted to furnish the Guinness Book of Records with all the relevant documentation, they have still not received anything back.

According to the Guinness Book of records, the world's tallest bonfire, known as Slinningsbålet, is built annually in Ålesund, Norway, as part of the Midsummer celebrations.

It has been reported to measure 47.4 metres.

And the official world record for the largest bonfire by volume, is held by Vreugdevuur Scheveningen in the Netherlands.

Their bonfire had a volume of 8,695 cubic meters (307,061.03 cubic feet) on December 31, 2015,

John added: ‘Some of the bonfire group from Holland are coming over to meet us on July 10 as we have great relations with them and the bonfire group in Norway.

‘We are going to try to take them to as many big bonfires in Northern Ireland as we can.’

John said around 40,000 people attended celebrations at Craigyhill bonfire last year ‘and we had no trouble at all, apart from one wee scuffle’.

‘There were some people running about in GAA tops and Celtic tops and nobody said anything. When would you see that?

‘We see other bonfires are following the blueprint of what we are doing because it works.

‘Now we have flute bands on the 10th, but the 11th is more for the kids.

‘This year we are focussing more on the fun day and we have even secured a 80-metre portable funfair ride from Europe. We will also have the fire breathers, DJ’s and we still expect around 40k people.

‘We fund raise all year round for this and we intend to have a great day. It is a day for everyone so we put on a great day’.

John added that ‘the crane to set the beacon on top of the pyre comes on Saturday and Sunday’.

‘It might get to 180ft with the beacon,’ he added.

‘We had the same people building it and the same guy coming to light it as we did last year.

‘Last year we spent £30,000 on pallets and this year we have only spent £20,000.

‘You make the big bonfire the focus point so people come miles to see it.

‘The documentary came out ‘Castle in the Sky’ about Craigyhill bonfire on Prime, which gives a whole run down of what happens from start to finish.

‘It took the film maker 2 years to finish it and the feedback has been brilliant’.