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County Derry

Brian — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 16:28:00 +0000

The County of Derry takes its name from its largest city, steeped in centuries of tumultuous history. Sometimes called Londonderry, depending on the political point of view, this county in the north offers both the beauties of nature in its scenic coastal areas and the Sperrin Mountains as well as a multitude of historical sites dating back to the foundation of Derry City in 546 and beyond.

Highlights

The majority of County Derry’s historical attractions are located within bounds of Derry City, but outlying areas are rich in outdoor attractions such as forests, nature reserves and beautiful beaches.
The City Walls of Derry are remarkably well preserved, considering that they date back to1618, marking the boundaries of the city at that point in its long history. St. Columb’s Cathedral showcases relics of the Siege within a 1633 Gothic Church.
A variety of museums, including the Harbour Museum, Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall, Tower Museum and Workhouse Museum, chronicle the long and eventful past of the region. Derry sits upon ground that has been occupied for so many centuries that it is literally overflowing with evidence of the lifestyles, struggles and triumphs of its past citizenry.
Recent history can be revisited at Free Derry Corner and by inspecting the Bogside Murals, expressions of the period known as the Troubles during the century just past.

History

County Derry, as described by its current boundaries, had its beginnings in 1613. The county was arranged to the advantage of the Irish Society and the influential livery companies of London, who wanted the boundaries to encompass land on both sides of Rivers Foyle and Bann. In those days, Coleraine was the county town, and also the former name of the county itself.
The city of Derry has a very long history, dating back to the 6th century A.D., when the Celts named it Daire, a word that translates into ‘oak grove’. Druids occupied this sacred oak grove until St. Columba established a monastery on the site in the 6th century.
During following centuries Derry City survived through Viking invasions and the arrival of the English to legally be declared a city in 1603. It was destroyed in 1608 in battle following the Flight of the Earls and rebuilt during the Plantation period instituted by King James I to colonise Ulster with Protestant settlers.
The indelible imprint of the Siege of Derry in 1688 is still visible upon the city’s character today. Citizens behind the city walls held off the soldiers of King James for 105 days.
Common surnames in County Derry include: Gallagher, Kelly, Coyle, Bradley, McLaughlin, Doherty, Kane and Campbell.

Free Derry Corner and the Bogside Murals, Derry City

Brian — Tue, 09 May 2006 15:04:09 +0000

Free Derry Corner is an icon representing the Republican Resistance, and marking the eastern border of the Bogside area. The words “You are Now Entering Free Derry” were painted on the side of a dwelling, destroyed by British troops in 1972, and then rebuilt.
There are a variety of murals in the Bogside area, depicting historical events using photos, film clips and artistic symbolism. They include:
•The Bloody Sunday Monument, which commemorates the civil rights march that turned violent on January 20, 1972 when 14 peaceful protestors were shot by British soldiers.
•The H-Block Monument, which remembers the 1981 Hunger Strike of prison inmates, as well as the ten who died. Mass prison protests resulted in refusal by inmates to bathe or dress in prison garb.
•Petrol Bomber Mural, which shows a boy trying to shield himself by wearing a gas mask from the assault against Republicans by the Royal Ulster Constabulary in 1969.
•Death of an Innocent, which portrays Annette McGavigan, the first child to die as a result of the violence in Derry. She was mistakenly shot while walking home from school in 1971. Annette was just fourteen years old at the time.
•Bloody Sunday Mural, which shows Edward Daly, a priest, as he tries to remove a victim named Jackie Duddy from danger.
•The Rioter, which depicts a lone protester in the futile effort of fending off a British tank with only a bedspring as a weapon.
•The Civil Rights Mural, which commemorates the peaceful protest marches that preceded the beginning of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Violence erupting between protestors and the RUC in March of 1968 is considered to be the turning point from peaceful protest to violent rioting.
The artists who created the murals have set up the Bogside Artist Studio, located amid the murals. Visitors can attend talks and obtain more information about the murals and the events they represent.

Prehen House, Derry City

Brian — Tue, 09 May 2006 15:00:56 +0000

This Early Georgian Style manor house is located in a picturesque area outside the city of Derry. The estate is made up of 3, 641 acres adjacent to protected woodlands and features glorious views of the city, the River Foyle, and surrounding areas.
The Prehen family first occupied the estate in 1640. In 1738 Andrew Knox, MP of Donegal, married the heiress of Prehen House, Honoria Tomkins, and their union began a long line of Knoxes, featuring some colorful and noteworthy descendants, including:
•Colonel George Knox, who was one of Derry’s most well known citizens.
•The Colonel’s grandson, Baron George Carl Otto Louis Von Scheffler Knox, who inherited the estate and subsequently lost it when it was seized as enemy property during WWI because of the Baron’s German connections. Members of another branch on the family tree later regained ownership of the estate, and the Baron’s grandson held his wedding celebration there in 1988.
•Dylwith Knox was instrumental in breaking the Enigma Codes.
•Mgr Ronald Knox was known for his Bible translations.
Prehen House is also noteworthy because of its close association with a popular local legend, that of “Half-Hanged Mc Naughten”.
According to the story, Mc Naughten was a gambling man in deep debt. He was kindly taken in by his friend Andrew Knox, owner of the estate in the mid 1700′s. Andrew’s daughter, Mary Ann, fell in love with Mc Naughten and he convinced her to marry him secretly. Andrew found them out, and knew that Mc Naughten had married her for her considerable dowry, needed to continue his gambling. Andrew tried to spirit Mary Ann away to Dublin on November 10, 1761, but Mc Naughten caught up with the party, and instigated a shootout during which he killed Mary Ann.
Mc Naughten was convicted of the killing and subsequently hanged. During the first attempt, the hanging rope broke, presenting him with the opportunity to escape. Mc Naughten declined, saying that he wished not to be remembered as a half-hanged man.
The execution proceeded, the nickname remained, and the tale of “Half-Hanged Mc Naughten” remains popular in the annals of Derry folklore.

Lough’s Agency Riverwatch, Derry City

Brian — Tue, 09 May 2006 14:55:37 +0000

This unique facility showcases the fish and wildlife resources of the region, particularly the River Foyle and the Carlingford Loughs. Visitors can take advantage of interactive exhibits such as those presenting the life cycle of Ireland’s native salmon.

Harbour Museum, Derry City

Brian — Tue, 09 May 2006 14:53:37 +0000

The old office of the Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners is the current site of a museum that houses the maritime treasures of the city.
The building was erected in 1822 and also contains a variety of other artifacts and exhibitions, including a curragh replica representing the vessel used by St. Columba in 563 A.D. when he traveled to Iona.

Workhouse Museum, Derry City

Brian — Tue, 09 May 2006 14:52:07 +0000

In an effort to stem the tide of growing poverty, the Derry Workhouse was established in 1832, but as history unfolded, the building came to be used for quite different purposes. As potential emigrants came to Derry, a popular departure point, many of them discovered that they could not afford to pay for the passage. They sought help at the workhouse in the form of food and shelter. Many were stranded there, unable to afford to leave. Families were separated and many people died.
During these years of the Famine, more than one million people died from starvation and disease, and over 1 ½ million fled the country entirely.
The Workhouse Museum presents a chronicle of that period in Ireland’s history, using exhibits focusing on the devastation of the Famine as well as the details of life in the Workhouse itself.

Walls of Derry (City)

Brian — Tue, 09 May 2006 14:49:55 +0000

The walls surrounding the City of Derry are 26 feet high and as much as 30 feet wide in certain areas. Construction was completed in 1618, funded by the London trade guilds in charge of the plantation of new settlers from England and Scotland. The original purpose was to serve as a defense from Donegal’s Gaelic chieftains, and protect commerce in the growing port.
Due to the centuries of growth and development, most of the city lies beyond the perimeter of these ancient walls, which have never been breached in battle, despite even the attempt of the forces of King James II in 1689. More than 7,000 of the 20,000 or so citizens died from starvation or illness, but the city stood firm throughout, protected by these massive walls.
Today, wall walks are a popular visitor attraction in Derry. There are now eight gates to the city, and the cannon stands of the siege are still visible.

Guildhall, Derry City

Brian — Tue, 09 May 2006 14:23:58 +0000

Located just outside the walled city near the River Foyle, the original Guildhall building was completed in 1890. Made from stone and sandstone, and embellished with Victorian ornamentation in the neo gothic style, its most notable feature is a series of exceptional stained glass windows.
The windows portray the history of Derry, and were created by a Belfast firm called Campbell’s in 1890. IRA bombings in 1972 destroyed the glass artwork, but amazingly, original plans still on file and accessible allowed Campbell’s to create exact replicas of the shattered windows.
The Guildhall hosts monthly Council Meetings along with an occasional musical recital. Behind the building, along the river, sits Derry Quay, a popular point of departure for many of those who emigrated to America in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall, Derry City

Brian — Tue, 09 May 2006 14:19:47 +0000

Built as a memorial to the 13 boys who began the siege of Derry in 1688 by closing the gates of the city in the face of King James II, it has served, over the years, as a memorial to the persistence and steadfastness of Derry’s protestant population.
More than 20,000 members of the Society have pledged their dedication to Protestant values in the Initiation Room. There is also a well-stocked museum featuring a variety of books, swords and firearms, sculpture and period furniture. The top floor contains a bar and dance hall used for social occasions arranged by the Apprentice Boys Society. The walls of the room are decorated by 12 banners that signify the biblical 12 lost tribes of Israel, believed by some Protestants in Northern Ireland to be their ancestors.
Alongside the building stands the Walker Memorial, a tribute to the man who served as governor during the Siege of 1688. The original statue was the target of an IRA explosion in 1973. Legend has it that the statue’s head landed in the Catholic neighborhood of Bogside, where a young boy found it and sold it back to the Protestants for a sizeable sum of money. The head of the original statue was attached to a new body, forming the memorial that is currently on display.

St. Columb’s Cathedral, Derry City

Brian — Fri, 05 May 2006 15:36:43 +0000

Built on what was formerly the site of the monastery founded by St. Columba, the cathedral was under construction from 1628-1633. It was the first Protestant Cathedral built in Britain or Ireland following the reformation. Most of the Protestant houses of worship at the time were converted Catholic institutions. ST. Columb’s original set of bells is perhaps the oldest in the entire country.
St. Columb’s Cathedral contains numerous relics of the Siege of 1688-89, including a 270 lb. mortar ball that was fired over the city wall at the beginning of the siege, offering terms of surrender to the people of Derry from King James II himself. The reply was a resounding cry of “no surrender”, which has endured into modern times as a popular Protestant battle cry.
The church was built in Planter’s Gothic style, and its spire is visible throughout the city. The current spire is the church’s third – the previous two were struck by lightning and melted into metal for ammunition during the siege, respectively.
The exterior of the building is fortress-like, with thick stone walls. Inside, there are some exquisite features, such as the bishop’s chair from 1630 and a Killybegs altar carpet. The cathedral’s 214 oak pews come from native Derry wood, and they have been hand carved to make each one a unique work of art.
The Chapter House displays a collection of siege artifacts, including the locks and keys of the four main city gates, a map of Derry from 1600, and the personal Bible of George Walker, who was governor during the siege.
Stones in the adjoining graveyard lie flat, toppled during the siege to protect the graves beneath from cannonball fire.