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Attractions in Derry | Inishowen | Further Afield
Murals and Monuments | Sports and Leisure
What to see and do/In Derry
CRAFT
VILLAGE
THE GUILDHALL
ST COLUMB'S CATHEDRAL
THE DIAMOND
COURTHOUSE
TOWER MUSEUM
FREEMASONS' HALL
O'DOHERTY TOWER
GENEALOGY CENTRE
HARBOUR MUSEUM
WORKHOUSE MUSEUM
DERRY VISITOR AND CONVENTION BUREAU
FOYLE VALLEY RAILWAY CENTRE
CRAIGAVON BRIDGE
FOYLE BRIDGE
UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER - MAGEE COLLEGE
ST BRECAN'S RUINS
AMELIA EARHART COTTAGE / BALLYARNETT COMMUNITY FARM AND
WILDLIFE SANCTURY
LONG TOWER CHURCH
ST AUGUSTINE'S CHURCH
ST EUGENE'S CATHEDRAL
Take a step back in time when you visit the charming Craft Village located in the heart of the city centre. The Craft Village is a portrayal of life in Derry between the 16th and 19th centuries and successfully combines retail, workshop and residential units in a unique setting. The Craft Village provides an exciting alternative to shopping as we know it today. Wander at your leisure through the workshops, watch skilled craftspeople at work or relax and enjoy a well-earned rest in the coffee shop or licensed restaurant which offers a full lunch, snack and dinner menu. Derry’s Craft Village is also home to a traditional 15th-century Irish thatched cottage, Bridie’s Cottage, which provides informal Teach Ceoil (Music House) sessions regularly throughout the summer season. Experience the traditional music, song and dance of Ireland in an intimate and cosy atmosphere.
THE GUILDHALL
Situated outside the original walled city and not far from the River Foyle is the Guildhall. The original Guildhall was built in 1890 by the Corporation but in 1908 it was badly damaged by a fire which left only the main outer walls standing. It was rebuilt by 1912 and remained untouched until the interior was again destroyed, this time by a bomb, in 1972. The interior was reconstructed anew and many of the oak panels and stained-glass windows had to be replaced. Most of the stained-glass work has been carried out by Ulster craftsmen. One particularly good example is the reproduction of Follingby’s painting ‘The Relief of Derry’. The neo-Gothic building is constructed of rock-faced sandstone and has one of the largest four-faced clocks in the British Isles.
The council chamber within is richly ornamented and contains a beautiful
range of stained-glass windows presented by the London Livery Companies. Among
the many interesting artefacts held in the Guildhall is the Mayor’s
chain of office which was presented to the city by William III. Not only is
the Guildhall an impressive piece of architecture but it is also a civic and
cultural centre for the people of Derry. Many concerts, plays, exhibitions
and meetings are held there throughout the year. Open from 0900 to 1700. Contact
the Derry Visitor & Convention
Bureau on T: 7137 7577 or 7126 7284; www.derryvisitor.com; info@derryvisitor.com.
Guided tours during July and August.
ST COLUMB'S CATHEDRAL
St Columb's Cathedral is the first in the British Isles to have been built after the Reformation and is a fine example of 'Planters' Gothic'. It was built by the Irish Society between 1628 and 1633 and the stone which records its completion can be seen in the cathedral porch. It underlines the influences which brought about not only the building of the cathedral but the city itself:
If stones could speake
Then
London's prayse
Should sound who
Built this Church and Cittie
from the grounde.
When first built, the cathedral had a wooden spire covered with lead but this was removed prior to the Great Siege. It is said that this lead was later fashioned into bullets and cannon shot which were fired from the cathedral roof during the siege. A new ‘very beautiful spire of cut freestone’ was built in 1778 and crowned with a large gilt copper ball and weather vane. It became unsafe and had to be removed in 1802 to be replaced by the present-day spire (57m). Many interesting historical relics are held in the cathedral such as Bishop Bramhall’s consecration chair of 1633 and the locks and keys of the four original city Gates. St Columb’s Cathedral played an important role in the lives of the inhabitants of Derry down the centuries. It was the physical and spiritual focus of the defenders’ resistance against hostile forces, especially those of King James II during the Great Siege. In the ensuing years the cathedral has evolved into an historical monument to the city’s tumultuous past. Open 0900 to 1700 Mon-Sat, Easter-October. Admission £1.30, with a special rate on group bookings of over 20 people. T: 7126 7313 and www.stcolumbscathedral.org.
THE DIAMOND
Derry’s first Town House for council business stood on this site until it was destroyed in 1689. Another Town House was built in 1692 which was later used as a prison and an art school. This was eventually demolished when the Guildhall was built on a different location. The war memorial, which now occupies the site, was erected in 1927. Its winged centrepiece figure represents Victory.
THE COURTHOUSE
The Courthouse, completed in 1817, is an excellent example of Greek Revival architecture. It was built mostly of white sandstone from Dungiven and is surmounted by statues representing Justice and Peace. It has recently undergone a major refurbishment.
THE TOWER MUSEUM
Derry City Council’s award-winning exhibition centre, the Tower Museum would normally house the Story of Derry, a multi-media retrospective on the city’s past. The museum, however, is closed until early 2005 to facilitate construction of the new Armada in Ireland exhibition containing artefacts recovered from Kinnagoe Bay, County Donegal, in the 1970s from La Trinidad Valencera, a galleon from the Spanish Armada, shipwrecked in 1588. In the meantime, the Harbour Museum will host a version of the Story of Derry. For information visit www.armadainireland.com.
FREEMASONS' HALL
There has been a building on this site in Bishop Street Within since the Plantation of Ulster by the English at the beginning of the 17th century when the Londoners erected a dwelling for the then Protestant Bishop of Derry. The present building was erected in 1753 during the Episcopate of Bishop Barnard (1747-68) and largely reconstructed by his successor the Earl Bishop (1768-1803). In 1798 the palace was used as a barracks. It was repaired by Bishop Knox (1803-31) after its use by the military, and what is here now must be Knox’s work – distinctly Regency in character, with shallow hipped roofs and overhanging eaves. It was the official residence of the Bishops of Derry (and Raphoe) until 1945 when it was sold to the Masonic Order and is the Headquarters of Freemasonry for the North West of Ireland. Mrs Cecil Frances Alexander, the famous hymn writer and wife of Bishop Alexander, lived here (1867-96); her husband was transferred to Armagh in 1896 as Primate of all Ireland. She is thought to have written many of her hymns in the palace. A plaque outside the Hall commemorates her sojourn in Derry.
THE O'DOHERTY TOWER
This fine stone tower, built in the 1980s and administered by Derry City Council, blends in well with the nearby historic city Walls. It stands close to the site of a castle built by the famous O’Doherty clan of Ulster in the 16th century. Closed at present due to ongoing work on the Tower Museum project.
THE GENEALOGY CENTRE
Established in 1982, and based at 14 Bishop Street, the Genealogy Centre has built up a database, which stands at over one million entries, of the major civil and church records for County Derry/Londonderry and the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal. The earliest record in their database, extracted from the registers of St Columb's Cathedral, is dated 1642. The Centre offers a fee-paying research service of this database. Further details can be obtained by post, by telephone, in person or on the Internet at www.irishroots.net. The Genealogy Centre has now produced histories, suitable for display or presentation, of surnames which either originated in, or became established in, Northwest Ireland. These surname histories can be purchased online at www.irishgenealogy.ie. T: 7126 9792.
THE HARBOUR MUSEUM
THE GENEALOGY CENTRE
Established in 1982, and based at 14 Bishop Street, the Genealogy Centre has built up a database, which stands at over one million entries, of the major civil and church records for County Derry/Londonderry and the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal. The earliest record in their database, extracted from the registers of St Columb's Cathedral, is dated 1642. The Centre offers a fee-paying research service of this database. Further details can be obtained by post, by telephone, in person or on the Internet at www.irishroots.net. The Genealogy Centre has now produced histories, suitable for display or presentation, of surnames which either originated in, or became established in, Northwest Ireland. These surname histories can be purchased online at www.irishgenealogy.ie. T: 7126 9792.
THE HARBOUR MUSEUM
Museum and picture gallery in Harbour Square dealing with the maritime history of the area. Temporary exhibitions are also regularly displayed. Exhibits from the Story of Derry will be on show until early 2005. Admission free. Opening hours Monday-Friday 1000-1300 and 1400-1630. T: 7137 7331.
THE WORKHOUSE MUSEUM
A restored 19th-century workhouse
in Glendermott Road in the waterside with exhibitions on Victorian Derry,
the Waterside and Famine. The two-floor museum also houses ‘The Atlantic
Memorial’, an extensive exhibition detailing the role of the city in
the Battle of the Atlantic during World War II. Opening hours 1000-1630 Mon-Thurs
& Sat. Open Fridays July & August.
T: 7131 8328.
DERRY VISITOR AND CONVENTION BUREAU
The Derry Visitor and Convention Bureau at 44 Foyle Street provides comprehensive facilities to meet the needs of the ever increasing numbers of visitors to the North West, including an all-Ireland accommodation booking service, a wide range of free tourism literature, maps etc, bureau de change, gift shop and guided tours. There has never been a better time to sample the many delights of this historic walled city and the Bureau will ensure that your stay here is as carefree and comfortable as possible. Opening hours: 0900-1700 Mon-Fri. Seasonal variations: Easter-June and October, as before plus Sat 1000-1700; July-Sept, 0900-1900 Mon-Fri, 1000-1800 Sat, 1000-1700 Sun. T: 7126 7284; F: 7137 7992; www.derryvisitor.com; info@derryvisitor.com.
THE FOYLE VALLEY RAILWAY CENTRE
Temporarily Closed
Derry today is served by just one railway system which reaches to Belfast, Dublin and beyond. At one time, however, it was served by four different systems which stretched throughout N Ireland, into Co Donegal and deep into southern Ireland. This centre houses an exhibition of memorabilia of that ‘golden age’. It also has a working diesel rail-car which runs on a short but picturesque track through the nearby Riverside Park.
CRAIGAVON BRIDGE
The first bridge over the River Foyle was a wooden one built in 1790. It was assembled in America and transported to Derry to be positioned in the Bridge Street area some 90 metres north of the present bridge. In 1863, a steel bridge (Carlisle Bridge) was erected almost where Craigavon Bridge is today – replacing the old wooden structure. The present Craigavon Bridge, built 1929-1933, is the only existing example of a double-decker bridge in the United Kingdom. The lower deck was originally used for rail traffic before being converted to a roadway.
FOYLE BRIDGE
Derry’s fourth (and Ireland’s second longest) bridge, the award-winning Foyle Bridge, was officially opened in October 1984. For the first time in its history, Derry has two bridges spanning the Foyle. It provides a dual two-lane carriageway across the river downstream of the city, three kilometres northeast of Craigavon Bridge. It was the first bridge in Ireland to be built according to a ‘Design and Construct’ system, whereby the same firm designs and constructs the bridge.
UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER - MAGEE COLLEGE
Situated in its own sweeping grounds on a slight hill overlooking the Foyle, Magee College is an impressive landmark in Derry. It was constructed in c1856 in a neo-Gothic style and faced with Scottish freestone. A number of redbrick houses, used for accommodation and teaching purposes, cluster around the main college building. Mr D Ferguson, curator of the Botanic Gardens in Belfast, laid out the gardens in 1865. In 1879, Magee became one of the constituent colleges of the Royal University of Ireland and in 1909 was affiliated to Trinity College in Dublin. Since October 1984, Magee has become a full campus of the multi-campus University of Ulster. It offers a range of undergraduate, postgraduate, adult and continuing education courses, both part time and full time. The centrally situated campus is rapidly expanding, with new buildings, equipment and services coming on stream annually. T: 7137 1371.
ST BRECAN'S CHURCH RUINS
These ruins, situated in St Columb’s Park in the Waterside area, are said to be the remains of the oldest building in Derry, the Chapel of St Brecan. Located in a quiet woodland by the side of the River Foyle, they date back to the 6th century.
AMELIA
EARHART COTTAGE/BALLYARNETT
COMMUNITY FARM AND WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
This exhibition centre
was erected to commemorate the landing of Amelia Earhart in the adjacent field
after her historic flight on 21 May 1932 when she became the first woman to
fly solo across the Atlantic. The cottage is located to the north of Derry
inside a 60-hectare site which is also home to the Ballyarnett Community Farm
and Wildlife Sanctuary. All of these facilities are open to the public throughout
the year. The farm, an award winner in an environmental competition, is stocked
with an array of farmyard animals, offering the visitor a perfect opportunity
to sample a slice of the ‘Good Life’. The Wildlife Sanctuary is
situated close to the attractive Racecourse Walk, overlooking the Ballyarnett
Lakes, and is populated by a thriving community of native Irish wildlife.
T: 7135 4040.
LONG TOWER CHURCH
This most beautiful of old churches was built in 1786 on the site of Derry’s first ever cathedral, the Teampall Mór which stood between the 12th and 16th centuries. St Columb had founded his first monastery on the same site in ad 546. Originally the church had an earthen floor and held 2000 people standing. Galleries were added and many other improvements made over the years. In 1908 the church was extensively remodelled and today it houses many fine statues, shrines, paintings, murals and stained-glass windows. Opening hours: Summer 0900-2100; Winter 0900-2030.
ST AUGUSTINE'S CHURCH
Originally, this was the site of an ancient Augustinian abbey on which, in 1600, Sir Henry Docwra, then in charge of the Elizabethan army in the area, built a church for the settlers which they used until St Columb’s Cathedral was built. The present building was erected in 1872, replacing the previous ‘Chapel of Ease’.
ST EUGENE'S CATHEDRAL
The foundation stone for
this cathedral was laid on 26 July 1851 but it was not until 4 May 1873 that
Dr Kelly, Bishop of Derry, actually dedicated it. The spire was added in 1902,
as was the carillon of bells which first rang out on the Christmas Eve of
that year. Built of Newry sandstone, the tower is 77m high with a 2.4m granite
cross on top. The stained-glass work was designed by Meyer of Munich and installed
in 1891. In 1905, the grounds and gate lodge were completed. Opening hours:
Summer 0900-2100; Winter 0900-2030.
T: 7126 2894.