Derry in Ireland - things to see and do

I (Peter) went to a Halloween party in Derry in Ireland (Northern Ireland), which is the coolest thing you can experience during Halloween, and which I can really recommend. There was a lot more in the city that I wanted to tell you about. Stay tuned!

Londonderry / Derry in Ireland

Derry or the official name Londonderry (2007), is a charming city in Northern Ireland. The first name is Derry (Nationalists and Catholics) and the second is Londonderry (Unionists and Protestants). Whatever they want to call the city, it is very charming with a completely intact curtain wall. "Daire" is the Irish word for Derry and means oak forest.

Where is Derry located?

As you can see on the map Derry is located on the north-west side of Northern Ireland, on the west side of the River Foyle. Northern Ireland is only one fifth of the whole of Ireland.

1. Walking around the old city walls

This is a must when visiting Londonderry, and it is the only city in all of Ireland with an intact city wall. The 1.5 km long wall, built between 1613-1619, is also one of the most beautiful in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

During the walk you will pass 24 cannons and 7 city gates. The wall is up to 8 metres high and 9 metres wide. From the city wall you can access most of what the city has to offer. It is also called the "Maiden City" because no invader has breached it.

2. Peace Bridge - Freedom Bridge

The very famous 'Freedom Bridge' footbridge is one of two bridges connecting Derry across the River Foyle to the eastern side and Ebrington Square. The Serpentine Bridge is 235 metres long and was completed in 2011.

The 1000 tonne, 150 million dollar bridge. was a success and symbolises peace and tranquillity between Catholics and Protestants in Derry-Londonderry.

3. Guildhall (town hall)

Guildhall stands outside the city walls in Guildhall Square and was built in 1887 and burned and restored in 1908. The hand-painted windows are the largest in Ireland and the clock was modelled on London's Big-Ben. This is the centre point for the whole of Derry-Londonderry.

The building has several functions about the history and Ulster plantations of the region. In 2019, a giant moon was hung upstairs from the idea of Luke Jerram's 'Museum of the Moon'.

Here once stood Liam Neeson and did his first acting job.

4. guildhouse taphouse

Perhaps the best beer in town is located in the building next to the Guildhouse (City Hall). Of course, they brew their own beer and the name of the beer has a unique history. How about Dopey Dick Beer?

In 1977, some golfers observed something gigantic... In the river swam a 20 metre long whale that had come in from the sea off the coast. The killer whale swam out on its own after a few days and the people called it ... Dopey Dick.

5. Visit the Tower museum

Find out more about this exciting story here about the shipwreck of La Trinidad Valencera. One of the largest ships of the Spanish Armada sank off Donegal in 1588. In 1971 it was discovered by divers from Derry.

There is also a historical exhibition about Derry. from past to present. Going up 5 floors brings you to the panoramic viewpoint of the River Foyle and the surrounding area.

6. craft village in Derry

Craft Village is located in the old town within the city walls. It is incredibly charming when you have reconstructed what it once looked like.

All business in the district have been built in the old manner of the 17th and 18th centuries, including walls, bars and stairs.

7. St Columb's Cathedral

St Columb's Cathedral was built in 1630. and it was very much for the fine people. It stands inside the city walls and is really powerful.

8. Siege museum in Derry

The Catholic and King James II of England and Ireland was deposed by William III and had to flee to Ireland. He tried to make a comeback with his troops taking the small Protestant town of Derry.

3 December 1688 a letter was found in a nearby town saying that within 5 days, James II would attack Derry and kill all the Protestants.

This museum the 13 apprentice boys celebrate who on 7 December 1688 locked all the city gates when they discovered that the city would be attacked by the Jacobite army. During the siege, Derry was without supplies for 105 days and 10 000 people starved to death.

Its starving citizens had to eat dogs and rats. until English ships with William III could come to the rescue.

9. Saint Augustine's church

The first church that stood here They endured many wars and the beautiful little church that stands here today dates from 1872. Within the city walls are the church and cemetery.

10. restaurants in Derry

Here are some restaurants that I ate and drank at during my visit to Londonderry. What I learned when we travelled through Ireland last time, is that it is not typical English food in Ireland. This is really good in all price ranges and lots of seafood.

11. Waterloo Place square with street food

Waterloo Place square outside the city walls and next to the Guildhall square, has lots of different traditional dishes from Northern Ireland in stalls, carts and trucks. On weekends there are also performances in the square such as dancing and Irish singing.

12. Walled City Brewery

Walled City Brewery is the only beer restaurant in Northern Ireland. It was also voted "Best Gastro Pub" in Ireland. A lovely pub in a more modern setting on the east side of the River Foyle.

13. Brown's in Town

"Brown's in Town". Chef Patron Ian Orr Won Georgina Campbell's was the 2019 chef of the year. He has his own TV programmes on the BBC and the lunch was ok :-)... Honestly really good!

14. Soda and Strach restaurant

Soda and Starch is a cosy restaurant in a great area, like the Craft Village. Lots of pickings and very nice.

15th Tour of Bogside

Bogside is located 10 minutes west of the city walls in an area where there is a huge amount of sad history. There are 12 murals on the gables of the neighbourhood (peoples gallery).

This is the real story of Bloody Sunday, Battle of the Bogside, Operation Motorman and the hunger strike that took place in 1981. The paintings by brothers Tom and William Kelly and Kevin Hasson.

16. battle of the Bogside - Free Derry Corner

12-14 August 1969 Catholics and Protestants clash in Bogside.. The Protestants had taken power with the help of the police and trade unions, even though they were only 40 per cent of the population.

Many innocent people were killed. and here a now very famous writing on a gable was created by activist John "Caker" Casey on the corner of Columbs Street.

It reads "You are now Entering Free Derry"., and the gable with writing is still there but the house has been demolished. The gable stands on a site called 'Free Derry Corner'.

17. Bloody Sunday Memorial

On 30 January 1972, 14 boys aged between 16 and 21 were shot and killed by British soldiers.in a peaceful protest march. The British wanted to put the Irish in their place and shot dead young people and injured 12 more just to do so.

This bloody Sunday is sung by U2But when you are there and it sinks in, it becomes something completely different. There is a large memorial stone with all the names where there are always beautiful flowers around Bogside.

18th Museum of Free Derry

Our whole group from many parts of the world went to a talk at the museum with a man who lost his brother outside the museum when he was 17 years old. He told me how British soldiers shot his brother to death in cold blood with huge bullets.

He also told me how his mother had taken itand he had worked to get the English to apologise. On 15 June 2010, James Cameron received an apology from the entire British government 38 years later...

19. Operation Motorman

31 July 04:00 1972 the British Army sent 22,000 troops to Northern Ireland. 10 days earlier, on 21 July, the Provisional IRA had detonated 22 bombs in 75 minutes, and enough was enough.

The British army claimed victoryBut, as usual, 15-17 year old civilians were targeted, which was not the intention, as in all wars. You can read about this in the Free Derry museum.

20. The 1981 hunger strike

After 1972, certain rules were established between the British and Northern Ireland about what to do. In the following years, the British captured several people from the IRA, but did not care about what they had previously agreed.

In 1981, 10 people went on hunger strike. with Bobby Sands at the forefront. Some demands were made, but British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was adamant.

All 10 starved themselves to death in prison after 50-60 days. 100,000 came to Bobby Sand's funeral. This can also be read in the Free Derry museum.

21. St Columb's Park

Along the River Foyle is a beautiful park that was once a noble estate before being purchased for the people of Derry-Londonderry in 1845. Cross the Peace Bridge and walk along the promenade for a quiet moment or just have a lovely summer picnic.

The mansion in St Columb's Park Built in the 18th century, the House is now used for accommodation and as a conference centre, with a café on the ground floor.

22. pubs and nightclubs

Paedar O Donnell's pub is just a must and is number one in Derry. Here there is live music in the highest class where the older men sing old Irish songs, and of course I was there and drank some very good beer.

On the night after the whole Halloween carnival and the fireworks, my new Italian friend and I took and did the town. We went to the Sugar Night Club nightclub on two floors and a rooftop terrace. What a party!!!

23rd Derry Girls

The incredibly popular Derry Girls series with the four girls and the boy making up the five, have their own mural on a gable in Derry.

You can see it when you walk around the city walls at the Ferryguay gate and here you can take a selfie with the celebrities. So who are the Derry Girls? Check Youtube!

24th St Eugene's Cathedral

Roman Catholic Diocese of DerrySt Eugene's Cathedral was built in the Gothic style in the second half of the 19th century. You can see the tower in the north-west of the city on the edge of Brooke Park.

The architect was James Joseph McCarthyand funding was raised both in Derry and Ireland, but also in America. In a niche in the bell tower above the portal is a statue of St Eugene from 1873, and the altar is made of Carrara marble.

25. Derry-Coledraine railway

The 50-kilometre train journey east to Coleraine has been described by travel writer Michael Palin as one of the most beautiful in the world. I just say WOW! The railway passes through a green landscape, cliffs and hills before hitting the coast at the endless golden sands of Benone Beach.

After Castlerock which has its original station dating back to 1873, you'll enter the two longest railway tunnels in Ireland, both dug in the 1850s.When you arrive in Coleraine, you'll have the stunning scenery of the Causeway Coast right next door.

26. Mussenden Temple

The coasts are magical along Ireland and Northern Ireland. We've seen so many and it never gets old like the Musseden Temple at Downhill Demesne.

Mussenden Temple was built in 1785 and its architecture was inspired by the Temple of Vesta in Tivoli near Rome.

27. see more around Derry

Northern Ireland is open for lots of great sights and lots to do. You can take day trips or stay overnight. We've driven through Ireland and we have lots of tips like the ones below.

28. The Jungle NI

Adventure for the whole family and the largest amusement park in Northern Ireland. It offers adrenaline-fuelled adventure activities such as Zorbing, Paintball, High Wire Tree Top Adventure Courses, Clay Pigeon Shooting, Forest Segways, Llama Trekking and much more.

We were there during Halloween and they had giant basements where zombies appeared in a crazy environment all the time. They also had big cornfields that people let themselves be chased at night by zombies.

29. Halloween in Derry / Londonderry

On 31 October the Celts celebrated that the harvest season was over, and that winter was beginning, and it is called 'Samhain'.

At this time, it was believed that the souls of the dead were on the move, and it was easy to cross border countries and we see that in Derry-Londonderry on Halloween in long carnivals.

30. Living in Derry

City Hotel Derry overlooking the River Foyle and the Peace Bridge. It took 3 minutes to the city walls and it is a mid-range hotel, with very good cleaning and all staff.

Bishop's gate boutique hotel choose if you want to stay more luxurious and inside the city walls with the ground floor bar, champagne bar, gym and fine dining restaurant.

Facts about Derry

• Country: Northern Ireland
• City: Derry-Londonderry
• Language: English
• Currency: English Pound
• Price mode: As in Sweden
• Residents: About 85 000 (city)
• Time difference: - 1 h
• Emergency number: 112
• Religion: Christianity
• El: One thicker and two narrower rectangular and not as in Sweden, Ungrounded is fine.
• Water: Drinking beard
• Tourist office: Visit Derry, 44 Foyle St, Londonderry. Open every day at least from 10.00-16.00
• Country code: 028

Travelling to Derry-Londonderry

I flew from Arlanda to Schiphol and then on to George Best. Belfast City Airport and was picked up at the airport.

• From Belfast by car/taxi to Derry it takes 90 m
• Belfast by train to Derry takes 2h 30m
• Belfast by bus (Translink) to Derry takes 2 hours.

Flights to Dublin only takes two hours from Arlanda, but it takes you a little further from Londonderry.

• From Dublin by car/taxi to Derry it takes 2 h 50 m
• Dublin by train to Derry takes about 5h 10m
• Dublin by bus (Translink) takes 4 hours.

7 city gates

Originally when the city walls were built there were only 4 city gates and that was it.

• Shipquay gate
• Kings Gate - Butcher gate
• Bishop's gate
• Ferryguay gate

Gradually, in more peaceful times, these have been added.

• Magazine Gate
• Castle Gate
• New Gate

Excursions and tours

• Do you want to cycle?Claudy Cycles at Derry VIC. Tel: 028 7133 8128
• Do you want to fish? Inland Fisheries Tel: 0300 200 7860
• Do you want to play golf? City of Derry Golf Club. Tel: 028 7134 6369
• Do you want to ride a horse? City of Derry Equestrian. Tel: 078 5020 8656
• Do you want to go swimming in a bathing centre? City Swimming baths. Tel: 028 7126 4459
• Do you want to go to a spa? The Secret Spa. Tel: 077 3612 5126
• Do you want to do a bike tour? Contact: derrybiketours@gmail.com
• Want to go on a sailing trip? Sailing North Ltd. Phone: 077 2046 4085
• Want to do some local bus sightseeing? Phone: 077 1617 6026
• Want to do a Game of Thrones tour? Phone: 028 9568 0023
• Do you want to do a personalised local taxi sightseeing? Phone: 077 3145 0088
• VDo you want to go to an aquarium? River Watch Aquarium. Address: 22 Victoria Rd, Derry BT47 2AB
• Do you want to do a walking tour? Get to the Visit Derry Tourist centre. Address at the top of the page.
• Do you want to rent a car? Motors Fordstore. Phone: 028 7136 7137
• Do you want to call a taxi? City cabs 028 7126 4466

Theatres

Millennium Forum is the modern theatre and conference hall at 3 Newmarket St, Londonderry BT48 6EB, United Kingdom.

The Elder, The Playhouse is theatre, art and art pavilion in one. at 5-7 Artillery St, Londonderry BT48 6 RG. United Kingdom

Shopping in Derry

• Foyle Side Shopping Centre at 19 Orchard St, Londonderry BT48 6XY
• Richmond Shopping Centre on Ferryquay St, Londonderry BT48 6QP
• Quayside Shopping Centre at 42 Strand Rd, Londonderry BT48 7PX

Camping in Derry

Elaghvale camping park at 49 Upper Galliagh Rd. Tel 078 0173 1815

If you want to rent a motorhome please contact Causeway Campers Ltd. phone: 077 6935 5427.