Delve into The Rich History Of Derry
Situated on the banks of the scenic Foyle estuary, 115km from Belfast, Derry is the second largest city in Northern Ireland, with a population of over 106,000 on both sides of the River Foyle. Its convenience to County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland and the Antrim Coast makes it an ideal base for the tourist. The Walled City of Derry has a lot to offer
the visitor who wishes to explore its rich historical background and enjoy all the amenities of a modern city.
Derry derives its name from the Irish Doire Calgach, meaning the Oak Grove of Calgach. Calgach was a pagan warrior who had his camp on the ‘island’ of Derry in pre-Christian times.
The name survived, and the town grew until the 10th century when it became known as Doire Colmcille in honour of St Columb. Over the following centuries, this name became anglicised to Derrie or Derry.
A chronicle of the significant events which occurred in Derry down the years would include:
546 – St Columb founded his first monastery on the site of the present-day Long Tower Church. It was known as the Dubh Regles, i.e. the Black Church. The earliest historical references date to around this Time.
1164 – Flahertach O’Brolchain, the first bishop of Derry, built the city’s first cathedral – the Teampall Mór – near St Columb’s original monastery site.
1566 – The English built the first defensive fortifications of Derry near the site of the present City Walls.
1567 – The Teampall Mór was destroyed by fire.
1600 – Sir Henry Docwra occupied Derry for Queen Elizabeth in 1608. Cahir O’Doherty, an Irish Chieftain, or local king, sacked Derry in a rise against the English, who had seized Irish land for their Plantation plans.
1613 – The city’s second Charter of Incorporation changed its name to Londonderry.
1613 – County Londonderry is formed from lands in County Coleraine, Donegal & Antrim
1614-19 – Derry’s famous Walls were built under the guidance of the London-based The Honourable The Irish Society.
1628-33 St Columb’s, the first specifically protestant Cathedral erected.
1641 – Derry city suffered appalling conditions under its first siege.
1689 – The Great Siege took place. Supporters of William of Orange defended Derrys fortified city for 105 days against the forces of Catholic King James II in the city’s third siege in fifty years.
1786 – Bishop Hervey rebuilt St Columb’s Cathedral.
1830-50 – Shipbuilding became established in Derry as a significant industry. 1845-49 – Irish famine leads to expansion of emigration from Derry port. 1855 – Derry to Belfast railway opened.
1922 – The New York News was launched, the last ship to be built in Derry.
1942 – A US Naval Base was opened in Derry. It became a central supply depot for Allied shipping during the Battle of the Atlantic. Surrender of 1945 – German U-boat fleet at Lisahally.
1968 – On 5 October, a Civil Rights march was met with violence in Duke Street in the Waterside, bringing the fight for Civil Rights in Northern Ireland onto the world stage.
1969 – After three days of rioting, known as the ‘Battle of the Bogside’, British Army soldiers reappeared on the streets of Northern Ireland on 14 August.
1972 – Thirteen unarmed civilians were shot dead and fifteen more wounded by British Paratroopers on Bloody Sunday. One of those injured died shortly after.
1973 – Walker’s Pillar on Derry’s Walls is blown up.
1977 – The US Naval Base at Clooney closed down.
1981 – Two Derry hunger strikers die.
1984 – Foyle Bridge was officially opened.
1989 – 150th anniversary of Austins Department Store.
1990 – Rossville Street high flats are demolished.
1990 – The Foyle valley railway centre opened
1995 – The City of Derry airport terminal opened.
2001 – Millennium Forum opened.
2003 – Tillie & Henderson Shirt Factory (known locally as “Tillies”) was demolished after 147 years, symbolising the end of the city’s shirting industry.
2005 – Winner of the Britain in Bloom competition (City Category)
2007 – Creggan celebrated its 60th anniversary.
2013 – Derry was the UK’s first city of culture
2013 – Hosted the BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend at Ebrington Barracks
History of Derry: The Site of An old Oak Grove
The site for the human settlement that was to evolve into the city of Derry/Londonderry had features which would prove attractive to potential settlers. Mesolithic settlers likely found their way here from the nearby Mount Sandel along the Bann and Foyle riverways. It is also likely that human habitation continued to the early historical period when it is described as Doire Calgach, a name used up to the tenth century. Anglicised as Derry, Doire describes an oak grove, and nothing is known of Calgach, who must have exercised some power or influence over Derry.
The contour map illustrates the island nature of the site, formerly encompassed by the Foyle, which, up to some 5000 years ago, flowed around both sides of the island. Over time, the western channel dried out. By 1600, the invading Elizabethan Colonel Henry Dowcra would describe the site as he found it.
“It lies in the form of a bow bent whereof the
bog is the string and the river the bow.”
The bog which he described was later drained and built upon and came to be known as the Bogside, a name which, in recent times, has gained worldwide recognition.
Thus, the “island”, some 25 miles inland on the fast-flowing Foyle river and surrounded by bog and water, was a site that could provide seclusion and was more defensible than most. The river, which gives access to the North Atlantic, would also play the role of highway for invaders, settlers and emigrants alike and prove a barrier between competing interests in the North West of Ireland.
Its strategic position and comparative seclusion from its surroundings no doubt played a part in the decision to found a monastery there in the sixth century. Its foundation is popularly credited to St. Columba or Colmcille, after which it took its second name, Doire Colmcille. Recent research has cast doubts on the authenticity of this claim and suggests an alternative founder. Nevertheless, it was an important part of the Columban federation of monasteries, and it was from Derry that Columba would depart on his mission to take the Christian message to Scotland and the North of England. Catholic and Protestant traditions both cherish their Columban heritage.
Doire Colmcille remained from the tenth to the early seventeenth centuries. Still, plans for extending Tudor control over the whole of the island of Ireland were to change the function of monastic Derry.
The first English garrison established in Derry resulted from hostilities between the forces of Queen Elizabeth and John O’Neill, chief of Tyrone. In 1566Colonel Randolph, commanding seven companies of foot and a troop of horses, arrived and set up without opposition.
In a battle fought five miles north of Derry, Randolph defeated O’Neill but lost his own life. Fortune did not favour the new garrison, for by 1568, English forces were forced to evacuate. Pestilence and an explosion in the powder magazine put paid to this first attempt at English colonisation.
The strategic importance of Derry for English aspirations is implied in Queen Elizabeth’s communication to the Earl of Essex in 1599:
“How often have you resolved us that until Lough Foyle and Ballyshannon were planted, there could be no hope of doing capital service upon the capital rebels.”
The capital rebels referred to were the confederation of Irish chieftains, primarily O’Neill and O’Donnell, and establishing an armed outpost at Derry was to prosecute the war from behind enemy lines.
Within a year, on 16 April 1600, the advancement of the Elizabethan cause was realised with the arrival at Culmore of Henry Dowcra, with a force of 4,000 foot and 200 horse. Again, Derry was occupied without opposition. A train of events was now in motion, introducing drastic changes in Derry’s fortunes, which would have profound effects locally and nationally that would be felt up to the present day.
The Nine Years War ended with the submission of O’Neill at Kinsale in 1603. With Sir Henry Dowcra designated governor, King James issued a charter for the new “cittie of derrie”.
The expectations were clear.
Strategic Importance
Thus, the “island “, some 25 miles inland on the fast-flowing river Foyle and surrounded by bog and water, was a site that could provide seclusion and was more defensible than most. The river, which gives access to the North Atlantic, would also be the highway for invaders, settlers and emigrants alike, proving a barrier between competing interests in the North West of Ireland.
Monastic Derry
Its strategic position and comparative seclusion from its surroundings no doubt played a part in the decision to found a monastery there in the sixth century. Its foundation is popularly credited to St. Columba or Colmcille, after which it took its second name, Doire Colmcille. Recent research has cast doubts on the authenticity of this claim and suggests an alternative founder. Nevertheless, it was an important part of the Columban federation of monasteries, and it was from Derry that Columba would depart on his mission to take the Christian message to Scotland and the North of England. Catholic and Protestant traditions both cherish their Columban heritage.
Doire Colmcille remained from the tenth to the early seventeenth centuries. Still, plans for extending Tudor control over the whole of the island of Ireland were to change the function of monastic Derry.
First Garrison
The first English garrison established in Derry resulted from hostilities between the forces of Queen Elizabeth and John OíNeill, chief of Tyrone. In 1566, Colonel Randolph, commanding seven companies of foot and a troop of horses, arrived and set up without opposition.
In a battle fought five miles north of Derry, Randolph defeated OíNeill but lost his own life. Fortune did not favour the new garrison, for by 1568, English forces were forced to evacuate. Pestilence and an explosion in the powder magazine put paid to this first attempt at English colonisation.
Military Importance
The strategic importance of Derry for English aspirations is implied in Queen Elizabeth’s communication to the Earl of Essex in 1599:
“How often have you resolved us that until Lough Foyle and Ballyshannon were planted, there could be no hope of doing service upon the capital rebels?”
The capital rebels referred to were the confederation of Irish chieftains, primarily O’Neill and O’Donnell, and establishing an armed outpost at Derry was to prosecute the war from behind enemy lines.
Arrival of Dowcra
Within a year, on 16 April 1600, the advancement of the Elizabethan cause was realised with the arrival at Culmore of Henry Dowcra, with a force of 4,000 foot and 200 horse. Again, Derry was occupied without opposition. A train of events was now in motion, introducing drastic changes in Derryís fortunes, which would have profound effects locally and nationally that would be felt up to the present day.
The Nine Years War ended with the submission of O’Neill at Kinsale in 1603. With Sir Henry Dowcra designated governor, King James issued a charter for the new “cittie of derrie”. The expectations were clear:
“The towne or borough of Derrie is, by reason of the natural seat and situation thereof, a place very convenient to be made both a town of war and a town of merchandise – the king did give, grant, and confirm – forever a free, entire, and perfect city and county of itself, to be called the city and county of Derry – Sir Henry (Dowcra) to be provost for life, as fully as the lord mayor of London.“
Early Plans for Colonisation
The plan for Derry of 1603 shows the infant city and proposals for further extension. However, local development events were to destroy this initiative and pave the way for more comprehensive changes.
A disillusioned Dowcra sold his interests in 1606 to George Paulett and departed. Paulett, now commander of the garrison and acting provost of the town, did not have Dowcraís diplomatic skills and soon quarrelled with the local chieftain, Sir Cahir Oí Doherty. In April 1608, OíDoherty rebelled, captured the town and destroyed its buildings.
The Ulster Plantation
In 1607, in the episode known as the Flight of the Earls, Irish leaders Hugh OíNeill, Rory OíDonnell, Cuchonacht Maguire and their followers had departed for the continent, fearing further losses. The government of Ireland declared their flight treasonous and confiscated their lands. OíDohertyís rebellion confirmed the decision to proceed with the Plantation of Ulster.
This British colonisation of the escheated lands envisaged granting lands to different categories of grantees. These included Undertakers, the chief planters, servitors, civil and military servants of the crown in Ireland and natives, rewarded for their loyalty. English and Scottish undertakers were responsible for attracting protestant settlers from their respective countries, ensuring British interests were protected.
The New Colonial City of Londonderry
Derry was to play a unique part in plantation plans. James I and his ministers cajoled the City of London and its wealthy guild companies to fortify and plant the region now designated the county of Londonderry, formerly the County of Coleraine. The Irish Society, specially formed to take charge of the towns, customs and fisheries with the rest of the county, devolved to the companies in twelve proportions. As a significant part of its responsibilities, the Society was obliged to build a new walled town on the site of the Derrie. In recognition of the role played by the city of London, the prefix London was added to the old name. A new charter for the new city of Londonderry was issued. Between 1614 and 1618, the Walls encircling the site of the new plantation city were complete. The beginnings were building the last walled town and the first planned town in Ireland.
Problematic Inheritance
In the ensuing centuries, right up to the present, the Walls were to crucially influence the city’s history; firstly as a physical barrier, when the city successfully withstood several sieges, particularly that of 1688-89, which helped secure the protestant colonial settlement of Londonderry. A secondary effect is the potency of the Walls as a symbolic representation of the political, cultural and religious differences ushered in with the creation of the colonial city.
Living with the Past in Northern Ireland
For recent generations, an annual celebration of protestant victory also served to remind Catholics of defeat for the catholic cause when continuing catholic disadvantage could be viewed as the fruits of that 300-year-old victory. Positive initiatives are taken by representatives of The Apprentice Boys of Derry (formed to commemorate the incident which helped precipitate the siege, i.e. the closing of Ferryquay Gate in the face of the perceived threat from the Earl of Antrim’s Catholic troops in December 1688). Representatives from the Catholic Bogside hold out hopes for agreed interpretations of a divisive past and the cultivation of mutual respect for opposing views.
