Derry's Past, Present & Future

OVERVIEW

Discover the past events that have physically and emotionally shaped Londonderry by visiting a civil right museum, the waterfront and the city’s 17th-century fortified walls. After departing from the pier, you will enjoy a picturesque drive along the inland Foyle Bay and up the Foyle River to Londonderry, more commonly known as Derry. Arriving at Iskaheen View, you will enjoy the spectacular panorama of Derry, the bay and the hills of Donegal County in the distance, which offers an excellent overview of the lay of the land. Continuing on, history takes center stage as you pass a former workhouse for the poor, a former barracks for the British army and the old shipyard. This waterfront was one of the primary embarkation points for Irish emigrants during the Great Famine. Nearby, the Museum of Free Derry reveals more recent history, as it focuses on the Irish civil rights era of the 1960s and 1970s. You will also see several murals painted on houses, commemorating this turbulent period known as The Troubles. A number of monuments in the Bogside neighborhood shed even more light on key events such as the Hunger Strikes. In the early 1600s, Derry defended itself by building towering 26-feet-high walls around the original city. They are among the best-preserved fortified walls in Europe, and you will walk atop the ramparts on the way to Guidhall. Here, in this late Gothic administrative building with 23 stained-glass windows, you will enjoy a wine reception before returning to the pier.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Learn about the events that have physically and emotionally shaped Londonderry.
• Tour the Museum of Free Derry, where the story of Ireland’s civil rights struggles is well told.
• See the Bogside neighborhood, the historic shipyard and other places where history happened.
• Enjoy a wine reception at the Guildhall, a late-Gothic building with perfect Derry character.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.