Derry's Walls
The most striking feature of Derry City is that the old section on the west bank of the river Foyle is contained within the almost intact old city walls. Eight metres high, 1.5 km long and nine metres thick in places, they were built between 1613 and 1619 to keep out the rebel Irish because much of County Derry was vested from the local chieftains and given to the 12 companies of the London Corporation by King James I as part of the Plantation of Ulster.
This was when the prefix was added onto Derry to create Londonderry, the name used by Unionists in Northern Ireland.
Derry is also called the Maiden City because its walls were never breached during the sieges of 1641, 1649, and 1689. The Great siege in 1689 lasted for fifteen weeks after the 13 apprentices supporting William of Orange prevented the forces of Catholic King James II from taking the city by closing the gates against him.
The inhabitants of Derry managed to delay James' forces long enough to ensure his defeat by William at the Battle of the Boyne, but they were also forced to eat cats, dogs and rats as they starved under siege for 15 weeks.
Seven thousand people died before the ship the Mountjoy broke the boom blockading the River Foyle and brought gastronomic relief to Derry.
The four original gates in the wall, Bishop's Gate, Shipquay Gate, Ferryquay Gate and Butcher's Gate are also still intact. Sections of the walls are wide enough for five or six people to walk abreast along them.
North East Wall
On the North East Wall, which holds Shipquay Gate, seven cannons overlook the Guildhall and there is a bronze plaque commemorating the heroism of Williamite Captain Michael Browning who ended the Great Siege when he broke the boom across the Foyle with his ship, the Mountjoy.
Browning didn't manage to collect any glory when alive as he was shot on deck during his moment of triumph.
South Wall
The Bishops Gate South Wall area is dominated by the army post (on the Southwest corner overlooking the Bogside).
From here there is a good view of St Columb's Cathedral and the remaining tower of the old Derry jail.
West Wall
On the West Wall which holds Butcher's Gate, called the Mall Wall, is the Roaring Meg cannon donated by London Fishmongers.
The cannon became famous during the Great Siege because the noise it made when fired at the enemy below the walls was said to be more terrifying than the physical damage it caused.
Church Ireland
Situated about 3 miles outside the small County Derry village of Bellaghy, Church Island is a small iland out in Lough Beg. There is the ruins of a 16th Century church there with its spire slightly damaged after a German bomber plane crashed into it during the second world war. It is open all year round but it is advisable to try and go during the summer bercause the walk out to the island may be quite messy after a lot of rain.
Sperrin Mountains
The Sperrin Mountains straddle both Counties Derry and Tyrone. Fields and woods cover their lower slopes and boggy heather moors cling to the peaks. The highest point is Mount Sawel and a scenic drive (although hazardous in bad weather) is through the Glenshane pass near Dungiven. Both gold and silver have been found in the Sperrins but not in quantities large enough to lead any prospectors to start commercial mining.
Lough Neagh and the River Bann
County Derry borders on Ireland's biggest lake, Lough Neagh near the plantation towns of Magherfelt and Moneymore.The Lough and the Lower Bann River which drains it running north to Lough Beg and past Coleraine, are both rich in salmon and trout (and particularly in a local species of trout called the dollaghan). Lower Bann tributaries like the Faughan are also good fishing grounds.
