The best of living history performers from across Britain and Ireland are making final preparations to bring the Walled City’s civic and community museums alive this Friday evening. As part of Culture Night, the Friends of the Derry Walls have arranged the Swordsmith’s Treasure Hunt from 4pm until 7pm and the richly costumed characters placed in the museums will guide ‘treasure hunters’ to find the clues and help the 1616 Swordsmith finish his new sword.
Locally both the Playhouse and Blue Eagle Productions are bringing local talent to the fore. The Playhouse is providing a mid-19th nun for the St Columba Heritage Centre at the Long Tower interpreting the story of the ‘Wee Nuns School’. Blue Eagle Productions are providing the 1689 Colonel Adam Murray for the Siege Museum on Society Street.
Footsteps from County Down will be providing a 18th century Minister for First Derry on Upper Magazine Street and a Victorian-era Gravedigger for St Augustine’s Church on Palace Street.
Direct from the Historic Royal Palaces in London, Past Pleasures will give an authentic voice to the 17th century builders of the Derry Walls with Peter Benson in the Guildhall and Mathias Springham in the Tower Museum.
Past Pleasures will also be providing two 17th century Swordsmith’s demonstrating their craft at the Society Street car park. In St Columb’s Cathedral will be the 18th century Dean’s Daughter.
Giving voice to the 17th century O’Doherty and O’Cahan clans will be Claíomh of Galway who will be providing demonstrations of sword-fighting in Guildhall Square.
The Swordsmith’s Treasure Hunt takes place from 4pm-7pm this Friday September 16th in and around the Walled City. Registration for individuals, teams and family groups from 3.30pm by Magazine Gate. You can pre-register here and have your Treasure Hunt bag ready for you on arrival.
As well as the Treasure Hunt, the living history performers will also be taking part in the Walls400 History Lecture 8pm-9pm in St Columb’s Cathedral and a Living History Afterparty 9pm-10pm in the Verbal Arts Centre.
Dr Breandán Mac Suibhne, of Centenary University, New Jersey will be delivering the 2016 Walls400 History Lecture on Friday 16th September. Dr Mac Suibhne is an historian of society and culture in modern Ireland, with a particular interest in the history of north-west Ulster and is well placed to speak on the connected history of ‘The Maiden City and the City of Brotherly Love: Derry and Philadelphia’.The Walls400 History Lecture will take place in the historic surroundings of