Get to know the structure and history of the city walls of Derry Londonderry in Northern Ireland
As our contribution to European Heritage Weekend, the Walls Friends have arranged a free Sketching Tour of the Derry Walls. Fifteen participants will get some expert guidance on drawing historic buildings as well as a little of their history. Places must be booked in advance. See our events page for details.
The theme of this year’s Halloween Festival is ‘Rise of the River Gods’ and from this evening the Derry Walls will be illuminated with the ‘Awakening the Walls’ lighting event. In support of Derry and Strabane Council’s Halloween Festival, the Friends of the Derry Walls will be giving an illustrated talk and walk about the Architecture and Mythology of Bishop’s Gate with its River God Sculpted Heads. The talk and walk will start at 7.30pm in Number 1 St Columb’s Court, one of Derry’s earliest Georgian buildings within the City Walls, and currently undergoing a careful conservation programme. The introductory talk will be followed by a conducted tour by Mark Lusby of the upper section of City Walls from Double Bastion to New Gate, discussing history, architecture, archaeology and folklore along the way. The Walls will be a special place for such a tour this evening, given its animation with artistic light installations as part of the Awakening the Walls. The event will last about an hour in total, leaving plenty of time to take in the rest of the events on and around the Derry Walls this evening. There is no charge for the talk and tour. Please note that climbing of steps will be involved in exploring this part of the Walls.
The Great Northern Plot of 1615
The Friends of the Derry Walls have announced that 2015 Walls400 History Lecture will be delivered by Raymond Gillespie, Professor of History at Maynooth University on the theme of ‘The Great Northern Plot of 1615’. Lecture will commence at 7pm on Saturday 14th November in the historic surroundings of St Columb’s Cathedral. Details at http://www.thederrywalls.com/2015-walls400-lecture
In 1615, Rory O’Cahan, the chieftain’s son was accused of leading the Great Northern Plot, an event which prompted a greater haste by the Londoners in building the Derry Walls. Four hundred years on, rediscover the story of these events: exploring the Walled City’s museums, meeting characters straight from the pages of Derry’s history and winning prizes!
Sunday 30th August 12.30-5.30pm Guildhall Square and in civic and voluntary museums, in and around the Derry Walls. Registration for the Plotter’s Treasure Hunt will open at 12.30 in the Friends of the Derry Walls stall in Guildhall Square. Groups on the Treasure Hunt will gain free access to the participating museums. The stall in Guildhall Square will remain open until 6pm to allow the return of completed forms.
A Royal Audience: Take part in an interactive audience with the architects of the Plantation, King James I and the Lord Deputy Chichester. 1.30pm 2.30pm 3.30pm – Guildhall Main Hall
Trial of the Plotters: Join Sir Thomas Phillips, Recorder Carey and Rory O’Cahan and you could find yourself as one of the accused or on the jury. 1.00pm 2.00pm 3.00pm – Guildhall Square
Conserving the Derry Walls: Demonstration of stone-carving and masonry techniques by specialists form Northern Ireland Environment Agency. 12.30pm – 5.30pm – Guildhall Square
The Plotter’s Treasure Hunt 12.30pm – 5.30pm at participating civic and voluntary museums on and around the Derry Walls. Hero or villain, the fate of the Chieftain’s son looks sealed. The only way of saving him would be to bribe the jurors. Follow the trail of museums in and around the City Walls, talking with costumed characters, looking for clues and answering the questions along the way. Each correct answer is worth one piece of gold. There are 10 pieces of gold to collect in total; get them all to be in with a chance of winning
the prizes! Children who have visited the The School for Junior Plotters in
the Tower Museum will have been empowered with a secret pass, which when presented
to the guides at each location will result in a special clue being revealed. The School is being provided by the Derry Print Workshop and Cara Parks.
Correctly completed Plotter’s Treasure Hunt forms will be entered into a draw for the following prizes:
Plotter’s Treasure Hunt forms must be returned to the Registration Stall in Guildhall Square by 6.00pm or at any of the participating museums by 5.30pm. A bag of ‘gold’ chocolate coins will be awarded for all completed forms received at the Registration Stall.
Anyone can register to take part in the Plotter’s Treasure Hunt, either as an individual or as team or family group. However the form must be entered by an person aged 16 or over.
Participating museums include The Guildhall, Tower Museum, Bluecoats Museum at First Derry, St Augustine’s Church, The Siege Museum temporarily located in St Augustine’s Church Hall, The Chapter House Museum in St Columb’s Cathedral, St Columba’s Heritage Centre at the Long Tower, and the Museum of Free Derry temporarily located at the bottom of Shipquay Street.
Living history performers are provided by Past Pleasures Ltd– Guildhall and Guildhall Square , Footprints – Bluecoats Museum, Blue Eagle Productions – St Augustine’s Churchyard and the Siege Museum and Sean O’ Brogain – St Columba’s Heritage Centre.
Derry Walls Day is an initiative of Friends of the Derry Walls, supported by Derry City and Strabane District Council, the DOE NI Environment Agency and the Heritage Council of Ireland. Each year between 2013 and 2018, the Friends of the Derry Walls will mark another year in the quadricentennial of the building of the Derry Walls – Walls400; it took five years to construct the Walls from 1613 until 1618. Derry Walls Day 2015 is part of National Heritage Week organised by the Heritage Council of Ireland as part of European Heritage Days. The Friends of the Derry Walls are members of the Irish Walled Towns Network and the European Walled Towns Association.
