Woke up to gorgeous sunny weather this morning and I immediately thought…must “Walk the Wall” first thing. The Derry Walls were built 1613-1619 to enclose the new Plantation city of London-Derry, controlling trade as well as fortifcation. (The Plantation of London-derry was where the City of London was granted confiscated lands to establish a Protestant, English-speaking colony. The goals were to strengthen British rule, secure the area against rebellions – following the Flight of the Earls, and introduce English culture and Protestantism. The city of Derry was heavily fortified, becoming the first newly built city in Ireland and a bastion of English settlement. The Walls have never been breached, withstanding besieging armies in 1649 and 1689. During the recent Troubles, they became part of the Peace Wall, separating communities and were refortified with military watch towers. In 1995, they were reopened to the public.

A walk around the top of the ramparts, provides an elevated promenade to see how the city has developed out beyond the Walls. The Derry Walls are approximately a mile in circumference and take in both the highest and lowest points on what used to be the Island of Derry.  

Do we need an introduction to the Derry girls?? After that, its St Columb’s Cathedral (the oldest surviving building in Derry, constructed between 1628-1633); and the Guildhall – a neoGothic civic building completed in 1890 located near the river Foyle. It is characterized by its large clock tower and vibrant stained glass windows.

Loved the stain glass…so intricate and reflecting the history of the time (as always)…these particularly took my eye on the ground floor of the Guildhall.

On the first floor, there are amazing stain glass windows commemorating the coronation of King George V, funded by a group of Derry citizens of the time. But a video is playing to the side of this wonderous artwork, about ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ – where British troops shot and killed 14 unarmed civil rights protesters in 1972; and the efforts made by people to address the wrongs; the enquiry announced by Tony Blair and the findings about the deaths announced in 2010, as ‘unjustified killings’. Quite the juxtaposition of events and history. Really appreciated this ‘curation’.

On to Dunluce Castle….one of the most picturesque and romantic of Irish castles. The iconic ruin bears witness to a long and tumultuous history. First built on the dramatic coastal cliffs of north County Antrim by the MacQuillan family around 1500, the earliest written record of the castle was in 1513.

It was seized by the ambitious MacDonnell clan in the 1550s, who set about stamping their mark on the castle under the leadership of the famous warrior chieftain Sorely Boy MacDonnell during an era of violence, intrigue and rebellion. In the 17th century, Dunluce was the seat of the earls of Antrim and saw the establishment of a small town in 1608. The castle was abandoned because of the impoverishment of the MacDonnells in 1690, following the Battle of the Boyne. Since that time, the castle has deteriorated and parts were scavenged to serve as materials for nearby buildings.

Loved the views from the castle, over the water….reminded me a bit of the ‘Great Ocean Road’ experience in Victoria, Australia.

Had a delicious lunch at the Bayview Hotel, Portballintrae and drove a couple of kilometres to see Salmon Rock Beach….waaahhh! The waves were amazing, the blue of the water was amazing..and Runkerry House on the other side of the bay was gorgeous. Built in 1885 by the influential McNaughten family, its now been subdivided into luxurious apartments. I hadn’t been planning to go there, just happenchance. I love that on a holiday.