County Londonderry (
Ulster-Scots: ''Coontie Lunnonderrie''), also known as County Derry ( ga, Contae Dhoire), is one of the six
counties
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
of
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
, one of the thirty two
counties
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
of
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
and one of the nine counties of
Ulster
Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...
. Before the
partition of Ireland
The partition of Ireland ( ga, críochdheighilt na hÉireann) was the process by which the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland divided Ireland into two self-governing polities: Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland. ...
, it was one of the
counties
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
of the
Kingdom of Ireland from 1613 onward and then of the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
after the
Acts of Union 1800
The Acts of Union 1800 (sometimes incorrectly referred to as a single 'Act of Union 1801') were parallel acts of the Parliament of Great Britain and the Parliament of Ireland which united the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ir ...
. Adjoining the north-west shore of
Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of and today has a population of about 247,132.
Since 1972, the counties in Northern Ireland, including Londonderry, have no longer been used by the state as part of the local administration. Following further reforms in 2015, the area is now governed under three different districts;
Derry and Strabane
Ulster Scots: ''Derrie an Stràbane''
, settlement_type = District
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_type1 = Constituent country
, subdivision_type2 =
, subdivision_type3 =
, subdivision ...
,
Causeway Coast and Glens
Ulster Scots: ''Causey Coast an Glens''
, settlement_type = Borough
, image_skyline =
, imagesize =
, image_alt =
, image_caption =
, image_shield =
, shield_size ...
and
Mid-Ulster. Despite no longer being used for local government and administrative purposes, it is sometimes used in a cultural context in
All-Ireland
All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) refers to all of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Ireland" is most frequently used to refer to sporting teams or events for the entire islan ...
sporting and cultural events (i.e.
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) ( ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Coiste Chontae Dhoire) or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in County Londonderry ...
).
Since 1981, it has become one of four counties in Northern Ireland that has a
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
majority (55.56% according to the 2001 Census
), with 57% of the Catholic population residing within the territory of
Derry City Council
Derry City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach Dhoire; Ulster-Scots: ''Derry Cittie Cooncil'') was the local government authority for the city of Derry in Northern Ireland. It merged with Strabane District Council in April 2015 under local governm ...
.
The
county flower
In a number of countries, plants have been chosen as symbols to represent specific geographic areas. Some countries have a country-wide floral emblem; others in addition have symbols representing subdivisions. Different processes have been used to ...
is the
purple saxifrage
''Saxifraga oppositifolia'', the purple saxifrage or purple mountain saxifrage, is a species of plant that is very common in the high Arctic and also some high mountainous areas further south, including northern Britain, the Alps and the Rocky ...
.
Name
The place name ''Derry'' is an
anglicisation of the
Old Irish
Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic ( sga, Goídelc, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ga, Sean-Ghaeilge; gd, Seann-Ghàidhlig; gv, Shenn Yernish or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive writt ...
''Daire'' (
Modern Irish
Irish ( Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was t ...
''Doire''
), meaning "oak-grove" or "oak-wood".
As with the city, its name is subject to the
Derry/Londonderry name dispute
The names of the city and county of Derry or Londonderry in Northern Ireland are the subject of a naming dispute between Irish nationalists and unionists. Generally, although not always, nationalists favour using the name ''Derry'', and unio ...
, with the form "Londonderry" generally preferred by
unionists and "Derry" by
nationalists
Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: The ...
. Unlike with the city however, there has never been a County Derry. County Londonderry was formed mostly from the old
County Coleraine
County Coleraine, called the County of Colerain in the earliest documents,Hill, George. ''The Fall of Irish Chiefs and Clans; The Conquest of Ireland''. Irish Roots Cafe, 2004. p.97 was one of the counties of Ireland from 1585 to 1613. It was ...
(see below).
British authorities use the name "Londonderry", while "Derry" is used by the
Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...
.
History
Pre-historic
Mountsandel located near Coleraine in County Londonderry is "perhaps the oldest recorded settlement within Ireland".
County Coleraine and the Plantation of Ulster
At an early period, what became the county of Coleraine was inhabited by the
O'Cahan
The O'Cahan (Irish: ''Ó Catháin'' 'descendants of Cahan') were a powerful sept of the Northern Uí Néill’s Cenél nEógain in medieval Ireland. The name is presently anglicized as Keane, O'Kane and Kane.
The O'Cahan's originated in Lagga ...
s, who were tributary to the
O'Neills. Towards the close of the reign of
Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is ...
their territory was seized by England, with the purpose of checking the power of the O'Neills, and was made the county of
Coleraine, named after the regional capital.
A short description of County Coleraine is given in
Harris
Harris may refer to:
Places Canada
* Harris, Ontario
* Northland Pyrite Mine (also known as Harris Mine)
* Harris, Saskatchewan
* Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316, Saskatchewan
Scotland
* Harris, Outer Hebrides (sometimes called the Isle of ...
's ''Hibernica'', and also in Captain Pynnar's ''Survey of the Escheated Counties of Ulster, Anno 1618'':
On 2 March 1613,
James I James I may refer to:
People
*James I of Aragon (1208–1276)
*James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327)
*James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu
*James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347)
*James I of Cyprus (1334–13 ...
granted a charter to
The Honourable The Irish Society
The Honourable The Irish SocietyIn full, the "Society of the Governor and Assistants, London, of the New Plantation in Ulster, within the Realm of Ireland". is a consortium of livery companies of the City of London established during the Plantat ...
to undertake the plantation of a new county.
[''Notes on the Place Names of the Parishes and Townlands of the County of Londonderry'', 1925, Alfred Moore Munn, Clerk of the Crown and Peace of the City and County of Londonderry] This county was named Londonderry, a combination of London (in reference to the
Livery Companies of the Irish Society) and Derry (then name of the city). This charter declared that the "City of Londonderry" and everything contained within the new county:
This new county would comprise the then County Coleraine—which consisted of the baronies of
Tirkeeran
Tirkeeran () is a barony in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It connects to the north-Londonderry coastline, and is bordered by four other baronies: Keenaght to the east; Strabane Lower to the south-east; North West Liberties of Londonde ...
,
Coleraine, and
Keenaght—and at the behest of The Irish Society the following additional territory was added: all but the south-west corner of the barony of
Loughinsholin
Loughinsholin () is a barony in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Its southeast borders the northwest shore of Lough Neagh, and itself is bordered by seven other baronies: Dungannon Upper to the south; Strabane Upper to the west; Keenaght ...
, then a part of County Tyrone, as it had sufficient wood for construction; the North East Liberties of Coleraine, which was part of County Antrim and the City of Londonderry and its Liberties, which were in County Donegal, so that they could control both banks of the
River Foyle and
River Bann
The River Bann (from ga, An Bhanna, meaning "the goddess"; Ulster-Scots: ''Bann Wattèr'') is one of the longest rivers in Northern Ireland, its length, Upper and Lower Bann combined, being 129 km (80 mi). However, the total lengt ...
.
The Irish Society was made up of the twelve main livery companies of London, which themselves were composed of various guilds. Whilst The Irish Society as a whole was given possession of the city of Londonderry and Coleraine, the individual companies were each granted an estimated throughout the county. These companies and the sites of their headquarters were:
*
Clothworkers, based at Killowen and Clothworker's Hall (present-day
Articlave
Articlave ()[Placenames NI - Articlave](_blank)
is ...
) in the barony of Coleraine;
*
Drapers
Draper was originally a term for a retailer or wholesaler of cloth that was mainly for clothing. A draper may additionally operate as a cloth merchant or a haberdasher.
History
Drapers were an important trade guild during the medieval period, ...
, based at Draper's Hall, later called Drapers Town (present-day
Moneymore
Moneymore () is a village and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 1,897 in the 2011 Census. It is situated within Mid-Ulster District. It is an example of a plantation village in Mid-Ulster built by the Dra ...
) in the barony of Loughinsholin;
*
Fishmongers, based at Artikelly and Fishermonger's Hall (present-day
Ballykelly) in the barony of Keenaght;
*
Goldsmiths
A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with gold.
In German, the Goldsmith family name is written Goldschmidt.
Goldsmith may also refer to:
Places
* Goldsmith, Indiana, United States
* Goldsmith, New York, United States, a h ...
, based at Goldsmith's Hall (present-day
Newbuildings
Newbuildings or New Buildings is a large village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies close to the banks of the River Foyle and south of the city of Derry. It had a population of 3,381 in the 2011 Census. It is within Derry and Str ...
) in the barony of Tirkeeran;
*
Grocers
The Worshipful Company of Grocers is one of the 110 Livery Companies of the City of London and ranks second in order of precedence. The Grocers' Company was established in 1345 for merchants occupied in the trade of grocer and is one of the Gr ...
, based at Grocer's Hall, alias Muff (present-day
Eglinton) in the barony of Tirkeeran;
*
Haberdashers, based at Habberdasher's Hall (present-day
Ballycastle) in the barony of Keenaght;
*
Ironmongers
Ironmongery originally referred, first, to the manufacture of iron goods and, second, to the place of sale of such items for domestic rather than industrial use. In both contexts, the term has expanded to include items made of steel, aluminium ...
, based at Ironmonger's Hall (present-day townland of Agivey) in the barony of Coleraine;
*
Mercers
The Worshipful Company of Mercers is the premier Livery Company of the City of London and ranks first in the order of precedence of the Companies. It is the first of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies. Although of even older origin, the c ...
, based at Mercer's Hall (present-day townland of Movanagher) in the barony of Coleraine;
*
Merchant Taylors, based at Merchant Taylor's Hall (present-day
Macosquin
Macosquin () is a small village, townland, and civil parish in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is south-west of Coleraine, on the road to Limavady. In the 2011 Census it had a population of 614 people. The area is known for its caves an ...
) in the barony of Coleraine;
*
Salters, based at Salter's Hall (present-day
Magherafelt
Magherafelt (, mˠaxəɾʲəˈfʲiːlt̪ˠə is a small town and civil parish in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 8,805 at the 2011 Census. It is the biggest town in the south of the county and is the social, econo ...
) and Salters Town in the barony of Loughinsholin;
*
Skinners, based at Skinner's Hall (present-day
Dungiven) in the barony of Keenaght;
*
Vintners
A winemaker or vintner is a person engaged in winemaking. They are generally employed by wineries or wine companies, where their work includes:
*Cooperating with viticulturists
*Monitoring the maturity of grapes to ensure their quality and to deter ...
, based at Vintner's Hall, later called Vintner's Town (present-day
Bellaghy
Bellaghy () is a village in County Derry, Northern Ireland. It lies north west of Lough Neagh and about 5 miles north east of Magherafelt. In the centre of the village (known locally as The Diamond) three main roads lead to Magherafelt, Po ...
) in the barony of Loughinsholin.
19th century
As a result of the
Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898
The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 (61 & 62 Vict. c. 37) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland that established a system of local government in Ireland similar to that already created for England, ...
, the city was detached from the county for administrative purposes, becoming a separate
county borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control, similar to the unitary authorities created since the 1990s. An equivalent te ...
from 1899. The
county town of County Londonderry, and seat of the
Londonderry County Council until its abolition in 1973, was therefore moved to the town of
Coleraine.
Geography and places of interest
The highest point in the county is the summit of
Sawel Mountain
Sawel Mountain () is the highest peak in the Sperrin Mountains, and the 8th highest in Northern Ireland. It is also the highest mountain in Northern Ireland outside of the Mourne Mountain range located in County Down.
Geography
To the north of ...
() on the border with
County Tyrone
County Tyrone (; ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the thirty-two traditional counties of Ireland. It is no longer used as an administrative division for local government but retai ...
. Sawel is part of the
Sperrin Mountains
The Sperrins or Sperrin Mountains () are a range of mountains in Northern Ireland and one of the largest upland areas in Northern Ireland. The range stretches from Strabane eastwards to Slieve Gallion in Desertmartin and north towards Limavad ...
, which dominate the southern part of the county. To the east and west, the land falls into the valleys of the
Bann and
Foyle rivers respectively; in the south-east, the county touches the shore of Lough Neagh, which is the largest lake in Ireland; the north of the county is distinguished by the steep cliffs, dune systems, and remarkable beaches of the Atlantic coast.
The county is home to a number of important buildings and landscapes, including the well-preserved 17th-century
city wall
A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...
s of
Derry; the
National Trust
The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...
–owned
Plantation
A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...
estate at Springhill;
Mussenden Temple
Mussenden Temple is a small circular building located on cliffs near Castlerock in County Londonderry, high above the Atlantic Ocean on the north-western coast of Northern Ireland.
History
Perched on the cliffs overlooking Downhill Stran ...
on the Atlantic coast; the
dikes
Dyke (UK) or dike (US) may refer to:
General uses
* Dyke (slang), a slang word meaning "lesbian"
* Dike (geology), a subvertical sheet-like intrusion of magma or sediment
* Dike (mythology), ''Dikē'', the Greek goddess of moral justice
* Dikes ...
, artificial coastlines and the
bird sanctuaries on the eastern shore of
Lough Foyle; and the visitor centre at
Bellaghy
Bellaghy () is a village in County Derry, Northern Ireland. It lies north west of Lough Neagh and about 5 miles north east of Magherafelt. In the centre of the village (known locally as The Diamond) three main roads lead to Magherafelt, Po ...
Bawn, close to the childhood home of Nobel laureate
Seamus Heaney
Seamus Justin Heaney (; 13 April 1939 – 30 August 2013) was an Irish poet, playwright and translator. He received the 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature. . In the centre of the county are the old-growth deciduous forests at Banagher and Ness Wood, where the Burntollet River flows over the highest waterfalls in Northern Ireland.
Subdivisions
; Baronies
*
Coleraine
*
Keenaght
*
North East Liberties of Coleraine
The North East Liberties of Coleraine (named after Coleraine town) is a barony in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It borders the north-Londonderry coastline, and is bordered by three other baronies: Coleraine to the west; Dunluce Lower to t ...
*
North West Liberties of Londonderry
The North West Liberties of Londonderry is a barony in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is bordered by two other baronies in Northern Ireland. They are Tirkeeran to the east, across Lough Foyle; and Strabane Lower to the south. It als ...
*
Loughinsholin
Loughinsholin () is a barony in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Its southeast borders the northwest shore of Lough Neagh, and itself is bordered by seven other baronies: Dungannon Upper to the south; Strabane Upper to the west; Keenaght ...
*
Tirkeeran
Tirkeeran () is a barony in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It connects to the north-Londonderry coastline, and is bordered by four other baronies: Keenaght to the east; Strabane Lower to the south-east; North West Liberties of Londonde ...
; Parishes
; Townlands
Settlements
; Cities
(population of 75,000 or more with a cathedral)
*
Derry
; Large towns
(population of 18,000 or more and under 75,000 at 2001 Census)
*
Coleraine
; Medium towns
(population of 10,000 or more and under 18,000 at 2001 Census)
*
Limavady
; Small towns
(population of 4,500 or more and under 10,000 at 2001 Census)
*
Magherafelt
Magherafelt (, mˠaxəɾʲəˈfʲiːlt̪ˠə is a small town and civil parish in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 8,805 at the 2011 Census. It is the biggest town in the south of the county and is the social, econo ...
*
Portstewart
Portstewart () is a small town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 8,003 people in the 2011 Census. It is a seaside resort neighbouring Portrush. Its harbour and scenic coastal paths form an Atlantic promenade lead ...
; Intermediate settlements
(population of 2,250 or more and under 4,500 at 2001 Census)
*
Culmore
Culmore () is a village and townland in Derry, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is at the mouth of the River Foyle. In the 2011 Census it had a population of 3,465 people. It is situated within Derry and Strabane district.
History ...
(part of
Derry Urban Area
file:St_Eugene%27s_Roman_Catholic_Cathedral,_Derry_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1511593.jpg, 300px, View of Derry including St Eugene's Roman Catholic Cathedral, alt=A view of Derry looking towards St Eugene's Cathedral, the mother church of the Roman Cath ...
)
*
Dungiven
*
Eglinton
*
Maghera
Maghera (pronounced , ) is a small town at the foot of the Glenshane Pass in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Its population was 4,220 in the 2011 Census, increasing from 3,711 in the 2001 Census. It is situated within Mid-Ulster Distri ...
*
Newbuildings
Newbuildings or New Buildings is a large village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies close to the banks of the River Foyle and south of the city of Derry. It had a population of 3,381 in the 2011 Census. It is within Derry and Str ...
(part of Derry Urban Area)
; Villages
(population of 1,000 or more and under 2,250 at 2001 Census)
*
Ballykelly
*
Bellaghy
Bellaghy () is a village in County Derry, Northern Ireland. It lies north west of Lough Neagh and about 5 miles north east of Magherafelt. In the centre of the village (known locally as The Diamond) three main roads lead to Magherafelt, Po ...
*
Castledawson
Castledawson is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is mostly within the townland of Shanemullagh (, IPA: anˠˈʃanˠˌwʊl̪ˠəx, about four miles from the north-western shore of Lough Neagh, and near the market town of Mag ...
*
Castlerock
Castlerock is a seaside village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is five miles west of Coleraine, and part of Causeway Coast and Glens district. It is very popular with summer tourists, with numerous apartment blocks and two caravan ...
*
Claudy
Claudy () is a village and townland (of 1,154 acres) in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the Faughan Valley, southeast of Derry, where the River Glenrandal joins the River Faughan. It is situated in the civil parish of Cumber U ...
*
Draperstown
Draperstown ()Toner, Gregory. ''Place-Names of Northern Ireland'', p. 85. Queen's University of Belfast, 1996; is a village in the Sperrin Mountains in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is situated in the civil parish of Ballinascreen an ...
*
Garvagh
Garvagh ( or ''Garbhachadh'' meaning "rough field") is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is on the banks of the Agivey River, south of Coleraine on the A29 route. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 1,288. It is situ ...
*
Greysteel
Greysteel or Gresteel is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies to the east of Derry and to the west of Limavady on the main A2 coast road between Limavady and Derry, overlooking Lough Foyle. It is designated as a Larg ...
*
Kilrea
Kilrea ( , ) is a village, townland and civil parish in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It gets its name from the ancient church that was located near to where the current Church of Ireland is located on Church Street looking over the tow ...
*
Moneymore
Moneymore () is a village and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 1,897 in the 2011 Census. It is situated within Mid-Ulster District. It is an example of a plantation village in Mid-Ulster built by the Dra ...
*
Strathfoyle (part of Derry Urban Area)
; Small villages or hamlets
(population of less than 1,000 at 2001 Census)
*
Articlave
Articlave ()[Placenames NI - Articlave](_blank)
is ...
*
Ballerin
*
Ballymaguigan
*
Ballyronan
Ballyronan () is a village and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, on the north western shore of Lough Neagh. The village is from Magherafelt and from Cookstown. It is situated within Mid-Ulster District.
History
The village ...
*
Clady
*
Culnady
*
Desertmartin
Desertmartin (;Toner, Gregory: ''Place-Names of Northern Ireland'', page 85. Queen's University of Belfast, 1996, )Flanagan, Deirdre & Laurence: ''Irish Place Names'', page 202. Gill & Macmillan Ltd., 2002. is a small village in County Londonde ...
*
Downhill
Downhill may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Downhill'' (1927 film), a British film by Alfred Hitchcock
* ''Downhill'' (2014 film), a British comedy directed by James Rouse
* ''Downhill'' (2016 film), a Chilean thriller directed by Patrici ...
*
Drumsurn
*
Feeny
Feeny () is a village and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is between Dungiven and Claudy. In the 2011 Census it had a population of 690. Feeny lies just inside the boundary of the Sperrins Area of Outstanding Natural Beau ...
*
Glenullin
*
Gulladuff
*
Lettershendoney
*
Macosquin
Macosquin () is a small village, townland, and civil parish in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is south-west of Coleraine, on the road to Limavady. In the 2011 Census it had a population of 614 people. The area is known for its caves an ...
*
Ringsend
Ringsend () is a southside inner suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is located on the south bank of the River Liffey and east of the River Dodder, about two kilometres east of the city centre. It is the southern terminus of the East Link Toll ...
*
Swatragh
Swatragh () is a small village and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Swatragh is on the main A29 road north of Maghera, and is situated within Mid-Ulster District. The population was 438 in the 2011 Census.
The village has three ...
*
Tobermore
*
Upperlands
Upperlands (Toner, Gregory: ''Place-Names of Northern Ireland''. Queen's University of Belfast, 1996, ) is a small village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is situated 3 miles north east of Maghera. It lies within the civil parish of M ...
Administration
The county was administered by
Londonderry County Council from 1899 until the abolition of county councils in Northern Ireland in 1973. They were replaced by
district councils. These councils were:
Londonderry City Council
Derry City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach Dhoire; Ulster-Scots: ''Derry Cittie Cooncil'') was the local government authority for the city of Derry in Northern Ireland. It merged with Strabane District Council in April 2015 under local gover ...
(renamed Derry City Council in 1984),
Limavady Borough Council
Limavady Borough Council ( ga, Comhairle Bhuirg Léim an Mhadaidh) was a local government body in Northern Ireland. In May 2015 it merged with Coleraine Borough Council, Ballymoney Borough Council and Moyle District Council under local governme ...
, and
Magherafelt District Council
Magherafelt District Council was a district council in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. It was merged with Cookstown District Council and Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council on 1 April 2015 under local government reorganisation in ...
, most of
Coleraine Borough Council
Coleraine Borough Council was a local council mainly in County Londonderry and partly in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. It merged with Ballymoney Borough Council, Limavady Borough Council and Moyle District Council in May 2015 under local ...
, and part of
Cookstown District Council
Cookstown District Council ( ga, Comhairle Cheantar na Coirre Críochaí; Ulster Scots: ''Districk Cooncil o Cookestoun'') was a district council covering an area largely in County Tyrone and partly in County Londonderry. It merged with Dungan ...
. After a reduction in the number of councils in Northern Ireland in 2011, County Londonderry is divided into three cross-county councils:
Causeway Coast and Glens
Ulster Scots: ''Causey Coast an Glens''
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,
Derry and Strabane
Ulster Scots: ''Derrie an Stràbane''
, settlement_type = District
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_type1 = Constituent country
, subdivision_type2 =
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, subdivision ...
, and
Mid-Ulster District
, settlement_type = District
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_type1 = Constituent country
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, subdivisi ...
.
Transport
Translink Translink (or TransLink) may refer to:
* TransLink (British Columbia), the public transport operator in Vancouver, Canada
* Translink (Northern Ireland)
Translink is the brand name of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHCo), a ...
provides a
Northern Ireland Railways
NI Railways, also known as Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) ( ga, Iarnród Thuaisceart Éireann); and for a brief period Ulster Transport Railways (UTR), is the railway operator in Northern Ireland. NIR is a subsidiary of Translink, whose paren ...
service in the county, linking
Londonderry railway station
Londonderry railway station, known commonly as Waterside railway station, is a railway terminus in Derry, Northern Ireland, on the east bank of the River Foyle, operated by Northern Ireland Railways. It is on the Belfast–Derry railway line, ...
to
Coleraine railway station
Coleraine railway station serves the town of Coleraine in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It shares facilities with the town's Ulsterbus bus depot.
History
The station was opened by the Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine and Portrush ...
(with a branch to on the
Coleraine–Portrush railway line) and onwards into County Antrim to
Belfast Lanyon Place and
Belfast Great Victoria Street on the
Belfast-Derry railway line.
There is also the
Foyle Valley Railway
The Foyle Valley Railway is a narrow gauge heritage railway in Derry, Northern Ireland.
Foyle Valley Railway Museum was initially opened in 1990 on the site of Foyle Road station of the GNR (Ireland). In August 2016, Destined Ltd, a charity ...
, a museum in
Derry with some rolling stock from both the
County Donegal Railway and the
Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway
The Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway Company (The L&LSR, the Swilly) was an Irish public transport and freight company that operated in parts of County Londonderry and County Donegal between 1853 and 2014. Incorporated in June 1853, it on ...
, and is located on the site of the former
Londonderry Foyle Road railway station
Londonderry Foyle Road railway station served Derry in Northern Ireland.
The Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway opened the station on 18 April 1850. It replaced Londonderry Cow Market railway station which had formed the temporary terminus of ...
. The
Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway
The Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway Company (The L&LSR, the Swilly) was an Irish public transport and freight company that operated in parts of County Londonderry and County Donegal between 1853 and 2014. Incorporated in June 1853, it on ...
continued as a private bus company based in the city but operating predominantly in
County Donegal
County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrconn ...
until it closed in 2014. Bus services are now provided by
Ulsterbus.
Education
Government-funded education up to secondary school level is administered by the
Education Authority
The Education Authority ( ga, Údarás Oideachais) is a non-departmental body sponsored by the Department of Education in Northern Ireland. It was established under the Education Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (c. 12) which was passed by the North ...
(EA), sponsored by the
Department of Education
An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
. The EA is divided into sub-regions:
* Western region: Derry, Limavady;
* North Eastern region: Coleraine, Magherafelt;
* Southern region: Cookstown.
For Catholic grant-maintained schools administration is by the Derry Diocesan Education Office.
Two major centres of the
University of Ulster
sco, Ulstèr Universitie
, image = Ulster University coat of arms.png
, caption =
, motto_lang =
, mottoeng =
, latin_name = Universitas Ulidiae
, established = 1865 – Magee College 1953 - Magee Un ...
are in the county, including its headquarters at
Coleraine and the
Magee Campus
, image =
, caption = ''Top:'' ''Ulster University's coat of arms'Bottom:'' ''The Magee main building''
, motto_lang =
, mottoeng =
, established = 1865 – Magee College 1953 – Magee Univers ...
in Derry.
Sport
In
Gaelic games, the
GAA county
A county is a geographic region within Gaelic games, controlled by a county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and originally based on the 32 counties of Ireland as they were in 1884. While the administrative geography of Ireland has ...
of
Derry is more or less coterminous with the former administrative county of Londonderry, although teams from the neighbouring counties of Tyrone, Donegal and Antrim have occasionally played in Derry competitions, and vice versa. The Derry teams wear the colours red and white. There are many club teams competing in up to five leagues and three championships. The county team has won one
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (SFC) ( ga, Craobh Shinsir Peile na hÉireann) is the premier competition in Gaelic football. An annual tournament organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), it is contested by the county ...
(in
1993
File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peacefu ...
) and five
National League titles.
Hurling is also widely played but is not as popular as football. However, the county team is generally regarded as one of the top hurling sides in
Ulster
Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...
and in
2006 won the
Nicky Rackard Cup
The Nicky Rackard Cup (; often referred to as the Rackard Cup) is the fourth tier of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. Each year, the champion team in the Nicky Rackard Cup is promoted to the Christy Ring Cup, and the lowest finishing ...
– the third tier hurling competition in Ireland.
In association football, the
NIFL Premiership
The NIFL Premiership, known as the Danske Bank Premiership for sponsorship purposes, and colloquially as the Irish League or Irish Premiership, is a professional association football league which operates as the highest division of the Northe ...
, which operates as the top division, has two teams in the county:
Coleraine F.C.
Coleraine Football Club is a semi-professional Northern Irish football club, playing in the NIFL Premiership, the highest level of the Irish League. The club, founded in 1927, hails from Coleraine, County Londonderry and plays its home matches ...
and
Institute F.C., with
Limavady United F.C.,
Moyola Park F.C.
Moyola Park Association Football Club is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in the NIFL Premier Intermediate League. The club, founded in 1880, hails from Castledawson, near Magherafelt, County Londonderry, and plays its h ...
,
Portstewart F.C. and
Tobermore United F.C. competing in the
NIFL Championship
The Northern Ireland Football League Championship (known as the Lough 41 Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the second level of the Northern Ireland Football League, the national football league in Northern Ireland. Clubs in the Championshi ...
, which operates as levels two and three.
Derry City F.C.
Derry City Football Club is a professional association football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division, the top tier of league football in the Republic of Ireland, and is the League of Ireland ...
play in the
Premier Division of the
League of Ireland
The League of Ireland ( ga, Sraith na hÉireann), together with the Football Association of Ireland, is one of the two main governing bodies responsible for organising association football in the Republic of Ireland. The term was originally use ...
after leaving the
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
structures in 1985, having resigned from the
Irish Football League
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
at the height of
the Troubles
The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an " ...
because of not being allowed play their home games at the
Brandywell
The Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium ( ga, Tobar an Fhíoruisce ) is a municipal football stadium with an adjoining greyhound racing track in Derry, Northern Ireland. It is the home ground of League of Ireland team Derry City F.C. and (temporari ...
due to security concerns from other clubs.
The
Northern Ireland Milk Cup was established in 1983 and is regarded as one of the most prestigious youth football tournaments in Europe and the world.
The competition is based at
Coleraine and involves several other towns and villages in the county –
Limavady,
Portstewart
Portstewart () is a small town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 8,003 people in the 2011 Census. It is a seaside resort neighbouring Portrush. Its harbour and scenic coastal paths form an Atlantic promenade lead ...
and
Castlerock
Castlerock is a seaside village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is five miles west of Coleraine, and part of Causeway Coast and Glens district. It is very popular with summer tourists, with numerous apartment blocks and two caravan ...
– and in neighbouring
County Antrim
County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, ) is one of six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of and has a population o ...
–
Ballymoney
Ballymoney ( ga, Baile Monaidh , meaning 'townland of the moor') is a small town and civil parish in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is within the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area. The civil parish of Ballymoney is situated i ...
,
Portrush
Portrush () is a small seaside resort town on the north coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It neighbours the resort of Portstewart. The main part of the old town, including the railway station as well as most hotels, restaurants and bars, ...
,
Ballymena and
Broughshane
Broughshane ( , formerly spelt Brughshane, ) is a large village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is northeast of Ballymena and north of Antrim, on the A42 road. It is part of Mid and East Antrim District Council and had a population of 2 ...
. The event, held in the last week of July, has attracted teams from 56 countries around the world including Europe, the US, Africa, the Far East, South America, the Middle East, Australia, Russia, New Zealand and Canada. Some of the biggest teams in the world have entered including Premiership giants
Everton,
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...
,
Manchester United,
Chelsea
Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to:
Places Australia
* Chelsea, Victoria
Canada
* Chelsea, Nova Scotia
* Chelsea, Quebec
United Kingdom
* Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames
** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
,
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as Tottenham () or Spurs, is a professional football club based in Tottenham, London, England. It competes in the Premier League, the top flight of English football. The team has playe ...
as well as top European teams such as
Feyenoord
Feyenoord Rotterdam () is a Dutch professional football club (association football), football club in Rotterdam, which plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier in Dutch football. Founded as Wilhelmina in 1908, the club changed to various names bef ...
,
F.C. Porto,
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly referred to as Barcelona and colloquially known as Barça (), is a professional football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish football.
Found ...
,
Benfica,
Bayern Munich and
Dynamo Kiev
Football Club Dynamo Kyiv (, ) is a Ukrainian professional football club based in Kyiv. Founded in 1927 as a Kyivan football team of republican branch of the bigger Soviet Dynamo Sports Society, the club as a separate business entity was officia ...
.
In
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...
, the county is represented at senior level by
Rainey Old Boys Rugby Club, Magherafelt who compete in the Ulster Senior League and All Ireland Division Three. Limavady R.F.C,
City of Derry Rugby Club
City of Derry Rugby Football Club is a rugby club, formed in 1881 in Derry, Northern Ireland. They currently play in the Ulster Rugby Championship Division 1 after relegation from Division 2C of the All-Ireland League in 2022.
The club's ...
, Londonderry Y.M.C.A and Coleraine Rugby Club all compete in Ulster Qualifying League One.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by str ...
is particularly popular in the north-west of Ireland, with 11 of the 20 senior clubs in the North West Cricket Union located in County Londonderry: Limavady,
Eglinton, Glendermott, Brigade, Killymallaght, Ardmore, Coleraine, Bonds Glen, Drummond, Creevedonnell and The Nedd.
In
rowing
Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically ...
, Richard Archibald from
Coleraine along with his Irish teammates qualified for the Beijing 2008 Olympics by finishing second in the lightweight fours final in Poznań, thus qualifying for the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Another Coleraine rower
Alan Campbell is a World Cup gold medallist in the single sculls in 2006.
Media
The county currently has four main radio stations:
*
BBC Radio Foyle;
*
Q102.9;
*
Q97.2;
*
Six FM
6 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
6 or six may also refer to:
* AD 6, the sixth year of the AD era
* 6 BC, the sixth year before the AD era
* The month of June
Science
* Carbon, the element with atomic number 6
* 6 Hebe, an asteroid
Peop ...
(in the south of the county).
See also
*
Abbeys and priories in Northern Ireland (County Londonderry)
*
List of places in County Londonderry
*
List of townlands in County Londonderry
In Ireland, counties are divided into civil parishes, and these parishes are further divided into townlands. The following is a list of townlands sorted by parish in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland:
Parishes
Aghadowey
Aghanloo
A ...
*
List of civil parishes of County Londonderry
In Ireland Counties are divided into Civil Parishes and Parishes are further divided into townlands. The following is a list of parishes in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland:
__NOTOC__
A
Aghadowey, Aghanloo, Agivey, Arboe, Artrea
B
...
*
Lord Lieutenant of County Londonderry
This is a list of people to have been Lord Lieutenant of County Londonderry.
There were lieutenants of counties in Ireland until the reign of James II, when they were renamed governors. The office of Lord Lieutenant was recreated on 23 August 18 ...
*
High Sheriff of County Londonderry
The High Sheriff of County Londonderry is King Charles III's judicial representative in County Londonderry. Initially an office for lifetime, assigned by the ruling monarch, the High Sheriff became annually appointed from the Provisions of Oxfor ...
References
External links
County Londonderry on the interactive map of the counties of Great Britain and Ireland– Wikishire
*
{{Authority control
Counties of Northern Ireland
Londonderry
1613 establishments in Ireland