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Derry
Contae Dhoire Coontie Lunnonderrie
County Derry took its’ name from the city of Derry when a hundred and twenty trees blew down in storms
which had its beginnings on a small island inside of 1178.
the river Foyle. Even before Colmcille built his church Situated upon the north-west shore of Lough Nenagh,
here, this was an ancient sanctuary, county Derry covers an area of 2,074 km² in total.
a sacred grove of oak trees. Inland, the vast stretch of the Sperrin mountains extends
Land here belonged to the powerful Uí Néill clan who into the county of Tyrone. These mountains once were
include Niall of the Nine Hostages in their lineage. It fertile farmlands of neolithic settlers. The lower slopes
was into their family that a young Colmcille was born. It sheltered some of Irelands first Bronze Age peoples and
was apparant from an early age that he had a calling to their stone circles and cairns can be found across the
serve and he chooose the live of a Christian priest over lower slopes of these mountains.
that of clan chief. Followign years of spiritual discipline Mountsandal in Co. Derry is known as perhaps the
and study he lived in quiet seclusion in Glasnevin oldest recorded settlement in Ireland.
now part of Dublin when an epidemic of the Black In Derry we find the childhood home of Nobel Laureate
Plague broke out. Returning north, he founded his first Seamus Heaney. Heaney’s family farmhouse, known as
monastery in 546 on the island of Doire. Tradition has “Mossbawn” islocated near Castledawson. Born in 1939,
it that Colmcille built his forst church aligned north Seamus Heaney has left a legacy of inspiring writings
south rather than the customary east facine in order to that have enchanted many and garnered international
minimise damage to the oak trees – such was the respect acclaim.
for nature that existed in preceding centuries.
We know that in 1146, sixty oaks bley down in the gales.
This was recorded in The Annals of Ulster and again
The White Horse Hotel
Relax and unwind at 68 Clooney Leisure & Beauty before dining
at the Award Winning 68 Clooney Restaurant
www.whitehorsehotel.biz whitehorsehotel BWwhitehorse 02871 860606
68 Clooney Road, Derry-Londonderry, BT47 3PA
Wild Atlantic Way Guide 3.indd 1 286 17/12/2014 13:25
Contae Dhoire Coontie Lunnonderrie
County Derry took its’ name from the city of Derry when a hundred and twenty trees blew down in storms
which had its beginnings on a small island inside of 1178.
the river Foyle. Even before Colmcille built his church Situated upon the north-west shore of Lough Nenagh,
here, this was an ancient sanctuary, county Derry covers an area of 2,074 km² in total.
a sacred grove of oak trees. Inland, the vast stretch of the Sperrin mountains extends
Land here belonged to the powerful Uí Néill clan who into the county of Tyrone. These mountains once were
include Niall of the Nine Hostages in their lineage. It fertile farmlands of neolithic settlers. The lower slopes
was into their family that a young Colmcille was born. It sheltered some of Irelands first Bronze Age peoples and
was apparant from an early age that he had a calling to their stone circles and cairns can be found across the
serve and he chooose the live of a Christian priest over lower slopes of these mountains.
that of clan chief. Followign years of spiritual discipline Mountsandal in Co. Derry is known as perhaps the
and study he lived in quiet seclusion in Glasnevin oldest recorded settlement in Ireland.
now part of Dublin when an epidemic of the Black In Derry we find the childhood home of Nobel Laureate
Plague broke out. Returning north, he founded his first Seamus Heaney. Heaney’s family farmhouse, known as
monastery in 546 on the island of Doire. Tradition has “Mossbawn” islocated near Castledawson. Born in 1939,
it that Colmcille built his forst church aligned north Seamus Heaney has left a legacy of inspiring writings
south rather than the customary east facine in order to that have enchanted many and garnered international
minimise damage to the oak trees – such was the respect acclaim.
for nature that existed in preceding centuries.
We know that in 1146, sixty oaks bley down in the gales.
This was recorded in The Annals of Ulster and again
The White Horse Hotel
Relax and unwind at 68 Clooney Leisure & Beauty before dining
at the Award Winning 68 Clooney Restaurant
www.whitehorsehotel.biz whitehorsehotel BWwhitehorse 02871 860606
68 Clooney Road, Derry-Londonderry, BT47 3PA
Wild Atlantic Way Guide 3.indd 1 286 17/12/2014 13:25
