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Derry or Londonderry is a city in Northern Ireland. The old walled city of Londonderry
lies on the west bank of the River Foyle, and the population is around 84,000. It
is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland. It is one of the only places in
Europe not to have its walls breached.
Industry
The economy of the district was based significantly on the textile industry until
relatively recently. For many years women were often the sole wage earners working
in the shirt factories while the men predominantly in comparison had high levels
of unemployment. This led to significant male emigration. In more recent times the
textile industry jobs have increasingly moved to the Far East, leaving the district
to bear an increased jobless total. In the last 15 years there has been a drive
to increase inward investment in the city, more recently concentrating on digital
industries.
Geography
Londonderry lies on the west bank of the River Foyle, and the present city now
covers both banks (Cityside to the west and Waterside to the east) and is connected
by two bridges. The district extends to rural areas to the southeast of the city.
History
Derry is one of the longest continuously inhabited places in Ireland. The earliest
historical references date to the 6th century when a monastery was founded there
by St. Columba, but for thousands of years before that people had been living in
the vicinity. In the year 546 the area was rebaptised Doire Cholm Cille, Colmcille’s
Oak Grove. In the 6th century, Derry was known primarily as a monastic settlement.
Planters organised by London livery companies through The Honourable The Irish Society
arrived in the 1600s as part of the plantation of Ulster, and built the walled city
of Londonderry across the Foyle from the earlier town. The city has long been a
focal point for important events in Irish history, including the 1688-1689 siege
of Derry and Bloody Sunday on 30 January 1972. Londonderry was the first ever planned
city in Ireland and it was begun in 1613, with the walls being completed 5 years
later in 1618. The central diamond within a walled city with four gates was thought
to be a good design for defence.
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