Derry and County Donegal - Ireland 2014 - page 613

Sights in Derry
▲▲▲ Tower Museum Derry
Housed in a modern reconstruction of a fortified medieval tower house that belonged to
the local O'Doherty clan, this well-organized museum provides an excellent introduction
to the city. Combining modern audiovisual displays with historical artifacts, the exhib-
its tell the story of the city from a skillfully unbiased viewpoint, sorting out some of the
tangled historical roots of Northern Ireland's Troubles.
Cost and Hours: £4.20; June-Aug Mon-Sat 10:00-16:30, closed Sun; Sept-May Tue-
Sat 10:00-16:30, closed Sun-Mon; free audioguide for Armada exhibits, Union Hall Place,
tel. [phone].
Visiting the Museum: The museum is divided into two sections: the Story of Derry
(on the ground floor) and the Spanish Armada (on the four floors of the tower).
Start with the Story of Derry, which explains the city's monastic origins 1,500 years
ago. It moves through pivotal events, such as the 1688-1689 siege, as well as unexpected
blips, like Amelia Earhart's emergency landing. Don't miss the thought-provoking
15-minutefilminthesmalltheater—itoffersanevenhandedlocalperspectiveonthetragic
events of the modern sectarian conflict, giving you a better handle on what makes this
unique city tick. Scan the displays of paramilitary paraphernalia in the hallway lined with
colored curbstones—red, white, and blue Union Jack colors for Unionists; and the green,
white, and orange Irish tricolor for Nationalists.
The tower section holds the Spanish Armada exhibits, filled with items taken from
the wreck of La Trinidad Valencera. It sank in fierce storms nicknamed the “Protestant
Winds” off the coast of Donegal in 1588. A third of the Armada's ships were lost in storms
off the coasts of Ireland and Scotland. Survivors who made it ashore were hunted and
killed by English soldiers. But a small number made it to Dunluce Castle (see here ) , where
the sympathetic lord, who was no friend of the English, smuggled them to Scotland and
eventual freedom in France.
Guild Hall
This Neo-Gothic building, complete with clock tower, is the ceremonial seat of city gov-
ernment. It first opened in 1890 on reclaimed lands that were once the mudflats of the
River Foyle. Destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1913, it was massively damaged by IRA
bombs in 1972. In an ironic twist, Gerry Doherty, one of those convicted of the bombings,
was elected as a member of the Derry City Council a dozen years later. In November of
1995, US President Bill Clinton spoke to thousands who packed into Guildhall Square.
Inside the hall are the Council Chamber, party offices, and an assembly hall featuring