County Londonderry

County Londonderry, also known as County Derry, is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland. It is also part of the nine counties of the province of Ulster and one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland. Before the partition of Ireland, it was a county of the Kingdom of Ireland from 1613 and later part of the United Kingdom after the Acts of Union 1800. The county lies next to the north-west shore of Lough Neagh and covers an area of 2,118 km² (818 mi²). Today, it is home to about 252,231 people.

Since 1972, the counties in Northern Ireland, including Londonderry, are no longer used for local administration. After the most recent local government reforms in 2015, the area of the traditional county is now governed by three different districts: Derry and Strabane, Causeway Coast and Glens and Mid-Ulster. Even though it is not used for local government any more, the county name is sometimes used in cultural events and sports, like with the Derry GAA.

Since 1981, Londonderry has been one of four counties in Northern Ireland with a Catholic majority. According to the 2021 Census, over 61% of the people there are from this background. The county flower is the purple saxifrage.

Name

The name Derry comes from an old Irish word meaning "oak-grove" or "oak-wood".

People sometimes argue about whether to call the place Derry or Londonderry. Some prefer "Londonderry", while others use "Derry". The county was mostly formed from an older area called County Coleraine. British authorities usually say "Londonderry", but the Republic of Ireland uses "Derry".

History

County Londonderry has many old stone structures from long ago, including a special place called Mountsandel, which might be one of the oldest settlements in Ireland.

In the past, the land was controlled by a group called the O'Cahans before it became part of a new county named Coleraine. Later, King James I created the county of Londonderry in 1613. This new county included parts of several areas so that important rivers could be controlled. Twelve groups from London were given land in the county to help build and manage it.

In 1899, the city of Londonderry became its own area for government purposes, and the main town for the county changed to Coleraine.

Geography and places of interest

The highest point in County Londonderry is Sawel Mountain, which stands at 678 metres (2,224 ft) on the border with County Tyrone. Sawel is part of the Sperrin Mountains, which cover much of the southern part of the county. To the east and west, the land slopes down into the valleys of the Bann and Foyle rivers. In the south-east, the county reaches the shore of Lough Neagh, Ireland's largest lake. The northern part of the county features steep cliffs, sandy dunes, and beautiful beaches along the Atlantic coast.

County Londonderry has many interesting places, such as the well-preserved 17th-century city walls of Derry, the National Trust-owned Plantation estate at Springhill, and Mussenden Temple on the Atlantic coast. There are also dikes, special coastlines, and bird sanctuaries on the eastern shore of Lough Foyle. Near Bellaghy Bawn, there is a visitor centre close to where famous writer Seamus Heaney grew up. In the centre of the county, you can find old forests at Banagher and Ness Wood, where the Burntollet River flows over the highest waterfalls in Northern Ireland.

Subdivisions

Baronies

Main article: Baronies of Ireland

• Coleraine
• Keenaght
• North East Liberties of Coleraine
• North West Liberties of Londonderry
• Loughinsholin
• Tirkeeran

Parishes

Main article: List of civil parishes of County Londonderry

Townlands

Main article: List of townlands in County Londonderry

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)

• Maghera
• Magherafelt
• Portstewart

Intermediate settlements

(population of 2,250 or more and under 4,500 at 2001 Census)

• Culmore (part of Derry Urban Area)
• Dungiven
• Eglinton
• Newbuildings (part of Derry Urban Area)

Villages

(population of 1,000 or more and under 2,250 at 2001 Census)

• Ballykelly
• Bellaghy
• Castledawson
• Castlerock
• Claudy
• Draperstown
• Garvagh
• Greysteel
• Kilrea
• Moneymore
• Strathfoyle (part of Derry Urban Area)

Small villages or hamlets

(population of less than 1,000 at 2001 Census)

• Articlave
• Ballerin
• Ballymaguigan
• Ballyronan
• Clady
• Culnady
• Desertmartin
• Downhill
• Drumsurn
• Feeny
• Glenullin
• Gulladuff
• Lettershendoney
• Macosquin
• Ringsend
• Swatragh
• Tobermore
• Upperlands

Demography

County Londonderry is one of four counties in Northern Ireland where most people come from a Catholic community background, based on the 2021 census. At that time, the county had about 252,231 people living there.

Of these residents, 61.3% were from a Catholic background, 32.5% were from a Protestant and Other Christian background, 0.9% were from other religions, and 5.3% had no religious background.

Administration

County Londonderry was managed by the Londonderry County Council from 1899 until county councils were stopped in Northern Ireland in 1973. Since then, district councils have taken care of the area. These include Derry City Council, Limavady Borough Council, Magherafelt District Council, most of Coleraine Borough Council, and part of Cookstown District Council. In 2011, the number of councils was reduced, and now County Londonderry is served by three councils: Causeway Coast and Glens, Derry and Strabane, and Mid-Ulster District.

Transport

County Londonderry has several ways to travel, including airports, trains, and sea ports.

The county is served by City of Derry airport, which offers regular flights to cities like Birmingham, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London-Heathrow, Liverpool, and Manchester. Airlines such as easyJet, Loganair, and Ryanair operate these flights.

Train services are provided by Translink Northern Ireland Railways. They connect Derry~Londonderry, Bellarena, Castlerock, and Coleraine to Belfast Grand Central on the Belfast-Derry railway line. There is also a line from Coleraine to Portrush on the Coleraine-Portrush railway line, which serves the University as well.

The county has a busy port at Londonderry Port, now called Foyle Port, located at Lisahally on Lough Foyle. This port is important for importing materials and fuels. It can also welcome cruise ships.

There is a regular ferry service called the Lough Foyle Ferry. It runs between Magilligan Point in County Londonderry and Greencastle in County Donegal during the spring and summer.

Education

Government-funded education up to secondary school level is managed by the Education Authority, supported by the Department of Education. The Education Authority is split into three areas: the Western region covering Derry and Limavady, the North Eastern region covering Coleraine and Magherafelt, and the Southern region covering Cookstown. Catholic schools are run by the Derry Diocesan Education Office.

The county is home to two major centers of the University of Ulster, including its main location in Coleraine and the Magee Campus in Derry.

Sport

In Gaelic games, the teams from Derry mostly come from the area of County Londonderry. They wear red and white colors. There are many local teams that play in different leagues and championships. The county team has won one big football championship and several league titles. Hurling is also played, though it is not as popular as football. Still, the county team is known as one of the best in Ulster and has won a special competition.

In soccer, two main teams from the county play in the top division, with several others in lower divisions. A team from Derry also plays in the top league in Ireland after moving there in 1985 because of safety issues.

The Northern Ireland Milk Cup is a big youth soccer tournament started in 1983. It is held every July in Coleraine and nearby places. Teams from all over the world come to compete, including famous clubs from England and Europe.

In rugby union, several local clubs compete in different leagues across Ulster and Ireland.

Cricket is enjoyed in the north-west, with many teams based in County Londonderry.

In rowing, a rower from Coleraine helped the Irish team qualify for the Beijing 2008 Olympics, and another rower from Coleraine won a gold medal in a world competition.

Media

County Londonderry has four main radio stations. These are BBC Radio Foyle, Q102.9, Q97.2, and Six FM which broadcasts in the south of the county.