Derry (Londonderry) Northern Ireland & The Giant's Causeway

25 September 2011


The walled city of Derry Northern Ireland is the only European walled city with the walls completely intact.

The Irish call the city Derry while the Brits call it by its legal name Londonderry.  In 1613, King James I added the prefix "London" to the city's name.   The walls were built for defense of invasions from England and Scotland between 1613 and 1619.  The walled portion of the city is approximately one square mile.


Each corner of the city has a gate similar to the one seen here.  Two of the gates are much narrower than this one.  The driver of our bus had to lower the bus (it sounded as if some kind of air was being released) and creep slowly through.  Then he inflated again to raise the bus by several inches.


There is a walkway around the top of the wall that is used as a promenade.  Joggers often use its four mile circuit because they are not impeded by traffic. 

Derry lies on the banks of the River Foyle and is close to the border of Ireland.

While Ireland is part of the European Union, Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom.  Therefore, the currency is the English Pound rather than the Euro.


Derry is the second largest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth largest in Ireland.  It is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in Europe.

Our next stop was along the northeastern coast at the Giant's Causeway.  


Legend:  The Irish warrior giant, Finn McCool, was said to have built the causeway between Ireland and Scotland so he could walk over to Scotland and raid their country.  After he finished the causeway and before he made the trip, because he was tired, he decided to take a nap.  

Benandonner, the giant warrior from Scotland, heard about the causeway and being larger than Finn decided to go looking for him.

Seeing Benandonner's great size, Finn asked his wife, Oonagh, "What shall I do?"  She told him to get back in the bed, she put the baby's bonnet on his head, covered him with a blanket, and gave him a baby's bottle.

When Benandonner arrived at the house and saw the size of the "infant," he fled back to Scotland tearing up the bridge as he went.

He was in such a hurry that he lost his boots as he fled.


Truth:  actually the site is the result of an ancient volcanic eruption.


There are over 40,000 basalt columns.


It is part of the UK national trust and considered the 4th greatest natural wonder of the UK

When the clouds cooperate, a similar but smaller deposit can be seen across the channel in Scotland

Just in case you do not believe the legend, here are the giant Benandonner's boots.  


(you have to use your imagination!)