Guildhall, Derry
Encyclopedia
The Guildhall in Derry
, County Londonderry
, Northern Ireland
, is a building in which the elected members of Derry City Council
meet. It was built in 1890.
The Guildhall houses a large hall where many events of social and political nature have been held. It has been home to the Derry Feis – an event which celebrates Irish culture. It was also home to the Saville Inquiry
into the events of Bloody Sunday
30 January 1972 in Derry.
and cost £19,000. It was badly damaged by fire in Easter 1908 with only the clock tower surviving the fire intact. The whole building was re-built and renovated after the fire and re-opened in 1912.
During The Troubles
the Guildhall was the focus of many terror attacks. The building was badly damaged by two bombs in 1972, but was restored at a cost of £1.7m and reopened in 1977.
when he visited the city in November 1995. It is also the home for many city events, such as Halloween events and the Christmas lights switch-on. The Square has been renovated and restructured to bring a more cosmopolitan feel to the area and includes seating areas and fountains.
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, is a building in which the elected members of Derry City Council
Derry City Council
Derry City Council is a district council in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. The Council is is responsible for the city of Derry and the immediate environ, providing services to an estimated population of , making it the third largest district council in Northern Ireland by population.The...
meet. It was built in 1890.
The Guildhall houses a large hall where many events of social and political nature have been held. It has been home to the Derry Feis – an event which celebrates Irish culture. It was also home to the Saville Inquiry
Bloody Sunday Inquiry
The Bloody Sunday Inquiry, also known as the Saville Inquiry or the Saville Report after its chairman, Lord Saville of Newdigate, was established in 1998 by British Prime Minister Tony Blair after campaigns for a second inquiry by families of those killed and injured in Derry on Bloody Sunday...
into the events of Bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday (1972)
Bloody Sunday —sometimes called the Bogside Massacre—was an incident on 30 January 1972 in the Bogside area of Derry, Northern Ireland, in which twenty-six unarmed civil rights protesters and bystanders were shot by soldiers of the British Army...
30 January 1972 in Derry.
History
Work started on the Guildhall in 1887 and it was opened in July 1890. It was financed by The Honourable The Irish SocietyThe Honourable The Irish Society
The Honourable The Irish Society is the organisation created by royal charter consisting of members nominated by livery companies of the City of London, set up to colonise County Londonderry during the plantation of Ulster. Notably it was involved in the construction of the city of Londonderry,...
and cost £19,000. It was badly damaged by fire in Easter 1908 with only the clock tower surviving the fire intact. The whole building was re-built and renovated after the fire and re-opened in 1912.
During The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
the Guildhall was the focus of many terror attacks. The building was badly damaged by two bombs in 1972, but was restored at a cost of £1.7m and reopened in 1977.
Guildhall Square
The square in front of the Guildhall, has played host to many events. It was the stage area for the visit of the US President Bill ClintonBill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
when he visited the city in November 1995. It is also the home for many city events, such as Halloween events and the Christmas lights switch-on. The Square has been renovated and restructured to bring a more cosmopolitan feel to the area and includes seating areas and fountains.