https://www.derrynow.com/section/1245/advertise-with-us All the latest breaking local news from Derry and County Derry Keep up to date with the latest sports news Read all the latest crime & court news in Derry and County Derry Read all the latest Irish news and updates from around Ireland Catch up on all the latest business news in Derry and County Derry Find whats happening in and around Derry and County Derry Enjoy our award winning photos and picture galleries taken in Derry and County Derry Read about the latest properties available in Derry and County Derry Enjoy our latest and up to date motoring review and news in Derry and County Derry Derry and County Derry Met Eireann Weather Forecast Recent death notices and obituaries from Derry and County Derry Latest environmental and climate change news in County Derry Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter Support our mission and join our community now you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism " + $(".testo_articolo").html().replace(//g please subscribe and support local journalism Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles To continue reading this article for FREE,please kindly register and/or log in Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news Derry BT redundancy payments capped at one year Derry - Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign The role offers an attractive package for the right candidate Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie Rain giving way to foggy conditions overnight Anna Farrow and Zoey Anderson share friendship time during an “End of an Era” party at Derry Village Elementary School Families and children enjoyed a foam party during an “End of an Era” event held at Derry Village Elementary School The school closed its doors for the last time on Wednesday The hallways at Derry Village Elementary School are empty as the current school year ends Derry Village Elementary students said goodbye to the school which closed its doors for good after more than 50 years The school board made the decision to close Derry Village last year followed by a major restructuring plan that changes where and how students will learn elementary students through grade 4 will attend the four remaining elementary schools — Grinnell Grades 5-6 will attend West Running Brook Middle School Derry Village’s halls were filled with emotion on its final day The Derry Village PTA gave students big sendoffs over the past several days hosting an “End of an Era” party and offering gifts the school board is considering what’s next for the empty building the board asked for additional information on costs associated with a potential sale of the building and property The building also could be rented out to town groups and organizations Former board member Derek Anderson hoped the board would consider all options and not jump too quickly into a possible sale of the building or land “This is the only land available for the district to build on,” he said at a recent meeting “Building a new school on any other district property would cause challenges.” Anderson reminded the board that voters said no to a new elementary school plan at the polls in March and it could be years before the community agrees to build one Board Chairman David Clapp said there’s a lot to consider “As a board we need to decide what the true direction is and do it right,” he said staff and everyone involved in executing the restructuring plan for next year “There has been a lot of concern about how the transition would look at the end of the year,” he said “Thank you for making this as easy as possible and hopefully alleviating some of the stress people are feeling.” Board member Brenda Willis remained opposed to the decision to close Derry Village She said she will never agree with the decision and will proudly wear a green ribbon forever to honor the Derry Village community Willis said she saw children leaving Derry Village in tears Wednesday as school staff and administrators comforted them She said many of the school’s staff are sad and struggling “But I know they have done an incredible job of supporting children and families,” Willis said lderrynews@unionleader.com Email notifications are only sent once a day Katie Siwicki has been named principal of Barnard School in South Hampton bringing more than 25 years of experience to the South Hampton school community This could be a big week at the State House as Gov Kelly Ayotte may secure support for two of her two priority bills — banning cites and towns from adopting sanctuary city policies and expanding access to taxpayer-subsidized President Donald Trump said on Friday his administration will revoke Harvard University’s tax-exempt status returning to a threat he issued against the Massachusetts school last month as part of his wider attack on elite universities If New Hampshire teachers graded the state government on its ability to fund education Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Would you like to receive our daily news? Signup today Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account A man has been arrested after allegedly attempting to enter properties in a Co Derry village on Friday followed reports that a male was trying to enter a number of properties in Oughtymoyle Avenue police say a number of suspected class A controlled drugs were located a spokesperson for Causeway Coast and Glens police said: “The local Policing Team from Limavady arrested the male on suspicion of a number of offences following the report of him trying doors to properties the area “During the arrest of the male a large number of deal bags containing suspected class A controlled drugs were located "Please continue to report any suspicious behaviour.” I spoke with residents this morning who were clearly shaken and scared by the incidents “Look forward to seeing justice against this individual.” "I want to provide reassurance" says Deputy Chief Constable after concerning items were found in a backpack in Coleraine Receive today's headlines directly to your inbox every morning and evening Please check your inbox to verify your details 2025 at 5:46pm GMTAn 11-year-old girl killed in a collision after stepping off a school bus in Co Derry will be remembered as an “outgoing The youngster, named locally as Caitlin-Rose McMullan from Castledawson died following a collision in the Hillhead Road area outside the village shortly after 4pm on Wednesday She had stepped off a school bus before being struck by a vehicle and fatally injured Police are investigating the circumstances of the collision and have appealed for people who may have recorded video footage of the scene not to share it on social media or messaging apps A large number of people were in the vicinity at the time Caitlin-Rose was in her first year at St Pius X College in Magherafelt A spokesperson for the school spoke of the “profound sadness” among her fellow pupils and teachers upon learning of the tragedy Pupils are being offered support through staff and “relevant professional services” as they come to terms with the loss of their classmate “Caitlin-Rose was a very popular pupil who was always smiling,” a school spokesperson said “Her form teachers described her as ‘a joy to teach due to her kind and fun-loving nature’ who will be greatly missed by fellow pupils and staff alike Caitlin-Rose earned numerous accolades for excellent effort and outstanding classwork approaching every assignment with interest and enthusiasm “Caitlin-Rose’s friends and classmates are heartbroken by her untimely passing and they are receiving support from our staff and relevant professional services.” School community ‘deeply saddened’ over death of Co Derry teenagerOpens in new windowThe tragedy follows the death of 11-year-old Imogen Cleary-Vong, who died after being rescued from the Moyola River in Castledawson on February 2. Mid Ulster SDLP councillor Denise Johnston told The Irish News that residents in the Co Derry village and beyond were “heartbroken” following Wednesday’s fatal collision. “This comes on the back of the tragic loss of another young schoolgirl from Castledawson last month,” she said. “It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. It’s a dark day for the community, which is just heartbroken at this awful news. We are all thinking of the young girl’s family and friends at this time. “This is a very tight community and will offer all the support it can to the family.” Sinn Féin councillor Ian Milne said the community was “in a state of shock” following the tragedy. “The local Castledawson community are completely devastated at the loss of life of the young girl and I know the community will rally to support the bereaved family in whatever way they can,” he said. Education Minister Paul Givan described her death as “devastating”. “As a parent, when we set our children off to school in the morning, none of us ever expect to receive such devastating news,” he said. A spokesperson for the Education Authority said it was “deeply shocked and saddened”. “The EA’s Critical Incident Response Team are supporting the school during this difficult time and will provide emotional support to both students and staff. “We would kindly ask that the family, school and wider community are afforded the time and space to grieve this unimaginable loss.” Facebook pageTwitter feedRSS feed@2025 The Irish News Ltd A showing of support for keeping all Derry schools open was offered in November prior to a public forum held at Derry Village Elementary School Derry Village is earmarked to be closed at the end of the current school year as part of the school district’s reorganization/redistricting plan Residents came out to the forum to hear another piece of the district’s plan — to build a new elementary school DERRY — Officials continue to plan and study for the future of Derry’s school district its facilities and the way students are educated And plans could include building a new elementary school as evidenced by the signs they held before a school forum on the issue held Monday night residents heard details about a proposed $71.2 million elementary school building plan that could be constructed on the site of the current Derry Village Elementary School a building scheduled to be shuttered at the end of the current school year The Derry Village closure is part of an overall effort to reorganize the district and change how and where students will learn Other plans include proposed repairs and improvements to the district’s buildings along with a potential closing of another elementary school if and when a new school building might eventually be approved by residents at the polls The design of the proposed new elementary would be a two-story building with space to create a more efficient use for students to learn core subjects unified arts and other specialized programs of learning Once Derry Village closes at the end of this school year the new reorganization will move preschool through grades four into the remaining four elementary buildings depending on where students live; grades five and six will move to West Running Brook Middle School and grades seven and eight will head to Gilbert H That change begins when schools open in the fall of 2024 A handful of people opposed to the Derry Village closing came out prior to Monday’s meeting holding signs in front of the building and showing support for the neighborhood school scheduled to shut its doors at the end of this year Some said losing Derry Village Elementary would be detrimental to not only students but the families that have called this school home for many years And the new redistricting plan would send children off to other elementary schools when the 2024-2025 school year starts depending on where they live “I don’t think it’s a very well thought out plan,” said Katherine Delay standing outside the Derry Village Elementary entrance Monday night before the public forum began She added that there are a lot of changes coming “with a lot of unknowns.” And if a new elementary is eventually approved by voters at the polls it is also likely South Range Elementary School would be closed School Superintendent Austin Garofalo told the crowd that district buildings were far past their prime and many internal systems were “beyond life.” Garofalo said presenting the new elementary school plan was “ambitious” but would move Derry schools forward “but can be accomplished with good communication and planning We have aging facilities beyond their life expectancy.” If the new school proposal appears on the March 2024 ballot and is approved by voters the timeline could put an opening of the building sometime in 2027 at South Range Elementary School beginning at 7 p.m Information on the school plans, redistricting and other information is available on the school site at sau10.org Eugenia Devine (Devine Hair & Beauty Salon) accepting her award A County Derry salon has won two top industry awards ABOVE: Devine Hair and Beauty Salon Feeny  Feeny's Devine Hair and Beauty Salon scooped the Best Hairstylist and Best Colourist in County Derry at the NI B-Beautiful Awards in Belfast set up her salon in August which has gone from strength to strength.Speaking on her win to the County Derry Post Eugenia said: “I am honoured to receive these awards as I only have opened my small business in August of this year I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped reach my dreams at such a young age “When they rang me and said I had been nominated for two awards I couldn’t believe it “When I got there I spoke all about what hair products I use and different types of questions about hair Then I had to create two hairstyles which included a bohemian up style and bohemian colour “So for my upstyle I did a bohemian bridal style it was different and stood out from the rest ABOVE: Cowboy Copper style by Eugenia Devine “When all that was done we went to the awards night on November 17 “The awards started and they were calling out all the winners I turned to mummy and was like ‘ohh that’s me’ The businesswoman has previously won the British Hair Awards’ Best Hair Extension Specialist 2022 and Best Hair Stylist 2022 Eugenia explained her journey to becoming a successful businesswoman and hairdresser saying: “As a young child I was always very creative therefore it was obvious I was going down the route of hairdressing. “I remember for Christmas Santa always brought me dolls heads I am a past pupil of North West Regional College Strabane Hair and Beauty where I attended the LEF Programme after leaving school I studied Level 2 and Level 3 Hairdressing These courses gave me a good foundation to begin my hairdressing career “I had exceptional teachers who instilled confidence and encouraged me to reach for my dreams “I am currently studying Nail Technology with Nail Art and E File as well as Makeup and Brows at North West Regional College I believe it is good to keep learning and expanding your mind.” She added: “I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be my own boss I worked in several hair salons over the years but always dreamed of opening my own salon “One day while driving through the village of Feeny I spotted a premises which was up for rent and thought it would be perfect for me I noted down the number and continued on my journey “I told my parents I was going to take the plunge and open my own salon viewed the premises that evening and all was agreed I began tirelessly decorating and a few weeks later I opened my luxury hair salon Given how new my business is to the area I am over the moon with how busy I’ve been over the first few weeks since opening “I truly appreciate every person who comes through the door and I am thankful to my family and my new and loyal clientele I am glad I took the step and the support has been amazing “At present the salon offers hair and makeup appointments but I do hope to expand to nails and other beauty services in due course.” With Christmas upon us the salon will be open seven days a week through December to get everyone ready for the festive season Find out more about Devine Hair and Beauty on Instagram and Facebook Tributes have poured in following the tragic death of a Derry teen that died in a single vehicle collision in Park The victim has been named as Noah Karran from the Derry area The 18 year-old was driving a silver Saab on the Learmount Road when the collision occurred Following the tragic news of Noah’s death tributes have flooded in for the teenager on social media Brigid's College posted on Facebook.  “Our college community has been devastated to learn of the tragic death of former pupil “Noah died in a single vehicle car crash in Park yesterday morning.  “We will keep Noah’s family and friends in our thoughts and prayers and the souls of all the faithful departed Durkan said: “Another life lost,another family devastated by a death on our roads.  “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of young Noah Karran who has passed away following an accident in Park this morning.  And Claudy Life’s post on Facebook said: “Teenager dies following road traffic collision near Park village “A car accident happened this morning around 9am on the Learmount Road near the village of Park.  Noah Karran from the Derry area has lost his life.  “Noah was driving a silver Saab when the collision occurred “Thinking of his family and friends at this time.” Inspector Cherith Adair from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Collision Investigation Unit said: “We are investigating the circumstances of the crash and would like to hear from witnesses or anyone who may have captured dash-cam or other footage that could assist with our enquiries or submit information online at http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/.” The teenager passed away following this morning's crash in County Derry A young man has sadly died following a single vehicle collision in Park “Please call on 101, quoting reference 275 12/09/24, or submit information online at http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/.” 2024 at 5:56pm BSTA funfair operator has been urged to remove equipment and vehicles from the officially designated food village of Derry’s forthcoming Foyle Maritime Festival had been earmarked for the food and drink vendors of the Legenderry Food Network - a collective which supports local producers Foyle Maritime Festival runs from June 27 to 30 and is expected to attract 150,000 visitors “The decision to set up an amusement facility without consulting with the festival organisers has meant that local traders are now excluded,” he said “This undermines the livelihoods of small businesses integral to our community “Our local traders have worked tirelessly to contribute to the vibrancy and economy of our city “By denying them the opportunity to participate in one of our region’s key events Xtreme Funfair and G-Force Events not only jeopardises their businesses but also erode the collaborative and inclusive nature that Derry is known for 🎥 The LegenDerry Street Food Festival is BACK! 😋📅 15th-17th July⏰12-10pm Join us for the very best local street food, complemented by local drink producers & live DJ sets for a totally unique experience. ✨This 3-day festival will welcome the Clipper Yacht Race. pic.twitter.com/Hok0AX5U2x “We urge Xtreme Funfair and G-Force events to reconsider their stance and grant us access to the Foyle Maritime Festival.” A Derry City and Strabane district council spokesperson confirmed to The Irish News neither the landowner not the operator had engaged with council. “Council has been in contact with the operator since the amusements have been set up and site inspections in relation to environmental health, planning and health and safety regulations have been carried out,” he said. “Council has also been in contact with the NI Health and Safety Executive, who is the regulator, to express its concerns. “Following several site meetings along the Quay today (Tuesday) officials from the council have successfully reworked and designed the site layout to accommodate all the traders that had signed up for the Legenderry Food Festival. “The site layout has been revised to ensure that the only impact will be the loss of some public seating and recreational space. “While this is unfortunate it was the only way to facilitate all traders and adhere to health and safety.” 🎥 The LegenDerry Street Food Festival is BACK! 😋📅 15th-17th July⏰12-10pm Join us for the very best local street food, complemented by local drink producers & live DJ sets for a totally unique experience. ✨This 3-day festival will welcome the Clipper Yacht Race. pic.twitter.com/Hok0AX5U2x For moreTo find out more about Cokeville's history TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need Ron Ross remembers the demise of Cokeville His family’s property served as sort of a passageway for homes that were trucked out of the Derry Township village in the early 1950s — an exodus forced by the building of the Conemaugh Dam estimated he watched 50 homes be moved past the 13-room three-story farmhouse where he grew up to relocation spots in neighboring communities His was one of the last families to leave Cokeville and head across the Conemaugh River to their new home in Blairsville “I was old enough to remember a lot,” he said he was one of about 50 people who made a pilgrimage to the town that no longer exists Ross can remember chickens in the yard and a full dinner table at his grandparents’ house and pranked passing motorists with a friend More than 100 families were forced to find new homes — or relocate their existing residence — outside of the flood control impoundment area Cokeville was known for the 200 beehive coke ovens and plant there in the late 1800s Those operations ceased in the first few years of the 1900s the close-knit community did not die — annual reunions were held for decades until the final one in 2012 Dana Spiardi is working to keep the memory alive She organized the weekend hike and runs a Facebook page where others can share memories about Cokeville and her grandfather — Louie Diana — ran a small store Spiardi said she grew up hearing about Cokeville from family members so she knows it was a special place that remains in the hearts of many She has visited the abandoned community in the past and was able to find where her grandfather’s store once stood … It’s a real family connection,” she said she passed out to hikers plot maps and a list of Cokeville resident names from a 1952 edition of The Blairsville Dispatch Some tried to locate their ancestors on the map Ross didn’t need it to remember where things once stood among the brush He pointed to where the school was and an old gas station that used to be near the bridge into Blairsville that has since been torn down “It was country living,” he said You didn’t have to worry about anything.” Denise Jennings of Blairsville was excited to see an old picture of an ancestor’s pool hall and locate where her great-grandfather lived “It’s amazing,” she said Andrea Mackell and Marci Garland are neighbors in homes that were hauled out of Cokeville into what is now known as Cokeville Heights Mackell and her family have spent time in the past exploring Cokeville — her grandmother relocated a house out of the community and still lives in it Garland has lived in her house for 18 years and transplanted some flowers that were growing in the abandoned hamlet to her property — her only connection to the former community She likes to visit and imagine what it looked like decades ago and where her house may have sat so I walk down here all the time,” she said Renatta Signorini is a TribLive reporter covering breaking news, crime, courts and Jeannette. She has been working at the Trib since 2005. She can be reached at rsignorini@triblive.com Stay up-to-date on important news from TribLIVE 1-800-909-8742 © 2025 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved About Us Advertise Career Opportunities Contact Advertising Contact Circulation Contact Newsroom Contact Us Feedback Request Correction Resource Center Scholarship Opportunities Send Letter to the Editor Send News Tip Subscribe Subscriber Services Blog eFeatures Email Newsletters eTrib Facebook Home Delivery Instagram LinkedIn Marketing Minute Store Locations TribLIVE App - App Store TribLIVE App - Google Play X (formerly Twitter) Arts & Entertainment Best of the Best Business Directory Circulars Contests Coronavirus Lifestyles Local News YaJagOff Obituaries Opinion Our Publications Photos Real Estate Sports Video Weather Cookie Settings Privacy Policy Terms of Service STEPS Draperstown Karen McGuigan at the charity's new premises Support) Draperstown have opened new premises in the High Street area of the County Derry village.  The charity was founded in 2012 as a result of the rural village being branded ‘The Suicide Capital’ of Mid Ulster.  Following this worrying news a group of local citizens came together to try and combat the growing issue.  spoke to the County Derry Post about pride in the local community and how none of this would be possible without their support.  “All our thanks goes to our local community We wouldn’t be able to do it without them,” said Karen.  “Every bit of furniture in our new premises has been donated We have seen whole families come through our services and they are very kind in giving back We are extremely lucky with the support we get from our community.” ABOVE: STEPS Draperstown new premises  got involved with the organisation after completing ASSIT (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) at work “I had completed ASSIT in work through the Niamh Louise Foundation I got talking to Catherine from the Foundation and she put the idea into my head of starting a similar project for Draperstown I felt the community was afraid and didn’t know how to go about tackling the situation,” Karen said.  “Catherine explained to me that you have to try and do something It went really well and we had a lot of people come to it including the Suicide Prevention Officer for the Northern Trust The Beravement Support Officer for people bereaved through suicide and a representative from Lifeline It was starting to let people in the community know what was out there and everything went from there.” Continuing Karen explained how the organisation has grown over the years  “When we started out we were in the local high school we held all our meetings and classes there our GP’s couldn’t cope with the demand for the service so we started taking on some of their clientele We only had one counsellor and a clinical supervisor “To date we have nearly delivered a total of 1,000 counselling sessions to 63 different towns and villages throughout this rural catchment area On average we have delivered around 170 to 190 counselling sessions a month In January this year we saw 230 people and in February it was 220 but because we don’t get any statutory funding We have only ever been fit to do what we do thanks to our own community In 2023 we were lucky and fought hard for funding from the Lottery fund and have been able to continue counselling sessions because of that.”  Speaking on the invaluable work STEPS does in highlighting and offering support Karen said: “We do a lot of work with young people We did a lot of events to get men out and talking The young of the area have been great in working with us to develop a mental health workshop geared for them.After Covid we got them to review it again to see if it was still relevant They came back to us saying yes but now we need more support We are already in schools delivering workshops but we feel we need to get in younger classes and start those conversations Currently Year 13/14 are helping us to develop a new programme called ‘What is Normal?’ This came off the back of young people coming through our services with the thoughts of ‘being weird’ and ‘not fitting in’ Young people are amazing and opening up and coming up with solutions so they are great to work with in that sense The effects and pressures of Covid lockdowns and social media are massive on young people but once you give them that safe space to open up they are willing to do so.” Karen concluded saying: “We have delivered to over 200 groups and the demand is ever growing We will go anywhere if it means we get to start the conversation around mental health and suicide.” For more information on S.T.E.P.S Draperstown, visit facebook.com/steps.mental.health The fallen tree has blocked the Monadore Road near Park village A road has been blocked this afternoon after a tree came down amid Storm Babet is not accessible at present due to the fallen tree blocking the road Storm Babet is set to bring possible disruption today and tomorrow (Thursday) due to heavy and prolonged rain The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning which begins at 2pm today and ends at 10am tomorrow Most are familiar with Fr James Horan's campaign to capitalise on the tourism boom in Knock another clergyman had implemented his own grand ideas to bring a zoo to rural north Derry Liam Tunney finds out more about the fascinating story The National Trust had taken ownership of the Giant's Causeway announced to the wider world in 1963 after a paper was presented to the Royal Society by Sir Richard Bulkeley Mussenden Temple and Downhill were also drawing visitors while Benone Strand was a major attraction for holiday makers in the area Magilligan had been facilitating bathing at Benone and the Umbra with people coming from miles around to take advantage of the 'Magilligan air' Fr Shields helped Derry win an All-Ireland minor football championship in 1965 A raft of bed and breakfast provision was established during the 1960s as the area struggled to cope with the numbers of visitors seeking accommodation It was into this burgeoning tourist industry that Fr Seamus Shields stepped Fr Shields had founded the Swatragh Co-operative in 1963 successfully bringing business to the area His uncompromising style was also credited with putting 'the backbone' into the successful Derry side who won the All-Ireland minor football title in 1965 he set about recreating the Swatragh project in the north of the county focusing on the area's developing reputation as a tourist attraction Some of the thatched cottage models at the zoo complex Some church-owned patches of land in the area were let to farmers and it was on one of these that Fr Shields set up the Magilligan co-operative on which the zoo was situated Set between the Presbyterian Church and what is now Canning's Spar Shop on the Seacoast Road the site became home to a small knitting factory alongside the zoo The zoo complex itself included a souvenir shop an antique store and had on display a local area thatched cottage In an interview given to David Capper for a BBC documentary in 1971 Fr Shields revealed what he believed to be the secret to success; work ethic “Instead of a set of people in an area waiting for Santa Claus coming along to help them they should get up and help themselves,” he said has an obligation to the community as a whole but in the sense of helping people to help themselves “I'm glad to see the attention is being focused now on the self-help efforts Instead of bringing in outside industrialists “Filling in forms doesn't get anything going; there were no forms filled in this place when two London chefs were flown over to take part in an official ceremony A baby elephant may have been the main attraction but the zoo housed a wide range of animals a Korean squirrel and South African weavers Fr Shields' grand plan worked and the zoo became an overnight success with around 1,000 customers each week coughing up the entry fee of two shillings All money raised went into a co-operative headed by George Canning The co-operative created work for many of the local people looked after the zoo's horticulture and maintained the complex “It's on the main road to one of the most beautiful beaches in Ireland but it was unkown,” Fr Shields told the BBC “You can see the bed and breakfast houses going up “This is a community effort to help as many people in the community as possible and provide jobs The one thing I would like to pay tribute too is all the voluntary work “We cut across all barriers; all creeds and classes The only qualification we have here is work The zoo may have incorporated all creeds and classes but it was to fall victim of those with less ecumenical intentions rioting that became known as the Battle of the Bogside had broken out around the coast in Derry The escalation of tension that followed had a devastating effect on local tourism Shortly after Fr Shields had appeared on the BBC Operation Demetrius introduced a policy of internment which was to last until 1975 Internees were to be detained at three regional holding centres; Girdwood in Belfast The move resulted in negative press for the Magilligan area the zoo published an advertisement explaining it would no longer be opening Fr Seamus Shields and Mary McCorriston with a new arrival at the zoo shortly before its closure in 1972 “The mini zoo at Magilligan on the North Derry coast “The closure is a result of adverse publicity that Magilligan has had over the last few months firstly by the setting up of an internment camp there followed by the establishment of a regular prison.” before finally closing its doors during the winter of 1972 Fr Shields moved on to finish his days as parish priest in Greencastle who swapped the corporate life to become a full-time wedding florist Echo Echo funding cut 'vindictive and unacceptable' will be showcasing all their current opportunities Start your personalised health journey today with Randox Health Local News This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Parents say better play facilities are needed in Greysteel A campaign has been launched for a new play park in Greysteel Local residents say children in the County Derry village are losing out because of the lack of good playing facilities A petition has been launched asking Causeway Coast and Glens Council to build a new park in Greysteel A spokesperson for those involved in the campaign said: “We feel the lack of play facilities for our children has had a hugely negative impact on our community “This along with a play park providing a medium for social interaction and contributing positively to community life shows how vital play facilities are and always have been “Therefore our question to the council is why “Furthermore we believe our children’s human rights have been ignored and local government have failed them badly.” A spokesperson for Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council said they are aware of the concerns in Greysteel “A play park provided by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council is located at St Columba’s Walk in Greysteel “Council is aware of the community campaign around play provision in the village and is actively looking at ways to make improvements to this facility,” the spokesperson said Columba’s Walk play park is small and suitable mainly for younger children Peter Gahan (left) and Geraldine Lagan (right) accompanied the Majer family during their visit to Park last week An Australian family have visited a County Derry village to discover their family roots Maureen Majer (nee Donaghey) and her daughters Julie and Sonya travelled from their home in Queensland to Ireland last week in an effort to unlock their family history who was born in the Tireighter area of the village emigrated to Australia as a young man with his brother Denis in the late 1800s After initially working in Mount Morgan gold mines he went on to travel to Sydney before discovering a place called Mullumbimby in New South Wales where he obtained 640 acres of land and he made a living cutting down and selling timber With the money he earned he purchased a herd of beef cattle and set up a farm on the land which he later divided into four sections John was joined in Australia by fellow Park men his nephews Big Paddy and John Donaghey (jnr) Big Paddy and Michael went on to marry three sisters – the Dooleys John and his wife Margaret had eight children five boys and three girls – one of whom was Maureen's father Maureen and her daughters were delighted to visit the Donaghey family home which is still standing on the Tireighter Road Maureen Majer and Julie Majer pictured at the homeplace of Maureen's grandfather They were accompanied by Maureen's first cousin a native of Australia who now lives in Belfast who was born in Tireighter but lives in Ballinascreen “This is my first visit here and I am just lost in time,” said Maureen Peter said to us 'let's just take a minute' We were all quiet and thinking to ourselves what it must have been like here back in the day “I always knew that they (my ancestors) came from Park My late husband and I came to the border in the early days when you couldn't come any further and then we never came back to Ireland but today's the day.” Maureen continued: “We had a reunion back in 2019 at Federal in New South Wales and 130 of John Donaghey's descendants came We were there and each family had one spokesperson Peter sent some things from Ireland from his family and each person spoke about what their family had done in Australia and each one spoke with great love of John Donaghey and his bravery to come to Australia it's real history and you never think of yourself being part of that “These young men left Ireland as they were just looking for a better life “My grandfather sent back money home to Park for his sister to come out to Australia but their father said he wasn't going to let his daughter go out to a pagan country like Australia so the money went to other people in Park “We will now go home and share our visit and what we have learned here with the rest of the family It was great to be accompanied by people who know the history,” she added who was John and Margaret Donaghey's eldest child has been bringing extended family members to the ancestral home for many years so I found out from Maureen's relatives about Park and about this place so I have been here lots of times I bring other Australian family and friends here and when I look around these hills and the valleys they look like the area where he went to live in Australia who became a successful farmer and businessman had a bridge on his property named after him at Wilson's creek During his life he also was Mayor of Mullumbimby while his nephew Paddy who went on to establish a sugar-cane farm with his friend Mickey Lynch became Lord Mayor of a town called Willa Willa Mickey also had his turn as Mayor of the same town John Donaghey (snr) passed away in 1914 at the age of 64 after becoming ill with cancer getting to see where their great-grandfather hailed from has been a great experience who was on the Australian swim team during the 90s said: “Theoretically this is my mother's last hurrah it was one of her bucketlist items so for us to be with her is pretty special Mum may not be back but I hope to return again,” she added the demise of the thatched roof and a thriving cattle market are just three of the features contained in a 1967 documentary on life in a County Derry village 'Ballinascreen' charts life in the area at a time when a shift in farming and construction methods was beginning to change the face of the village The documentary was produced by Terence McDonald and was commissioned by Fr Michael Collins after the pair had linked up for 'The Parish Centre' a similar piece following life in the rural parish of Iskaheen/Muff outside Derry religious life and education of the parish and surrounding area as well as the ways the lives of those in the community are changing A young John Hume also interviews members of the community in the documentary This film is part of The Terence McDonald Collection. To watch more of the collection click here County Derry families call for action on terminal lung condition Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis is a terminal condition yet doesn't command the public profile of its deadly counterparts Liam Tunney has been to meet two local families living with the condition and to find out about efforts to fund research and fight back FEATURE: Draperstown's Gemma relishing new Radio One 'Introducing' role Liam Tunney speaks to County Derry musician and radio presenter Gemma Bradley about balancing music and presenting the pride in introducing new artists to listeners and her continued passion for contributing to her local community LIFE IN LOCKDOWN: Laughter the tonic in post-pandemic Draperstown Taken from Hogan Stand magazine 7th March 1992 Young Anthony Is The Jewel In The Crown Hugh and Eileen Tohill are proud of their four boys and four girls Swatragh is their home and if their family can bring a little fame to the mid-Derry village it's acknowledged the people of this tightly knit community have a common strain in their conversations ranks high in Swatragh's list in priorities Anthony Tohill first saw the light of the day on the second of August 1971 Gaelic football was deeply engrained in the Tohill stock Hugh had picked up a junior championship medal with Swatragh A strong rugged player who took no short cuts he had little doubt that the boys would follow in the family footsteps That they did and the four boys now proudly sport the green and white Celtic style hoops of the Michael Davitt Club Hugh Martin made his debut against Cavan in the league last year and scored four points it was his goal that helped to stop Leitrim winning promotion Currently he is undergoing treatment for a bad knee injury Jane captains the Derry minor camogie team while the other three sisters Mary Mairead and Aileen have taken up the caman for the honour of the village For a village of it's size Swatragh's is quite a remarkable place They have won three All Ireland titles in various grades of scor question time it has been whispered that a few Haugheys may have kicked a ball for the Davitt's while holidaying in their ancestral village The Camogie team has won the Derry senior for the past 18 years A tremendous record considering that camogie is strong in Derry The local co-op provides much needed employment Emigration is not as bad as in other areas Swatragh is full of self reliant people who make their own living Anthony Tohill first kicked a ball in earnest at St Cleary had played for Fermanagh at senior level Then for the lanky Anthony it was on to St Patrick's High School Maghera which was just four miles away As they say around Derry 'if there's football in you Anthony will be first to admit that he wasn't an overnight star Being tall and lightly built he found difficulty in tight match situations He grew quickly and at 17 began to fill out In 1988 he was on the local club team that won a first ever Derry minor championship Virtually all the players had came through the ranks since their Primary School days He was still called 'Sir' by some of the boys He had now graduated to the Derry First Division In his first senior championship game he scored eight points against Glennullin They were mostly from frees here was a player to watch Patricks it had been history making all the way He had been on the hurling team that had won the Mageen Cup this is the Ulster Colleges Senior Hurling Championship Under the superb Guidance of coach Adrian McGuckin the college went all the way and won the Hogan cup Anthony had played well but lacked consistency With many of the players eligible for the minor grade it was obvious that Derry would be very strong at this level After a shaky start against Fermanagh they made it to the Ulster final Anthony was still lacking in confidence at times and was replaced on the 13th August 1989 that Anthony cast all his doubts and cost at wet and windy Croke Park in the All Ireland MInor semi-final His team had struggled in the first half and there was fears of shock defeat as a certain Derek Duggan caused Derry all kinds of problems As if reborn the bit Swatragh lad simply took the game by the scruff of the neck He kicked two super second half points as his team went on to record a staggering 4-16 to 1-7 victory A month later with Offaly the opposition Derry collected their third ever minor title The Irish Independent on Monday blared out the heading 'Super Tohill is the Derry Star' He had been simply magnificent and had kicked four points from play in Derry's 3-9 to 1-6 victory Derry fans looked forward to a quick promotion to the senior ranks but four months after the victory Anthony was on his way to Melbourne to sample the rough and tumble of Australian Rules football He quickly adjusted to life in Melbourne just as quickly as he adjusted to the oval ball game and pitches He established himself on the Melbourne Demons Call and Reserve teams He missed a chance of playing in the Reserve Grand Final He got a broken leg playing a game of Gaelic Football in Melbourne He was in the same club as Jim Stynes and Sean Wight two Gaelic footballers who had made the level grade Being an extremely sensible and level headed lad he continued his education at an engineering college He was still very much in the minds of Derry GAA people and several rumours that he was coming home proved to be only rumours In June of last year he arrived back after 18 successful months 'Down Under' On the day he came back he attended senior county training Amazingly in match situations he looked as if he was never away He came on as a sub agianst Down in the championship and scored a vital point in the drawn game He is now at Queens University and plays on both the freshers and first teams he has played right half forward for Derry and has played a leading role in their wins over Meath In those games he has scored a total of 1-6 and more than once has dropped back to midfield and starred Against Down at Celtic Park he gave an astounding performance of high catching long range scoring and inch perfect passing Such was his performance that he has been selected for Ulster despite not being listed in the original panel of 40 players Standing six feet four inches and weighing over 200 pounds There is an air of optimism in Derry that hasn't been there for years Anthony epitomises a new breed of Derry footballer It's to his regret that so far he hasn't played for Derry along with his brother Hugh Martin but that may not be too far away Hugh Martin was recently picked on the best Queens University team of the last 20 years He may not be as big as his brother but he has inherited his father's grit and determination He hopes to be back training with Derry in a couple of weeks time Anthony has become the first Swatragh player to represent his province in football CJ might have stepped out of the limelight Right now big Anthony is filling that void.  The public artwork on a gable at Foylevew Apartments shows the seal in the ocean with a plastic bottle floating nearby. Derry and Strabane council invited names for the new mural with the winning entry drawn by Patti Quinn a resident at Foyleview. The name is taken from the Irish word “rón” meaning seal. Derry mayor, Sandra Duffy said the mural, by artist Peaball, would serve as a reminder of the impact of plastic pollution on sea life. She said it would be a lasting legacy of this year’s festival. “It highlights the beauty of some of the aquatic life in Lough Foyle but also the impact of plastic pollution on our waters. I hope the fact that it is in such a prominent position of high footfall that it will deliver an effective message to recycle and re-use plastic wherever possible to help protect and preserve our precious natural resources,” she said. Ms Duffy urged people to join the campaign to improve the environment by signing the “Big Plastic Pledge”. She said people should agree to use their own plastic water bottle, refuse plastic straws and encourage sports clubs and events to abandon single use plastic. The mayor said anyone wishing to sign up to the pledge could do so at 222.foylemaritime.com/pledge. 'Good Morning my beautiful angel' letters to Gemma grace and steeliness are etched on the face of Siobhan McHale whose mother Helen Dolan (née McLaughlin) hailed from the County Derry village of Claudy has suffered two major tragedies no-one should have to bear Siobhan has written about both in her book ‘Good Morning My Beautiful Angel’ on the tenth anniversary of Gemma’s death in an The cover of Siobhan's book 'Good Morning My Beautiful Angel' Speaking to Derry Now Siobhan described Gemma as very kind hearted and full of life.  “Gemma (20) lit up every room she went into She was stunningly beautiful but that beauty was not just from the outside She always put other people before herself She loved life and loved dancing and loved her style especially her six inch heels because she was tiny.  “‘Good Morning My Beautiful Angel’ came about when I started writing letters to Gemma Gemma was killed in a car accident on May 18 “I would write to Gemma every morning and I would start my letters I wondered if I could do anything with the letters “But I didn’t want it to be a book of just letters to heaven so I decided to go back to when I was born killed in a terrorist explosion on December 14 so I wrote about that as well,” said Siobhan Kathleen had just posted her wedding invitations in the postbox across the street from her family home She was coming back across the street when a car bomb exploded outside her parent’s public house My three younger brothers and myself were upstairs in bed We had just finished saying our prayers when we heard a loud bang We pulled the bed clothes up over our heads and then there was an unmerciful explosion and we lay still in the bed.  when everything had stopped falling on top of us The window beside the bed was just blown right in around us.  “I remember looking out of the window and thinking I could  throw the bedclothes out to break our fall I could hear screaming and the voices in the street.  “Then I heard this voice coming across the landing and this wee man who was really like a member of our family He took us down the stairs by the light of his matches because the electricity was out except for the Sacred Heart lamp which stayed lit That is incredible but that was the one light in the house that stayed lit,” recalled Siobhan Siobhan wrote about the Christmas Kathleen died in ‘Good Morning My Beautiful Angel’ She also wrote about “the ups and downs of life” after Kathleen’s death Kathleen’s father was Frank Dolan and her mother Helen’s family are still living in County Derry.  I also have cousins in Derry City and out towards Coleraine I also have a cousin in Clonmany and one in Letterkenny and  I would have a few cousins in Greysteel My uncle Johnny and his wife Ellen lived in Greysteel.” Siobhan then brought  ‘Good Morning My Beautiful Angel’ up to 2012 and two police officers standing at her door at 3 o’clock in the morning.  “Gemma had been in Mayo that day visiting Joanne “We had spoken to her on the phone at half nine that night.  was sitting with us and we were watching the TV and that ad came on with the two police officers going to the door to deliver the news that someone had been killed in an accident there was a knock at our back door and we thought it was Gemma home from Mayo Kieran [Siobhan’s husband] got up and he went to the back door but he suddenly realised the knock didn’t come from the back door So he pulled on his clothes and when he got to the front hall he could see two people with two yellow coats on standing there “He opened the door and there were two police officers there They delivered the news that there had been a serious road traffic accident at Letter Bridge That  is exactly how he said it and he had a gruff voice,” said Siobhan Siobhan went up the hall and Kieran was lying banging his head off the tiles on the floor.  What is wrong?’ And one of the police officers said “The police officer hadn’t asked if he could come in He didn’t ask Kieran if he had anyone in the house with him He was very ignorant in how he did it.  “We have actually discussed that with the PSNI since There has to be a better way for all the parents and family members who are going to get that kind of news.  “Joanne [Gemma’s sister] asked at a meeting if they did role plays The PSNI inspector said he had not done one in 27 years people we put faith in to protect us and do the best for everyone did not do role plays to equip them with the skills to impart terrible news in a more humane way,” said Siobhan Kieran and Joanne all shared the belief Gemma’s death was suspicious Siobhan said: “When Kieran went up to the scene of the accident that night he just had this gut instinct that there had been another car involved.  “The PSNI inspector came out to the house after the funeral and he said there were different scenarios He said Gemma might have been on her mobile phone I knew in my heart and soul Gemma was not on her phone because I had travelled that road with her on the previous Saturday night previously and her phone pinged We were on the Bridge and she said she was not going to stop and look at the phone because she said there was no service there “He also said it might have been an animal on the road; Gemma could have fallen asleep; or there could have been another car involved.  “There were tyre marks on the other side of the road to Gemma’s Gemma had to go up on the grass on her side The key point in it all was when we got all the reports back one said Gemma had dipped her headlights three to six seconds before she hit the bridge veering towards her and Gemma had had to go into the grass to avoid this car,” said Siobhan Having been through Gemma’s inquest and a PSNI investigation Siobhan is convinced the driver of the oncoming vehicle realised what was happening I don’t know,” said Siobhan.  “They veered to their side and they went up on the grass Gemma’s car went into a spin and she hit the bridge.  “At Gemma’s inquest the coroner ruled out all the other scenarios He actually travelled the road himself that morning before he gave his verdict He said Gemma did not fall asleep because if she had she could not have negotiated the bend she had just come round He said he felt there was another car involved “The coroner asked if the press was available in the court that day.There were two reporters there and he said ‘I want you to appeal for anyone who has information The PSNI has refused to release the detective’s report on Gemma’s accident,  carried out after her inquest Siobhan said: “It is very difficult to keep going knowing there are people out there who know what happened that night.  Siobhan signing a copy of 'Good Morning My Beautiful Angel'.  “If someone would just come forward and say what happened I would just like somebody to tell the truth “There is no easy way through the grief of losing a child She brings me a lot of comfort when I am down and out The letters are my golden thread to heaven ‘Good Morning My Beautiful Angel’ is available in Little Acorns Bookstore, 11, Foyle Street, Derry and Foyle Books in the Craft Village Greg McElhinney and Matthew Devine have had plenty of chat in the shop over lockdown but missed the social aspect outside of work For a village named quite literally after a field I head up the hill and pull the car in opposite the Vivo and the magnificently named Rio Grande bar which this afternoon sits under an angry-looking sky her face set against the stiff breeze that is swishing through the trees surrounding the village The scene on Learmount Road leading up the hill Rain starts to fall as a mother guides her toddler out the doors of the Vivo one hand clutching hers and the other gripping the bottle of juice he has just been bought A large plastic ice cream cone sits hopefully outside the shop Up the hill comes a learner driver seemingly on a lesson She stops outside Learmount Resource Centre and disappears into the building before emerging with her child in tow to resume her lesson A delivery driver pulls into the yard of Devine Kitchens He returns to his cab and pulls out a hammer I spot the wheel from an old watermill by the river side A remnant of an 1894 flax mill known as Quigley's Mill Perhaps the most clear view of the mill is from the top of the hill outside Park Hardware and DIY owner Greg McElhinney says the last year has been busy “With construction and everything else closing down last April which was good for us because people from the local area were able to do home projects,” he tells me so you'd a lot of painting and decorating – fences and gardens and stuff like that – going on “People were happy there was a local business still operating because a lot of the bigger hardware stores had closed “It got to the stage when it was hard to source materials because suppliers were closed until June time but people were happy enough to occupy their time Park's postal area recorded an increase in Covid cases last week and despite the attachment to Derry city skewing the numbers Greg admits there is still a degree of worry locally “The majority of the population feel we still have to be serious about this like putting your seatbelt on in the car,” he says “The worry now is we're straddling the Donegal border to a certain extent and case numbers are very high either side of it “There is more positivity now than there was maybe six weeks ago though and the vaccinations are a positive thing.” Covid has taken its toll on rural life too and compliance with regulations has come at a social cost for village communities “Where we're based is very much a rural area with a lot of the farming community and tradesmen and stuff,” says Greg meet up outside the shop here and have an opportunity to have a chat that maybe haven't seen each other in a few months “Those guys would have been at markets or farm meets every week but now you see them sitting out there for half an hour chatting to each other “The local community group have done a lot of work with the walkways there over the past number of years Caroline Lynch and Catriona Doughty from Learmount Community Development Group The local community group to which Greg refers is Learmount Community Development Group which is nestled down a lane next to the entrance to Learmount Forest Caroline Lynch and Catriona Doughty have noticed a big increase in people using Park's 'hidden gem' “We would have come down here some mornings and that car park would be full,” says Caroline “Our secret Learmount Forest isn't a secret any more “The forest has been fantastic for people being able to get out and safely meet their neighbours,” adds Catriona “They'll maybe call in at quiet times to have a socially distanced cup of tea they are missing company and casual conversation.” Caroline feels the experience of the last year has sharpened focus on the issue of loneliness that had been hiding in plain sight “We had a man who lives alone and had been sick for two or three days,” she says “He hadn't been out and had no food in the house so thankfully we were able to help with that “You just know people are lonely and looking to get out again but at the same time are a bit anxious about it “They're happy to take the summer out of it and see what happens “You could obviously be in the middle of a housing site and still be lonely but when you see some of the people on their own the group have seen the effect the pandemic and its associated lockdowns have had on both generations some of them are getting a wee bit set in their ways,” says Caroline We had a woman who always came in every week “It's highlighted how much we miss the social side of things not being able to get out and meet friends “People always think all they need is their phone but you can see now how the youth are crying out as much for social contact as any other generation.” that with the vaccine's roll out and the upcoming warmer weather that the group will be able to run some of their usual summer events “We are looking at putting together a summer programme but we'd be a bit nervous ourselves about bringing a group of people into the room,” says Caroline “It would be perfect if there was good weather We'd love to have tables out there on a nice evening with a bit of a barbecue and a bit of music the shutters are half up on the Rio Grande as preparations continue inside By the time you read this it will have reopened its doors Hospitality has returned throughout the county The farmers outside Greg McElhinney's store now have somewhere else to shoot the breeze Covid fears will be drowned out by clink of glasses the audible relief of the repressed socialite and the laughter of friends reunited It may need to be done across Park's Rio Grande My error of judgement only becomes clear on the far side of Dernaflaw Diggers and trucks bob over mounds of soil down the hill to my left now sit red 'Road Closed' signs and the parked cars of construction workers its path carefully corralled by an endless row of orange cones as it snakes its way towards the Maiden City When I finally descend down the steep incline of Claudy's Main Street The clock on Eakin's Corner towers over the street the ragged remains of what may once have been a banner hang from an overhead electrical wire A painted black bull welcomes customers to O'Kane's Meats the street stretches further down the hill into the Faughan Valley Wisps of smoke from distant houses billow into the air A lady rounds the corner at the crossroads Customers nip in and out of Centra and Spar another of the county's watering holes sitting in solemn anticipation of a return to business Road works are an all-too-common sight in Claudy at the minute An elderly woman opens her door and shuffles onto the step peering up the hill as if waiting for someone two black horses eye me suspiciously as I stop to take a photograph of the GAA pitch at the bottom of the hill They walk the boundary of the fence in tandem with me as I continue down the hill scattering a peacefully grazing flock of sheep in the same field there are excited voices as the pupils of St Colmcille's Primary School file out parents ushering them into cars as the lollipop man patrols the pedestrian crossing P1 to P3 have just finished their first fortnight back in the classroom with the older children following suit yesterday New homes are being built next to the school with a sign proclaiming a site across the road has also been procured The brakes of an ageing Nissan Micra scream in protest as the line of school traffic inches its way back down the hill through the village Behind a clear plastic screen in Eleanor's cafe Irene McElhinney is missing the unpredictable buzz of company have them in for their tea or coffee and hear what's going on with them,” she tells me “Whenever the mobile homes were going and the houses in Donegal they would have been calling back and forth You find if you don't open for customers that have been coming all year CHATTY: Irene McElhinney is missing the buzz of a full bakery People have got used to Covid restrictions after a year of altering their behaviour but despite the ongoing vaccination programme there is still an element of fear among more elderly residents “There are a few older ones that would only come in here and maybe wouldn't go to supermarkets because of the guidelines and the rules,” says Irene but you did have the social aspect here where they would have come in and had their tea but you try and keep on smiling and keep going with what we have It's the simple things that we've always done that we miss.” Sally McEleney is more bullish about the situation offers a blunt answer when I ask how things have been “The latest lockdown has been much worse than the first for the simple reason that I don't think small businesses are being looked after people are bumper to bumper on top of one another and people are queued up to get their click and collect The restrictions have also meant the usual upturn in business from Valentine's Day and Mothers' Day has been stifled “I had to switch my phone off because I just couldn't cope with the demand “I missed all the last minute customers I normally would have had for Mother's Day and Valentine's Day “I can safely say it's not worth my while opening but I love my work and that's what brings me in I didn't want to let any of my regular customers down.” the absence of people and company has taken its toll on Sally “I'm really looking forward to having my customers coming in the door again and having a nice chat and getting all my wee plants outside for the Spring time they're very faithful and they support local but they can't get a chance to support me at the minute.” Maureen McGonigle is upbeat about the future says there has been much more activity around the village recently "Although people are continuing to try and keep themselves and families safe they are trying to get on with a relatively ‘normal’ life whilst still respecting the Covid 19 restrictions," she says "As with all optometry practices in Northern Ireland we were o it able to see emergency patients in the first lockdown but  since the end of June 20 we are also able to see patients for ‘essential’ services." Maureen says the practice had to work to put some of their patients at ease with some concern over the close contact aspect of the situation "We have found that particularly for those patients who were ‘shielding’ the appointment at our practice may be their first medical appointment," she says "Although initially anxious about being out they are very reassured to see  that we have all the necessary safety measures in place to ensure their continued safety." Maureen already has one eye on family gatherings "From a personal point of view I am really looking forward to regaining our family connections and being able to gather as a family to celebrate important family events such as birthdays," she tells me Praying for an end to lockdown at the local chapel There is plenty of chat from the people of Claudy an unspoken plea for help is weaved into their conversation People have dug in hard over the last year the climb out an almost vertical scramble on loose earth I point the car downhill and head home through Feeny no one wants to be sitting in traffic on the A6 at yesterday’s launch in Derry’s Craft Village By Donna DeeneyFri 23 Aug 2019 at 08:24For decades Londonderry's economy relied on the dozens of shirt factories scattered on both sides of the River Foyle where thousands of Derry girls worked long hours in tough conditions And yesterday the Inner City Trust unveiled a tribute mural to the factory girls It was created by local man Joe Campbell and UV Artists who were also behind the Derry Girls mural The mural in the Craft Village off Shipquay Street features the shirts the city became so renowned for producing and the Tillie and Henderson Factory on the Abercorn Road which has since been demolished Chief executive of Inner City Trust Helen Quigley said it was important to mark the contribution to the city by the generations of factory girls She said: "Factory girls were the backbone of the city Not only did they significantly contribute to the wider local economy they were often the sole breadwinners in the family "Lifelong relationships were forged on the factory floor that endured over the years and beyond the walls of the factories "It is no exaggeration to say that they held the city together in bleak economic times providing stability and protection for their families and the wider community." Carl Porter from UV Artists said he is confident this mural will prove just a popular as the Derry Girls one He said: "It was great for me to be able to work on this mural because a lot of the women in my family worked in the factories and I have grown up listening to the stories so many women stopped with us and told us their stories so I know it will be as big a talking point as the Derry Girls mural and it is great that the two are so close to each other." Derry and Strabane Council and the former Department for Social Development had commissioned a piece of public art as a tribute to Derry's factory girls more than a decade ago but this has been bedevilled by problems and has yet to materialise One of the driving forces behind securing a permanent tribute is Maeve McLaughlin who said: "I think the whole process by the council was shameful "It was flawed from the start when the former Department for Social Development commissioned the artist without any planning permission It's taken more than 12 years to recognise the role that the Derry women played and I am firmly of the view if there had been a will to do it "These murals are a step in the right direction and I hope it will attract loads of people in around this area but I will fight on to ensure a permanent structure that is a tribute to the factory girls." The friendships forged over the noise of the sewing machines has left enduring memories for thousands of Derry girls many of whom walked out of the classroom and into the factory Among them is 75-year-old Charlotte Bonner (left) who worked in the Tillie and Henderson Factory She said: "I went into Tillies in 1959 and left in 1969 to have my son but then "We went straight out of school and into the factory you had to do that because there was no other work "There were hundreds of girls working in Tillies so you can guess the stories "Me and my sister saw it when it was just being painted and we got our photograph taken in front of it then so it is lovely to get another one done now it is finished." Mona Kivlehan-Hegarty (77) was full of praise for the mural they even included the very steps we went up and down "The building was pulled down a few years ago and I think that shouldn't have been allowed but this mural will remind all the girls who worked in Tillies of all the great times we had "Lots of girls came to work in the morning with their rollers in and a scarf on so their hair would be done for going to the dances and that's in the mural too - it is really good." Rita McCarron (80) said the murals evoked wonderful memories She said: "The factory girls were the backbone of Derry and the craic we had was incredible "We sang for a half and hour in the morning before you started your work and talked about everything under the sun "There was something very special about working in the factories It was hard graft but the girls were lovely and friendships I made then I still have." BY BRENDAN McDAIDThu 21 Feb 2013 at 06:58A 6,000-year-old Stone Age village excavated in Londonderry has been heralded as being of global significance The settlement is seen as of world importance as it is only the second of its type found in Ireland and is unique in the range of activities found to have been carried out there Archaeologists have found evidence of early farming techniques ancient artwork and even battles on the site which was fortified with a wooden palisade Some of the thousands of artefacts uncovered at the early neolithic settlement will now go on display for the first time ever in an exhibition opening in the Tower Museum tomorrow The ancient community was discovered in routine excavation work undertaken during the construction of Thornhill College girls grammar school in Culmore in 2000 flint weapons and a tree-lined fortification — one of only two in Ireland — were among the rare finds Among the unique finds at Templemore were rounded and pierced stone beads which are believed to the earliest record of ornamental adornment in Ireland The largest of these — the Thornhill bead — was used in the City of Culture ‘Voices’ film Leading Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) archaeologist Paul Logue said the site could hold its own with any others discovered in Europe and was as important as Derry's Walls although whereas the Walls were built 400 years ago “In terms of understanding the neolithic period in western Europe this is a site that can hold its own against many sites in Europe,” he said education officer at Derry City Council’s Heritage and Museum Services department said the exhibition had been several years in the planning The artefacts were originally taken to NIEA’s Belfast headquarters where they have been examined “It is hard to say how many families lived on the site but within it we have found bits of pottery a flint knife scraper for skinning animals “It is very significant because it gives archaeologists and historians the chance to learn more.” “One of the most interesting things about the site is the Thornhill bead With the other things that were found there we know there was trade and exchange going on with other parts of the North West and into Tyrone and other parts “Stone axes were made of a type of porcellanite stone which is not local but from the Antrim Plateau “Similarly the flint is not local to Derry and must have been brought in from somewhere else “The site is quite close to the river and there would have been easy access to trading as well as fishing They also found evidence of conflict architecture “We make the point in the exhibition that aggressive behaviour on the island is not something unique to our time Even 6,000 years ago humankind had its darker side.” The excavation covered an area of 400 square metres and it is thought there may be other important discoveries waiting there Mr Logue confirmed last night that three other sites were earmarked for excavation in partnership with Derry City Council The identity of these has yet to be disclosed Interest in the Thornhill site spread after members of the Templemore Archaeology group discovered worked flint items in what was then an open field construction work to replace the old Thornhill College was well under way Before work began on the carpark to the front of the school the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) were brought in to carry out a routine investigation Derry City Council and others including then Thornhill College principal Sister Christopher agreed to extend the dig and it was conducted over six months from April to October 2000 1 Five rectangular and circular structures believed to have been houses 2 An extremely rare palisade enclosure made of tree trunks around the perimeter The only other similarly fortified site from the period is at Knowth near Newgrange in modern day Co Meath 5 Flint and stone tools made from materials only available in other parts of Ireland — showing evidence of trade 7 Evidence of early agriculture and a move from hunting and gathering 8 A saddle quern (millstone) for grinding grain 9 Quartz items at a site where rituals were possibly carried out 10 Unique rounded and pierced stone beads which provide the earliest evidence so far of personal adornment in Ireland