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Top 10 Places in County Derry/Londonderry

Most popular landmarks and natural wonders in Derry/Londonderry

Explore the highest-ranked historic sites, natural landmarks, and attractions across County Derry/Londonderry (Doire).
Free Derry Corner — photo by louise price #1
Monument County Derry/Londonderry

Free Derry Corner

Free Derry Corner is a historical landmark in the Bogside neighbourhood of Derry, Northern Ireland, which lies in the intersection of the Lecky Road, Rossville Street and Fahan Street. A free-standing gable wall commemorates Free Derry, a self-declared autonomous nationalist area of Derry that existed between 1969 and 1972. On 5 January 1969, local activist Liam Hillen painted graffiti on a gable wall at the end of a housing terrace stating "You are now entering Free Derry". Civil rights activist and writer Eamonn McCann stated: "That phrase, 'You are now entering Free Derry', I take credit for that. It's not an original phrase but it was I who devised it on the night in question and had it put up on the wall, and that's the most enduring thing I've ever written: You are now entering Free Derry. That came from Berkeley in California in 1956 [recte 1964] in a Berkeley Free Speech Movement ... And there was a student occupation of Berkeley College ... In the entrance to Berkeley College there was a big sign that said 'You are now entering Free Berkeley' from the Free Speech Movement, and I said, Well that's cool, and then when we came to Derry, I had that put up on that gable wall." When the British home secretary James Callaghan visited Derry in August 1969, the "Free Derry" wall was painted white and the "You are now entering Free Derry" wording was professionally re-painted in black lettering by John "Caker" Casey. The wall and the area in front of it became known as Free Derry Corner by the inhabitants. Free Derry Corner, Rossville flats, and the surrounding streets were the scene of the Battle of the Bogside in 1969 and Bloody Sunday in 1972. The houses on Lecky Road and Fahan Street were subsequently demolished, but the wall was retained. As currently situated, it now lies in the central reservation of Lecky Road, which was upgraded to a dual carriageway some time following the demolition of the original terraced houses. Also on the reservation are memorials to the 1981 hunger strikers and to those who died engaging in paramilitary activity as part of the Provisional IRA's Derry Brigade. On nearby walls can be seen various murals – part of The People's Gallery by the Bogside Artists. The wall itself is frequently repainted to reflect various causes, both international and local.

Popularity
69
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Slieve Gallion — photo by Linda Bailey #2
Peak County Derry/Londonderry

Slieve Gallion

Slieve Gallion (Irish: Sliabh gCallann) is a mountain in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is the easternmost of the Sperrin Mountains. It reaches a height of 528 metres (1,732 ft) and dominates the western shore of Lough Neagh. Its prominent northeastern summit has a transmitter station with a small road leading to it, and stands at a height of 496 metres (1,627 ft). By road, Slieve Gallion is 4 miles (6.4 km) from Moneymore, 8 miles (13 km) from Cookstown, and 8 miles (13 km) from Magherafelt. The mountain is part of the parishes of Desertmartin, Lissan and Ballinascreen.

Popularity
45
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Seamus Heaney Homeplace — photo by Kenneth Allen #3
Museum County Derry/Londonderry

Seamus Heaney Homeplace

The Seamus Heaney HomePlace is an arts and literary centre in Bellaghy, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It displays the life and work of Seamus Heaney. Designed by W&M Given Architects, construction began in 2015 by contractors Brendan Loughran & Sons Ltd. It opened in late September 2016. On the site originally stood a RUC barracks. It has won multiple awards throughout its operation, and its visitors include Charles III, Liam Neeson, and various award-winning poets. It holds a permanent exhibition titled Seamus Heaney: Man and Boy, and frequently hosts different events throughout the year. It attracted 40,000 people in its first year.

Popularity
28
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Old St Lurachs Church — photo by Kenneth Allen #5
Church County Derry/Londonderry

Old St Lurachs Church

Maghera Old Church (also known as Old St. Lurach's Church) is the ruins of a church in Maghera, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is a scheduled monument and a Monument in State Care. It was originally founded by St Lurach at some point during the 6th century, likely as a monastery. It is mentioned in the Annals of Ulster when it was plundered by Vikings in 832 and many of its abbots killed. The church later suffered significant damaged when it was burned in 1135. From the mid-12th century until 1245 it was the seat of a bishop, after which it became a parish church. It was damaged due to warfare in 1688, but rebuilt. It was later abandoned in 1819 when the new St. Lurach's Church was built across the road. In 1880, following the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland, it passed into state care. An extensive conservation effort was completed in 1984. In the graveyard, west of the church, is a cross-carved pillar stone, which is traditionally believed to hold the remains of St. Lurach. The church also contains one of the earliest depictions of the crucifixion in Irish architecture, and is one of the most important Romanesque monuments in Ulster.

Popularity
26
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Benbradagh — photo by Bjmullan (talk) (Uploads) #6
Peak County Derry/Londonderry

Benbradagh

Benbradagh (from Irish Binn Bhradach 'treacherous peak') is a large hill near Dungiven in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It rises to 465 metres (1,526 ft) and is north of the Sperrin Mountains. Benbradagh was used from the 1940s to the early 1970s as a United States Military communications base for its North Atlantic fleet. US forces also built underground stores for high explosives at Benbradagh. In the early 1980s, Col Buckley, of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (Ireland), believed the UK could use the facility to store nuclear weapons. Col Buckley complained that he did not have "the monitoring or surveillance systems" to confirm whether nuclear weapons were being kept there, but the British strongly denied having nuclear weapons in Northern Ireland.

Popularity
24
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Peak Loughermore
#7
Peak County Derry/Londonderry

Loughermore

Loughermore (from Irish Luachair Mhór 'big rushy area') is a mountain in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is the 847th highest mountain in Ireland and lies in a large uplands area known as the Loughermore Hills, which is bounded to the west and south by the Rivers Faughan and Foreglen and to the east, by the River Roe. There is also Loughermore forest. It is called Fairview by most of the local community.

Popularity
23
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Binevenagh — photo by David Trochos at English Wikipedia #8
Peak County Derry/Londonderry

Binevenagh

Binevenagh (from Irish Binn Fhoibhne, meaning 'Foibhne's peak') is a large, steep-sided hill in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is part of the Keenaght Hills, which mark the western edge of the Antrim Plateau, formed around 60 million years ago by molten lava. Binevenagh and its cliffs overlook the Magilligan peninsula and dominate the skyline over the villages of Bellarena, Downhill, Castlerock and Benone beach. The area has been classified as both an Area of Special Scientific Interest and as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The total area of the AONB is 138 km2. The Bishop's Road, named after the Bishop of Derry, extends across the plateau. Notable features include a cliff top viewing area giving good views over Lough Foyle and across Inishowen in County Donegal.

Popularity
22
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Church Banagher Old Church
#9
Church County Derry/Londonderry

Banagher Old Church

Banagher Old Church is a monument in state care, and a scheduled monument, in Banagher near Dungiven in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Local tradition ascribes the foundation of the church to either Saint Patrick, or more commonly, St Muiredach O’Heney. Whilst an inscription etched in the 1730s states that ‘this church was built in ye year of God 474’, there is no evidence that the church is that old. Instead it was likely founded towards the end of the 11th century. Its first definitive reference in recorded history is related to 1121, when it is mentioned in the Annals of Ulster as the site where the king of the Ciannachta was killed by his own kinsmen. It was later noted as the base for Archbishop Colton of Armagh's 1397 visit to the Diocese of Derry. It is unknown when the church was abandoned, but a survey of churches of the area in 1622 noted it was already ruined. Interest in the site as an important ecclesiastical ruin was revived in the late 19th century. In 1880 it passed into state care from the church Temporal Commissioners. In the 1970s the church was fully excavated and underwent a conservation programme.

Popularity
21
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