Things to do in Ramelton

The Derry City Walls are among the best examples in Europe of a fortified commune. Derry was one of the last cities in Europe to build a protective wall, which is well preserved today. Walk the walls and encounter churches, cannons and shops along the way.

Nestled in the remote heart of the beautiful County Donegal, Glenveagh National Park is the second largest National Park in Ireland. John Adair, the ruthless mid-19th century landowner who once owned an estate here, infamously evicted hundreds of the area’s inhabitants for spoiling his view! After this colourful start, the estate was eventually donated to the Irish Nation in the late 20th century and opened as a National Park in 1984.

The Millennium Forum stands on Newmarket Street close to the River Foyle and is distinctive for its high, rounded corner face. Inside, visitors are greeted with an impressive entrance foyer and a sweeping stairway framed by a mural that takes them down to the auditorium and a marble-floored piazza with a brasserie restaurant.

The Museum of Free Derry is a fascinating institution with collections and displays on momentous parts of Ireland’s history. The Irish conflict between unionists who wanted to stay in the United Kingdom and nationalists resulted in bloody battles in the second half of the 20th century. Learn about the societal changes to Derry during the civil rights movement of the 1960s and the Irish Troubles a decade later. See the Bloody Sunday Memorial that honors civilians violently killed by British soldiers.

With a name that wouldn’t look out of place in The Lord of the Rings, the mountain itself is as equally as magical. Visit at sunset and you will see that Mount Errigal glows a mysterious iridescent pink as the sun descends behind the horizon. The cause of this beautiful phenomenon is the light reflecting off Mount Errigal’s high levels of quartzite.

Built using red sandstone and largely consisting of a cavernous hall and clock tower, the Guildhall was the administrative hub for the Londonderry Corporation and today serves as the city’s council chamber and Mayor’s Parlour, making it the last remaining working guildhall in Ireland.

The city covers both banks of the River Foyle, with Protestants largely living on the east bank and Catholics on the west. The impressive Peace Bridge is attempting to bring the two sides closer together and, so far, it seems to be working.