Welcome to Derry/Londonderry

Londonderry is commonly referred to simply as Derry.  The city is in County Derry, one of the six counties that are part of Northern Ireland and one of nine counties that are part of the province of Ulster.  

Derry has a long history with St. Columba playing a role in its early times. The area was later to be the scene of considerable hostilities with English forces. There are a number of older buildings of historic interest with a newer one honoring Amelia Earhart who landed near Londonderry as the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.

County Derry is to the northwest of Belfast.  The web site for Derry Visitor and Convention Bureau, the Cruise Northwest and Magherafelt District Council are very good resources for tourist information for County Derry.  See also the links pages for the UK and Ireland and the Ireland home page

Ballymoney is on the road between Derry and Coleraine.  James McKinley, grandfather of President William McKinley was born nearby in the village of Conagher.  Ballymoney Borough Council's web site has information about this connection and other people and topics of interest to visitors.

Macosquin Abbey was one of several houses founded by the Cistercians in Ireland.

Downhill Estate, Hezlett House and Springhill are National Trust properties in County Derry.

Transportation

There are good transportation services in and around Londonderry with access to major highways and rail systems. Ferry services to Britain are within a reasonable distance and a regional airport is close by.

Derry/Londonderry Airport (LDY) is located outside the City of Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland, offering regional services to London and other parts of Britain.  The airport's web site has flight schedule and other information to assist with travel planning.

Belfast International Airport (60 miles to the east), Dublin International Airport (143 miles to the southeast), and Shannon airport (225 miles to the southwest) have direct flights between North America and are worthy of consideration for any travel that includes a visit to Ireland as these gateways will mean a reduction in trans-Atlantic flying time compared with other airports in Britain or Europe. They are much less congested than most other international airports.

Northern Ireland Railways provide rail service throughout Northern Ireland and to Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. Belfast is the hub for this system that extends to the port of Larne in the northeast, to the city of Derry (Londonderry) in the northwest and to several points throughout the southern counties of Northern Ireland. There is a station near Belfast City/Harbour Airport.

Irish Rail provides information for train services throughout the entire island. Intercity rail services cover the Republic of Ireland with connecting services to Northern Ireland. Major cities include Dublin, Limerick, Cork, Waterford and Rosslare.

Regional bus services operate from Londonderry.

Derry has a number of amenities that make it a good hub for exploring areas in the north of Ireland. The following is a partial list of other towns and cities in Ireland that may be of interest to visitors. All are accessible by car and most by train or bus. Distances (miles/kilometers) are provided from the city of Derry for highway routes that are deemed most efficient.

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