LONDONDERRY or DERRY, a city, county borough, and the chief town of Co. Londonderry, Ireland, 4 m. from the junc tion of the river Foyle with Lough Foyle, and 95 m. N.N.W. of Belfast. Pop. (1926) Derry, the original name of London derry, is derived from Doire, the "place of oaks." It owes its origin to the monastery founded by Columba about 546. With the bishopric which arose in connection with this foundation, that of Raphoe was amalgamated in 1834. From the 9th to the 11th century the town was frequently taken by the Danes, but they were finally driven from it by Murtagh O'Brien about the begin ning of the 12th century. In 1311 it was granted by Edward II. to Richard de Burgh. After the Irish Society of London obtained possession of it, it was incorporated in 1613 under the name of Londonderry. The fortifications, begun in 160o, were completed in 1618. In 1688 Derry had become the stronghold of the Protes tants of the north. In April, 1689 it was besieged by the forces of James II. but was relieved in July of the same year.
The city is situated on an eminence rising abruptly from the west side of the river to a height of about 120 feet. It is sur rounded by an ancient rampart about a mile in circumference, hav ing seven gates and several bastions, but buildings now extend be yond this boundary. The summit of the hill, at the centre of the town, is occupied by a quadrangular area from which the main streets diverge. Some old houses with high pyramidal gables re
main but are much modernized. The Protestant cathedral of St. Columba, in Perpendicular style, was completed in 1633, and was enlarged and restored in 1887. The spire was added in 1778 and rebuilt in 1802. The bishop's palace, erected in 1716, occupies the site of the abbey founded by Columba. The abbot of this monastery, on being made bishop, erected in 1164 Temple More or the "Great Church," one of the finest buildings in Ireland previous to the Anglo-Norman invasion. The original abbey church was called the "Black Church," but both it and the "Great Church" were demolished in i600 and their materials used in fortifying the city. There is a Roman Catholic cathedral, erected c. 1870 and dedicated to St. Eugenius. About 5 m. W. of the city on a hill 8o3 ft. high, is the Grianan of Aileach, consisting of three concentric ramparts and an interior fortification of stone.
The staple manufacture of Londonderry is linen (especially shirt-making), and there are also shipbuilding yards, iron-foun dries, saw-mills, manure-works, distilleries, breweries and flour mills. The salmon fishery on the Foyle is valuable.