The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-10-25
A Glimpse at. One Of Ireland's
Historic Places.
THE GATES OF DERRY
A Ce ebration by the Irtsh-CathOh'
VS.. Protestant-A Rowling Mob
Raising Ned.
LONDONDERRY, IRELAND,
September 26, 1885.

Correspondence of THE HERALD:
This is one of Ireland historic places.
If not famed in song to degree that
might satisfy the ambition and pride OF
its residents, it certainly holds an en-
viable place in modern history among
the Protestant classes. Nor is 1t I'M
known to students of ancient history
About the year 445, a monastery Tor
canons regular of the rule OF st. Angus |
tine was established here in 1918,
Astercian nunnery was founded by one
TurIogh Seinigh; while report Of equal
antiquity and repute says: BY request
of st. Dominick, Dominican friary
was built here by O'DOnnell, the young
er Prince of Tyrcornnell, in 1z74." At
that time and down to the sixteenth
century Derry, and surrounding dis
tricts. were in possession of native chief
tains. The O'Cathans, or. 0'Kanes,
held the ancient city, which, with the
Territory surrounding, comprises the
present County of Londonderry. In
the early part of the seventeenth cen
fury, the greater portion of Ulster Pro-
vince was parcelled out to English and
Scottish undertakers, as they were
called; while Derry was given to Lon
don guilds styled as follows: SINNERS,
salters, tailors. fshmongers, poulterers,
woolmen, winners, diapers, goldsmiths,
grocers. haberdashers, clothworkers,
ironmongers, masons, armorers, etc.;
from which came its present name,
Londonderry while it is still controlled,
as understand it, by a London com
pany, who collect the rentals, etc.; and
devote the surplus income to the i'm
provement of the place. And they are
actually doing it, and rapidly modern
xing the site Of this once ancient town.
Not a yestige of the ancient city, it is
said. remains, the destruction being due
to the disturbed condition Of the times
and the violent scenes it has witnessed.
The present town is therefore the work
I of the London companies, yet there Is
much that is old-fashioned and very
ouaint about il. and as it now stands,
Londonderry is suggestive of turbulent
times and gives strong inlmatlons that,
modern as it is now termed 1t IS sufil-
ciently old to recall scenes OF violence
, and aggression. The city proper, as 1t Is
called, is surrounded by high and
broad wall, which, while built many
years ago, still remains intact though
extensive buildings has been done out
side of it. Connected with this wall Is q
history which is celebrated each year by
Protestants, or Orangemen, the event
commemorated being the Opening OF
the Gates of Derry" This wall was
erected as early as 1918, old history de
cIaring it to have been designed by one
Thomas RaYen,:of London. The city
7 at the date above given, was already
"eacompassed with a strong wall excel
Iently made. anol neatly wrought, belnt
all of good lime and stone; the clrcul
whereof is 2S4 perches and Two-thlrdS
at eighteen feet to the perch, beside
the four gates which contain eighty-tou
, feet, and in every plate OF the wall IL !
twenty-four feet high and si1 feet thlcS
The gates are all battlemensed, put wv
of them there is no going up, so ina
tbez serve no great use, neither haV
thew made any leaves for their gate
but make two draWbridges serve for Nv
of them, and two portculllSes Tor %
other two. The bulwarks are very larg
- and good, being IN number nine, o.
sides TWO half bulwOrks, and for four
them there may be four cannons
other great pieces. The rest are notcl
so large, but Wanteth very little: II
rampart within the city is twelve fe'
thick of earth" Modernized, the
count would read: The wall Is we
preserved, about eighteen or twen'
feet wide on the topels kept Tor al
makes a splendid promenade, (thous
by no means level, as it follows the u
dulating character of the earth, and
up and DOWN. and is roughly estimate
at being mile around.
The opening of the gates of Derry
an event, the mere mention OF Whl
fires the breast of the Orangemen
such an extent that he can't .'houl'
himself. Throughout the north OF II
land, In 1853. rumors of an intend
massacre of ProteStantS were rife, I
result being that they collected III
towns for mutual protection and
Tense. Derry offered peculiar adya
tages and it is said that no less tn
10000 souls gathered within the {
closure which the wall, one mile Ia :
cult. made. The attack was Sadd
and unexpected, and an army OF 2O,C
men were within sight ST the walls
fore any knowledge of The coming n
been obtained. A few apprentice be
shut the gates, to prevent an entran
. The authorities, among whom was
governor named Lundy Ga man, thou
Appointed by a Protestant OF stro
Catholic learnings), protested and
- sisted upon the gates being reopen
~ The apprentices resolutely refused, a
found themselves backed by the bulk
the population, prominent among TIT
being Reverend George Walker who
made chief and to whose unyieldlng
termination, the city managed to sta
ont against a long seige and one Il
was full Of horrors to the besieg
There was neither food nor proyis
IN nor discipline worthy the name. jar
N II. was personally present at the 81
~. and after waiting eleven days return
neevishly to Dublin. The siege las
one hundred and FIVE days, dur
which time the flesh of horses, DC
and yermin; hides, tallow and OF
&, Z vile and nauseating substances "
o > purchased at extraVagant prices,
= devoured by population whom. disc
l0H and pestilence was already declmat
OF on the one side, while on the other
% a determined foe was only awaiting
opportunity to complete the WORK OF
sfrucfio0 In the meantime ala