South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-07-26
LONDONDERRY IS
KNOWN In SONG
AND IN LEGEND
Busy City of Ireland Plays an
Important Part in
Commerce.

WASHlNGION, July 20. - The
National Geographic society has is
sued. from its Washington head
quarters the following bulletin
about Londonderry. ireland.
Derry, or Londonderry in Ulster
known in song and legend as the
Maiden City OF ireland. has the
charm OF the CHEEKY, busy town and
Is fully characterized by the stirring
marching song which these Irish sing
on their days OF celebration:
" Where Foyle his swelling waters
roll nOrthward to the main,
Here. Queen of Erin's daughters,
fair Derry fixed her reign;
A holy temple crowned her and COM
merce graced her street.
A rampant wall was round her. the
river at her feet
These four lines briefly tell Lon
donderry's story. Along the two
mile quays Of the river Irishmen
jolly each other IS they load and
unload the foreign, colonial and
coasting trade Of the docking vessels.
For the FOyle is wide and deep. and
large tonnage ships sailing the flags
OF France, Australia, Brazil. the
United States and India, bring their
wares 10 her port. Busy looms in
the city make linen and then laugh
ing. twinkly-e eyed Irish girls make
the linen into shirts before II leaves
Londonderry. The salmon fishery on
the Foyle is important and the town
has timber mills. foundries grain
mills and ship yards
Charm for Traveller.
But Derry has for the traveller
charm greater than its hustle and
frr Il hi p
of a past replete with romance, de-
vouOn to principle. and the exhibit
ton of an indomitable spirit. Co
lumbia, the greatest of Irish saints
after Patrick and Brigid. in $40
looked on the oak-clad hills and COW
eted them. Here he founded his alb
hey known as Daire -Columbkille, or
Columb bias Oak Grove, within the
shadow of a great fort on a neigh
boring hill. the stronghold OF the
Lord OF Tyrone, in order that his
sanctuary might have the protec-
ton of the fort. But in vain did he
reckon his chances against the Danes
and SaXOns who, time and again,
pushed their boats against his shores.
Despite their plundering and burn
ings, the settlement, of which which
he had made the nucleus grew and
main AAAAAtn IT'S AAAut ptUhtAANt ab eAAAAoA
even the English until 1909.
Derry was then given 10 the cor
portation OF London which tackled
on the prefix London. Three years
later the Irish society, TO which
Londonderry and much Of the sur
rounding country had been given,
pledged itself to enclose Derry with
in walls, and these walls. wide
enough for a coach and four. are
excellently preserved today perhaps
10 the inconvenience of the inhabi-
tants but certainly in accordance
with their sentiment and wishes.
Any one who expressed a desire that
they be taken down would be treated
as a traitor. Long ago they grew
too small 10 encompass all the in
habitants of the hustling port, but
they stand like stiff belt around
the waist line Of the hill on which
the city is built. The most incOn-
venient thing about them is that.
though they are more than mile In
circumference there are only seven
gates leading through them. Be
cause the walls defended the city in
the siege begun by James II. a busy
man must make a jaunt out OF his
way 10 find a passageway through
them but. true 10 Irish sentiment. he
does # without a murmur. on one
OF the DastiOns Of the wall an old
gun. sffeCtiOnately known ~ Roar
ing Meg, points her nose over the
city
Here too. on the hill in the cen
ter OF a crowded graveyard stands
the quaint. squat cathedral with its
queer pinnacled tower. 1t is called
after st. Columbia, although II is not
on the site of the old abbey built
by the saint fourteen centuries ago.
Stronghold OF Lords.
con a high inaccessible hill in the
Lords of Tyrone. II is said that ST.
distance. looms the stronghold of the
Patrick came TO the fort TO baptize
owen. who first set himself up 10
rule over the province Of Tyrone,
and St. COLUMBIA visited IT before his
exile Here. too. captive Danes who
had threatened the peace of the city
were dragged in triumph.
Though every trace Of the old
castle has been elaborated the mas
sive stone wall fourteen feet thick
and eighteen feet high. resembling
the handiwork OF a cyclops has stood
out grimly against the centuries. a
small iron safe hangs across a two
foot doorway the only entrance 10
its huge Emphitheater-like interior.
which reveals further devices for the
pv,r.effcs If fIo inmates