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| Derry, NH Town Historian Richard Holmes photo by Adam Swift/ Union Leader news correspondent http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130214/NEWHAMPSHIRE09/130219417/0/NEWHAMPSHIRE03 |
Londonderry and Derry, New Hampshire residents are
celebrating with their sister cities in Northern Ireland. Derry, NI has been declared the first United
Kingdom City of Culture, which coincides with its 400th
anniversary.
On July 10, 2013 Derry, NH town historian Richard Holmes
will be giving a presentation at the celebration which discusses the
connections between the two towns in New Hampshire and Northern Ireland. He will also attend a reception with the Lord
Mayor in the Guild Hall. Betsy McKinney,
former president of the Londonderry Historical Society, will be joining him on
the trip, along with other New Hampshire residents.
According to Rick Holmes, Londonderry, New Hampshire is “the
first town in the New World to be founded by Scotch-Irish immigrants”. In 1719 sixteen families left Northern
Ireland with the Reverend James MacGregor, and eventually arrived in “Nutfield”,
which is now East Derry Village. Most of
those first settlers are buried in Forest Hill Cemetery. You can read a list of the names of the original Nutfield Proprietors HERE.
In 1613 the Honorable Irish Society built the walls around
Londonderry as defense for their early settlers from England and Scotland. This Royal Charter established the city and
its walls. The walls were constructed
between 1614 and 1619, and are considered the most complete, surviving walled
city in Europe. These walls successfully
defended the city, including the 1689 siege which was witnessed by Reverend
MacGregor and some of his flock. These
skirmishes and other violence led to their decision to leave Northern Ireland
for a new settlement in New England.
For more information:
“Historian invites people to join him Abroad”, Derry
News, Derry, New Hampshire, by Julie
Huss, February 13, 2013 http://www.derrynews.com/derry/x1746088408/Historian-invites-people-to-join-him-abroad
“Derry Historian to Help Northern Ireland Celebrate”, Union Leader, Andover, Massachusetts, by Adams Swift,
February 14, 2013 http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130214/NEWHAMPSHIRE09/130219417/0/NEWHAMPSHIRE03
Derry-Londonderry 400th Anniversary website www.Cityofculture2013.com
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Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo
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