Culmore

Culmore (from Irish: Cúil Mhór/an Chúil Mhór, meaning "the great corner")^[1] is a village and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is between Derry and Muff, at the mouth of the River Foyle. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 2,960 people.

History

Sir Henry Docwra, was an English soldier who landed with a force of 4000 foot and 200 horse troops at Culmore on 16 May 1600, as part of an attempt to quell a war against the crown in Ulster. On 22 May he marched into Derry without resistance and occupied and fortified the town. From here he harassed some local Irish in such as a way as to make them sue for peace with him. Facing stronger local Irish opposition, Docwra's troops became almost prisoners, unable to make any progress wile slowly starving until some powerful Irish became allies. For his service Docwra was granted 2000 acres (8 km²) in the Precinct of Liffer. He served as Governor of Loughfoyle, and on 15 May 1621, by a patent dated at Westminster, was created Baron Dockwra of Culmore. He was also Treasurer at War and a member of the Privy council. Sir Henry died on 18 April 1631.

Amelia Earheart is also reported to have landed in a pasture at Culmore at the end of her 1932 transatlantic solo flight., When a farm hand asked, "Have you flown far?" Amelia replied, "From America." The site is now the Amelia Earhart Centre.

Transport

Culmore railway station opened on 1 October 1853, but finally closed on 2 July 1973.^[2]

Sport

• Sailing is popular due to the River Foyle and Lough Foyle.

References in popular culture

The hollywood feature film, "L.A. Story", starring Steve Martin and Sarah Jessica Parker is, according to Martin in "Born Standing Up", partly based on an Irish traditional song, The Maid Of Culmore. It features a brief clip of the song and dramatizes one of its verses in the storyline:

If I had the power the storms for to rise
I would blow the wind high and I'd darken the skies
I would blow the wind higher and salt seas to roar
For the day that my darling sailed away from culmore

References

1. ^ Placenames Database of Ireland
2. ^ "Culmore station" (PDF). Railscot - Irish Railways. http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf. Retrieved 2007-09-23. 

External links

• Discover Northern Ireland
• Docwra Family Research

Coordinates: 55°03′N 7°16′W / 55.05°N 7.267°W / 55.05; -7.267