67-451: The County Donegal Railways Joint Committee operated an extensive 3 ft ( 914 mm ) narrow gauge railway system serving County Donegal , Ireland , from 1906 until 1960. The committee was incorporated by an Act of Parliament in 1906, which authorised the joint purchase of the then Donegal Railway Company by the Great Northern Railway of Ireland and the Midland Railway Northern Counties Committee . On 1 May 1906,
134-520: A London-born builder, who was rewarded with several grants of land. It is one of the few cities in Europe that never saw its fortifications breached, withstanding several sieges, including the famous Siege of Derry in 1689 which lasted 105 days; hence the city's nickname, The Maiden City . Derry is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in Ireland. The earliest historical references date to
201-797: A collision with railcar No. 17 in 1949. No. 11 Scrapped in 1967. No. 12 Withdrawn in 1940, dismantled for spare parts. No. 4 Meenglas Preserved at the Foyle Valley Railway Museum . No. 5 Drumboe Ran the last scheduled train of the CDRJC on 31 December 1959. Preserved at the Donegal Railway Heritage Centre . No. 6 Columbkille Preserved at the Foyle Valley Railway Museum. No. 8 Foyle Scrapped in 1955. No. 1 Alice No. 2 Blanche Preserved in
268-549: A large portion of County Tyrone to form County Londonderry . Planters organised by London livery companies through The Honourable The Irish Society arrived in the 17th century as part of the Plantation of Ulster and rebuilt the town with high walls to defend it from Irish insurgents who opposed the plantation. The aim was to settle Ulster with a population supportive of the Crown. It was then renamed "Londonderry". This city
335-633: A motion to change the official name of the city to Derry and to write to Mark H. Durkan , the Northern Irish Minister for the Environment , to ask how the change could be effected. The name Derry is preferred by nationalists and it is broadly used throughout Northern Ireland's Catholic community, as well as that of the Republic of Ireland, whereas many unionists prefer Londonderry ; however, in everyday conversation Derry
402-459: A red cross and sword on white. In the centre of the cross is a gold harp. In unofficial use the harp sometimes appears above the arms as a crest . The arms were confirmed by Daniel Molyneux, the Ulster King of Arms , in 1613, following the town's incorporation. Molyneux's notes state that the original arms of Derry were "the picture of death (or a skeleton) sitting on a mossie ston and in
469-912: A scale over a substantial segment of Northern Ireland. A civil rights demonstration in 1968 led by the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association was banned by the Government and blocked using force by the Royal Ulster Constabulary . The events that followed the August 1969 Apprentice Boys parade resulted in the Battle of the Bogside , when Catholic rioters fought the police, leading to widespread civil disorder in Northern Ireland and
536-636: A secret agreement between the Americans and the British before the Americans entered the war. It was the first American naval base in Europe and the terminal for American convoys en route to Europe. The reason for such a high degree of military and naval activity was self-evident: Derry was the United Kingdom's westernmost port; indeed, the city was the westernmost Allied port in Europe: thus, Derry
603-670: A small heritage railway along the Foyle on the original route of the Derry - Portadown railway line, which has since fallen into disrepair during the museum's period of closure. UFTM = Ulster Folk & Transport Museum; FVR = Foyle Valley Railway; BHR = Belturbet Heritage Railway; FTR = Fintown Railway; DRC = Donegal Railway Centre; IOMR = Isle of Man Railway; C&L = Cavan and Leitrim Railway Scrapped in 1909. Scrapped in 1910. Scrapped in 1931. Scrapped in 1931. Scrapped in 1931. No. 9 Scrapped in 1954. No. 10 Scrapped in 1952 after
670-773: A strange alliance of Roundhead troops under George Monck and the Irish Catholic general Owen Roe O'Neill . These temporary allies were soon fighting each other again however, after the landing in Ireland of the New Model Army in 1649. The war in Ulster was finally brought to an end when the Parliamentarians crushed the Irish Catholic Ulster army at the Battle of Scarrifholis , near Letterkenny in nearby County Donegal , in 1650. During
737-428: A turntable to make a return journey. As well, they could not be worked in multiple, so if two railcars were working back to back, both required a driver. The railcars were incapable of hauling most freight wagons, so steam traction continued to be used on freight and excursion trains. The railcars could haul specially constructed trailers, and some lightweight freight wagons, which were painted red to distinguish them from
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#1732780600266804-473: A walkway around the inner city. They provide a unique promenade to view the layout of the original town which still preserves its Renaissance-style street plan. The four original gates to the Walled City are Bishop's Gate, Ferryquay Gate, Butcher Gate and Shipquay Gate. Three further gates were added later, Magazine Gate, Castle Gate and New Gate, making seven gates in total. The architect was Peter Benson ,
871-593: A week's violence, a truce was negotiated by local politicians on both unionist and republican sides. (See: The Troubles in Ulster (1920–1922) ). In 1921, following the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the Partition of Ireland , it unexpectedly became a 'border city', separated from much of its traditional economic hinterland in County Donegal . During World War II , the city played an important part in
938-788: Is also Londonderry, New South Wales and the associated Londonderry electorate . Derry is the only remaining completely intact walled city in Ireland and one of the finest examples of a walled city in Europe. The walls constitute the largest monument in State care in Northern Ireland and, as part of the last walled city to be built in Europe, stand as the most complete and spectacular. The Walls were built in 1613–1619 by The Honourable The Irish Society as defences for early 17th-century settlers from England and Scotland. The Walls, which are approximately one mile (1.5 kilometres) in circumference and which vary in height and width between 3.7 and 10.7 metres (12 and 35 feet), are completely intact and form
1005-529: Is called Derry/Londonderry at other stations. The council changed the name of the local government district covering the city to Derry on 7 May 1984, consequently renaming itself Derry City Council. This did not change the name of the city, although the city is coterminous with the district, and in law the city council is also the Corporation of Londonderry or, more formally, the Mayor, Aldermen and Citizens of
1072-473: Is close to the border with County Donegal , with which it has had a close link for many centuries. The person traditionally seen as the founder of the original Derry is Saint Colmcille , a holy man from Tír Chonaill , the old name for almost all of modern County Donegal, of which the west bank of the Foyle was a part before 1610. In 2013, Derry was the inaugural UK City of Culture , having been awarded
1139-576: Is often dated as the starting point of the Troubles . On Sunday 30 January 1972, 13 unarmed civilians were shot dead by British paratroopers during a civil rights march in the Bogside area. Another 13 were wounded and one further man later died of his wounds. This event came to be known as Bloody Sunday . The conflict which became known as the Troubles is widely regarded as having started in Derry with
1206-465: Is spanned by two road bridges and one footbridge. The city now covers both banks (Cityside on the west and Waterside on the east). The population of the city was 85,279 in the 2021 census, while the Derry Urban Area had a population of 105,066 in 2011. The district administered by Derry City and Strabane District Council contains both Londonderry Port and City of Derry Airport . Derry
1273-575: Is used by most Protestant residents of the city. Linguist Kevin McCafferty argues that "It is not, strictly speaking, correct that Northern Ireland Catholics call it Derry, while Protestants use the Londonderry form, although this pattern has become more common locally since the mid-1980s, when the city council changed its name by dropping the prefix". In McCafferty's survey of language use in the city, "only very few interviewees—all Protestants—use
1340-703: The Battle of the Atlantic . Ships from the Royal Navy , the Royal Canadian Navy and other Allied navies were stationed in the city and the United States military established a base. Over 20,000 Royal Navy , 10,000 Royal Canadian Navy and 6,000 United States Navy personnel were stationed in the city during the war. The establishment of the American presence in the city was the result of
1407-676: The British Army from Catholic and Protestant families. During the Irish War of Independence , the area was rocked by sectarian violence, partly prompted by the guerilla war raging between the Irish Republican Army and British forces, but also influenced by economic and social pressures. By mid-1920 there was severe sectarian rioting in the city. Many people died and in addition, many Catholics and Protestants were expelled from their homes during this communal unrest. After
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#17327806002661474-690: The British Isles . The railway was affectionately known as the "Wee Donegal". The Joint Committee opened the Strabane and Letterkenny Railway on 1 January 1909, bringing the total mileage operated by the company to 124.5 miles (200.4 km). Only 91 miles (146 km) were directly owned by the Joint Committee, as the Strabane and Letterkenny Railway accounted for 19.25 miles (30.98 km), and 14.5 miles (23.3 km) were property of
1541-622: The Glorious Revolution , only Derry and nearby Enniskillen had a Protestant garrison by November 1688. An army of around 1,200 men, mostly " Redshanks " ( Highlanders ), under Alexander MacDonnell, 3rd Earl of Antrim , was slowly organised (they set out on the week William of Orange landed in England). When they arrived on 7 December 1688 the gates were closed against them and the Siege of Derry began. In April 1689, King James came to
1608-535: The Isle of Man , where it is known as the Manx Standard Gauge . Modern 3 ft gauge railways are most commonly found in isolated mountainous areas, on small islands, or in large-scale amusement parks and theme parks (see table below). This gauge is also popular in model railroading (particularly in G scale ), and model prototypes of these railways have been made by several model train brands around
1675-529: The Ulster Folk and Transport Museums in Cultra . No. 3 Lydia 3 ft gauge railways Three foot gauge railways have a track gauge of 3 ft ( 914 mm ) or 1 yard . This gauge is a narrow gauge and is generally found throughout North , Central , and South America . In Ireland , many secondary and industrial lines were built to 3 ft gauge, and it is the dominant gauge on
1742-534: The (Protestant, formerly-established) Church of Ireland (now combined with the bishopric of Raphoe) and in the Roman Catholic Church. Most companies within the city choose local area names such as Pennyburn, Rosemount or Foyle from the River Foyle to avoid alienating the other community. Derry~Londonderry railway station is often referred to as Waterside railway station within the city, but
1809-579: The 19th century, it became a destination for migrants fleeing areas more severely affected by the Great Famine . One of the most notable shipping lines was the McCorkell Line operated by Wm. McCorkell & Co. Ltd. from 1778. The McCorkell's most famous ship was the Minnehaha , which was known as the "Green Yacht from Derry". During World War I , the city contributed over 5,000 men to
1876-523: The 6th century and the 11th century, Derry was known primarily as a monastic settlement. The town became strategically more significant during the Tudor conquest of Ireland and came under frequent attack. During O'Doherty's Rebellion in 1608 it was attacked by Sir Cahir O'Doherty , Irish chieftain of Inishowen , who burnt much of the town and killed the governor George Paulet . The soldier and statesman Sir Henry Docwra made vigorous efforts to develop
1943-426: The 6th century when a monastery was founded there by St Columba or Colmcille, a famous saint from what is now County Donegal , but for thousands of years before that people had been living in the vicinity. Before leaving Ireland to spread Christianity elsewhere, Colmcille founded a monastery at Derry (which was then called Doire Calgach ), on the west bank of the Foyle. According to oral and documented history,
2010-571: The Battle of the Bogside. The Civil Rights Movement had also been very active in the city. In the early 1970s, the city was heavily militarised and there was widespread civil unrest. Several districts in the city constructed barricades to control access and prevent the forces of the state from entering. Violence eased towards the end of the Troubles in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Irish journalist Ed Maloney claims in The Secret History of
2077-641: The City of Londonderry . The form Londonderry is used for the post town by the Royal Mail ; however, use of Derry will still ensure delivery. The city is also nicknamed "the Maiden City" by virtue of the fact that its walls were never breached despite being besieged on three separate occasions in the 17th century, the most notable being the Siege of Derry of 1688–1689. It was also nicknamed " Stroke City" by local broadcaster Gerry Anderson , owing to
County Donegal Railways Joint Committee - Misplaced Pages Continue
2144-510: The Ho'ble Cittie of London, in memorie whereof it is hence forth called and knowen by the name of London Derrie." Local legend offers different theories as to the origin of the skeleton. One identifies it as Walter de Burgh , who was starved to death in the Earl of Ulster 's dungeons in 1332. Another identifies it as Cahir O'Doherty himself, who was killed in a skirmish near Kilmacrennan in 1608 (but
2211-518: The IRA that republican leaders there negotiated a de facto ceasefire in the city as early as 1991. Whether this is true or not, the city did see less bloodshed by this time than Belfast or other localities. The city was visited by an orca in November 1977 at the height of the Troubles; it was dubbed Dopey Dick by the thousands who came from miles around to see him. From 1613 the city was governed by
2278-623: The Joint Committee was set up. The lines inherited by the Joint Committee totalled 106 miles (171 km) and were: By 1912 the company owned the following assets: The Strabane to Derry line was completely owned by the Midland Railway Northern Counties Committee , although it was operated by the CDRJC. At its greatest extent, the County Donegal Railways Committee operated the largest narrow gauge railway system in
2345-550: The Londonderry Corporation. In 1898 this became Londonderry County Borough Council, until 1969 when administration passed to the unelected Londonderry Development Commission. In 1973 a new district council with boundaries extending to the rural south-west was established under the name Londonderry City Council, renamed in 1984 to Derry City Council , consisting of five electoral areas: Cityside, Northland, Rural, Shantallow and Waterside . The council of 30 members
2412-684: The Merchant Navy taking part in the convoys that supplied the UK and Russia during the war. The border location of the city and the influx of trade from the military convoys allowed for significant smuggling operations to develop in the city. At the conclusion of the Second World War, eventually some 60 U-boats of the German Kriegsmarine ended in the city's harbour at Lisahally after their surrender. The initial surrender
2479-882: The Northern Counties Committee. Under the management of Henry Forbes, traffic superintendent from 1910 to 1943, the County Donegal Railways became pioneers in the use of diesel traction . The first diesel railcar was built in 1930 (the first diesel railcar anywhere in the British Isles ), although a petrol-engined railcar had been built in 1926 before standardisation on diesel traction in 1934. Eight articulated diesel railcars were constructed by Walker Brothers of Wigan between 1934 and 1951, by which time virtually all passenger services were operated by diesel railcar, being much cheaper to operate than conventional steam trains. The railcars could only be driven from one end and had to be turned on
2546-632: The Republic use the name Derry , those in Northern Ireland bear Londonderry (sometimes abbreviated to L'derry ), although some of these have been defaced with the reference to London obscured. Usage varies among local organisations, with both names being used. Examples are City of Derry Airport , City of Derry Rugby Club , Derry City FC and the Protestant Apprentice Boys of Derry , as opposed to Londonderry Port , Londonderry YMCA Rugby Club and Londonderry Chamber of Commerce. The bishopric has always remained that of Derry, both in
2613-407: The centre. The modern city preserves the 17th-century layout of four main streets radiating from a central Diamond to four gateways – Bishop's Gate, Ferryquay Gate, Shipquay Gate and Butcher's Gate. The city's oldest surviving building was also constructed at this time: the 1633 Plantation Gothic cathedral of St Columb . In the porch of the cathedral is a stone that records completion with
2680-518: The city and summoned it to surrender. The King was rebuffed and the siege lasted until the end of July with the arrival of a relief ship. The city was rebuilt in the 18th century with many of its fine Georgian style houses still surviving. The city's first bridge across the River Foyle was built in 1790. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the port became an important embarkation point for Irish emigrants setting out for North America. Also during
2747-521: The city at this time, Maydown, Eglinton and Ballykelly. RAF Eglinton went on to become City of Derry Airport . The city contributed a significant number of men to the war effort throughout the services, most notably the 500 men in the 9th (Londonderry) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, known as the 'Derry Boys'. This regiment served in North Africa , the Sudan, Italy and mainland UK. Many others served in
County Donegal Railways Joint Committee - Misplaced Pages Continue
2814-405: The complaints about housing and regional policy and a disproportionate amount of the charges about public and private employment come from this area. The area – which consisted of Counties Tyrone and Fermanagh, Londonderry County Borough and portions of Counties Londonderry and Armagh – had less than a quarter of the total population of Northern Ireland yet generated not far short of three-quarters of
2881-462: The complaints of discrimination...The unionist government must bear its share of responsibility. It put through the original gerrymander, which underpinned so many of the subsequent malpractices, and then, despite repeated protests, did nothing to stop those malpractices continuing. The most serious charge against the Northern Ireland government is not that it was directly responsible for widespread discrimination, but that it allowed discrimination on such
2948-525: The dexter point a castle". To this design he added, at the request of the new mayor, "a chief, the armes of London". Molyneux goes on to state that the skeleton is symbolic of Derry's ruin at the hands of the Irish rebel Cahir O'Doherty and that the silver castle represents its renewal through the efforts of the London guilds: "[Derry] hath since bene (as it were) raysed from the dead by the worthy undertakinge of
3015-493: The district was merged with the Strabane district to form the Derry City and Strabane district, with the councils likewise merged. According to the city's Royal Charter of 10 April 1662, the official name is Londonderry . This was reaffirmed in a High Court decision in 2007 . The 2007 court case arose because Derry City Council wanted clarification on whether the 1984 name change of the council and district had changed
3082-467: The establishment of the city by the London guilds . Derry has been used in the names of the local government district and council since 1984, when the council changed its name from Londonderry City Council to Derry City Council . This also changed the name of the district, which had been created in 1973 and included both the city and surrounding rural areas. In the 2015 local government reform ,
3149-468: The heavier wagons, which were grey. A diesel locomotive named Phoenix (converted from a steam locomotive) was also used, but due to its noisy operation and slow speed (top speed of 27 mph or 43 km/h), it spent most of its career shunting, travelling 204,577 miles (329,235 km) during its working life. The Glenties branch closed in 1947, the Strabane-Derry line closed in 1954, and
3216-779: The inscription: "If stones could speake, then London's prayse should sound, Who built this church and cittie from the grounde." During the 1640s, the city suffered in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms , which began with the Irish Rebellion of 1641 , when the Gaelic Irish insurgents made a failed attack on the city. In 1649 the city and its garrison, which supported the republican Parliament in London, were besieged by Scottish Presbyterian forces loyal to King Charles I . The Parliamentarians besieged in Derry were relieved by
3283-404: The network in the early 2000s, they were converted to 1,000 mm ( 3 ft 3 + 3 ⁄ 8 in ) metre gauge . Derry Derry , officially Londonderry , is the largest city in County Londonderry , the second-largest in Northern Ireland and the fifth-largest on the island of Ireland . The old walled city lies on the west bank of the River Foyle , which
3350-531: The official form". Apart from the name of the local council, the city is usually known as Londonderry in official use within the UK. In the Republic of Ireland, the city and county are almost always referred to as Derry , on maps, in the media and in conversation. In April 2009, however, the Republic of Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin , announced that Irish passport holders who were born there could record either Derry or Londonderry as their place of birth. Whereas official road signs in
3417-508: The official name of the city and what the procedure would be to effect a name change. The court clarified that Londonderry remained the official name and that the correct procedure to change the name would be via a petition to the Privy Council . Derry City Council afterwards began this process and was involved in conducting an equality impact assessment report (EQIA). Firstly it held an opinion poll of district residents in 2009, which reported that 75% of Catholics and 77% of Nationalists found
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#17327806002663484-528: The place name, for example, Derrybeg, Derryboy, Derrylea and Derrymore. Londonderry, Yorkshire , near the Yorkshire Dales , was named for the Marquesses of Londonderry , as is Londonderry Island off Tierra del Fuego in Chile. In the United States, twin towns in New Hampshire called Derry and Londonderry lie about 75 miles from Londonderry, Vermont , with additional namesakes in Derry, Pennsylvania , Londonderry, Ohio , and in Canada Londonderry, Nova Scotia and Londonderry, Edmonton, Alberta . There
3551-456: The politically correct use by some of the dual name Derry/Londonderry (which has itself been used by BBC Television ). A later addition to the landscape has been the erection of several large stone columns on main roads into the city welcoming drivers, euphemistically, to 'the Walled City'. Derry is a common place name in Ireland, with at least six towns bearing that name and at least a further 79 places. The word Derry often forms part of
3618-408: The proposed change acceptable, compared to 6% of Protestants and 8% of Unionists. The EQIA then held two consultative forums and solicited comments from the general public on whether or not the city should have its name changed to Derry. A total of 12,136 comments were received, of which 3,108 were broadly in favour of the proposal, and 9,028 opposed it. On 23 July 2015, the council voted in favour of
3685-405: The remaining passenger services ended on 31 December 1959. Much of the railway was closed on that date. Goods trains ran between Strabane and Stranorlar until 6 February 1960. During the 1930s the Joint Committee began operating a fleet of buses. After the closure of the railway, it continued to operate as a road freight and bus company until 10 July 1971 when it was taken over by CIÉ . In 1961,
3752-406: The site was granted to Colmcille by a local king. The monastery then remained in the hands of the federation of Columban churches who regarded Colmcille as their spiritual mentor. The year 546 is often referred to as the date that the original settlement was founded. However, it is now accepted by historians that this was an erroneous date assigned by medieval chroniclers. It is accepted that between
3819-486: The skeleton "[is] purely symbolic and does not refer to any identifiable person". The 1613 arms depicted a harp in the centre of the cross, but this was omitted from later depictions of the city arms, and in the 1952 letters patent confirming the arms to the Londonderry Corporation. In 2002 Derry City Council applied to the College of Arms to have the harp restored. Garter and Norroy & Ulster Kings of Arms issued letters patent to that effect in 2003, having accepted
3886-400: The title in 2010. Despite the official name, the city is also commonly known as Derry , which is an anglicisation of the Irish Daire or Doire , which translates as ' oak -grove/oak-wood'. The name derives from the settlement's earliest references, Daire Calgaich ('oak-grove of Calgach'). The name was changed from Derry in 1613 during the Plantation of Ulster to reflect
3953-443: The town, earning the reputation of being "the founder of Derry"; but he was accused of failing to prevent the O'Doherty attack and returned to England. What became the City of Derry was part of the relatively new County Donegal up until 1610. In that year, the west bank of the future city was transferred by the English Crown to The Honourable The Irish Society and was combined with County Coleraine , part of County Antrim and
4020-485: The two most modern diesel railcars were sold to the Isle of Man Railway . Part of the line, which runs alongside Lough Finn near Fintown , has been re-laid as a tourist railway. The Donegal Railway Heritage Centre has been established and contains historic details and artefacts of the CDRJC. St. Connell's Museum, in Glenties has an extensive display of items from the railway. The Foyle Valley Railway in Derry houses numerous CDRJC artefacts. It used to operate
4087-417: The world, such as Accucraft Trains (US), Aristo-Craft Trains (US), Bachmann Industries (Hong Kong) , Delton Locomotive Works (US), LGB (Germany) , and PIKO (Germany) . The Ferrocarril de Sóller and the Tranvía de Sóller are located on Majorca in the Balearic Islands . The other railways of the Majorca rail network were also 3 ft ( 914 mm ) gauge, but with expansion and reconstruction of
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#17327806002664154-413: Was a crucial jumping-off point, together with Glasgow and Liverpool, for the shipping convoys that ran between Europe and North America. The large numbers of military personnel in Derry substantially altered the character of the city, bringing in some outside colour to the local area, as well as some cosmopolitan and economic buoyancy during these years. Several airfields were built in the outlying regions of
4221-409: Was a focal point for the nascent civil rights movement in Northern Ireland. Catholics were discriminated against under Unionist government in Northern Ireland, both politically and economically. In the late 1960s the city became the flashpoint of disputes about institutional gerrymandering . Political scientist John Whyte explains that: All the accusations of gerrymandering, practically all
4288-409: Was attended by Admiral Sir Max Horton , Commander-in-Chief of the Western Approaches , and Sir Basil Brooke , third Prime Minister of Northern Ireland . The city languished after the second world war, with unemployment and development stagnating. A large campaign, led by the University for Derry Committee , to have Northern Ireland's second university located in the city, ended in failure. Derry
4355-408: Was popularly believed to have wasted away while sequestered in his castle at Buncrana ). In the days of gerrymandering and anti-Catholic discrimination, Derry's Catholics often claimed in dark wit that the skeleton was a Catholic waiting for a job and a council house. However, a report commissioned by the city council in 1979 established that there was no basis for any of the popular theories and that
4422-416: Was re-elected every four years. The council merged with Strabane District Council in April 2015 under local government reorganisation to become Derry and Strabane District Council . The councillors elected in 2019 for the city are: The devices on the city's arms are a skeleton and a three-towered castle on a black field, with the " chief " or top third of the shield showing the arms of the City of London:
4489-420: Was the first planned city in Ireland: it was begun in 1613, with the walls being completed in 1619, at a cost of £10,757. The central diamond within a walled city with four gates was thought to be a good design for defence. The grid pattern chosen was subsequently much copied in the colonies of British North America. The charter initially defined the city as extending three Irish miles (about 6.1 km) from
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