Foyle Days festivalto celebrate maritime heritage

LONDONDERRY will soon be awash with family fun as the fabulous Foyle Days Festival returns to the city June 12-13.

This year sees a visit by a number of tall ships that will berth at Queens Quay, giving everyone the rare opportunity to cross the gangway and visit these fascinating vessels.

Mayor Paul Fleming, said: “The Foyle Days Festival is a fun filled family event that offers the perfect weekend with something for everyone. As well as having a great time people get to celebrate this city’s impressive maritime history and heritage.”

A massive hit last year which is returning for 2010 is the portable diving pool at Queen’s Quay where City of Derry Sub Aqua Diving Club will offer visitors an opportunity to experience scuba diving in a safe environment.

While regular and enduring Festival favourites, the Foyle Paddlers, will offer supervised canoeing and you can watch the Junior Foyle Paddlers club demonstrate canoe slalom at the Pontoon.

The Just Kayak Eco Tours is a wonderful opportunity to step on board a Bell Boat at the Pontoon and take an Eco-based tour of the River Foyle, exploring the riverbanks and creeks of the tidal Foyle.

Derry City Council’s Biodiversity team will be on hand with information on the importance of Lough Foyle and River Foyle systems for wildlife.

Learn about our local rivers that are internationally important for many different fish, mammal and bird species. Nature trail quizzes and craft activities will be available for children while adults can learn more about Derry’s Local Biodiversity Action Plan.

The Festival will also coincide with the beginning of bike week, and to celebrate that fact visitors can take part in the “Slow Bike Race” Not only is this a great fun, family event but you also have the chance to win up to 250 of vouchers.

And seeing as it’s Bike Week, it’s a great idea to hire a bike for the day and take a tour on one of the many cycle paths around the Foyle - a fun activity for all the family!

To celebrate the city’s maritime history and heritage, Derry City Council invites locals to find out more about the Plantation of Ulster and the part played by the city, its river and its fisheries.

Meet our Living History characters or, if you want to find out more about family history, come along and ask our Genealogist Brian Mitchell for some advice and helpful tips.

You can also take an historical tour of the Ebrington Site and visit the Atlantic Memorial Exhibition and Plantation exhibition in the Workhouse Museum. Tours operates every hour from 1pm with the last tour at 5 pm.

A shuttle service on board a 40’s style bus will operate from the DOE Car Park which is supported by ILEX.

Experience a mix of continental and local cuisine and crafts at this year’s walled city market, located at Queen’s Quay from 10am – 5pm each day. Or why not relax and enjoy the sounds of “With The River Sings” sound installation and concert produced by the University of Ulster production.

Derry Credit Union Limited, who are sponsoring this year’s Festival, say they are delighted to be working in partnership with Derry City Council.

President of Derry Credit Union, Jim Travers, said: “Throughout this, our 50th anniversary year, we have been honoured to sponsor a variety of Council events. The Foyle Days Festival is one of particular significance to Derry Credit Union because of our long and proud association with those who worked on Derry’s docks.

“Fifty years ago, when our organisation was founded, the dockers were some of the most respected and trusted people in the city; people listened to them and took their advice. Because the credit union was a brand new organisation in the city, our founders faced a mammoth task in explaining this new concept to the wider public and encouraging them to entrust their hard-earned savings with Derry Credit Union.

“Fortunately, our founding members had the foresight to recognise that if they got a nod of support from the dockers, our fledgling credit union would flourish because the dockers would spread the word about it guaranteeing wider community support.

“The solid and enthusiastic endorsement of those who toiled tirelessly on the docks is a key factor in the tremendous success story of Derry Credit Union.

“Out of respect for those men and their families, we are delighted to sponsor this year’s Foyle Days Festival as part of our own fiftieth anniversary year!

“I am also delighted to see that the city’s maritime heritage is being celebrated in such a fun and positive way. Derry Credit Union is proud to be involved with such an exciting and important programme of events.”

Foyle Days is organised by Derry City Council and supported by Londonderry Port and Harbour Commission, The Loughs Agency, Ilex and the Derry Credit Union.

For further information please visit www.derrycity.gov.uk/foyledays or pick up a programme at the tourist information centre.

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