‘Londonderry’s’ birth certificate can be found in Bible: Minister

The Minister made the comments in the Stormont Assembly last week when asked by North Antrim MLA Jim Allister if she was looking forward to the 399th anniversary of Derry becoming Londonderry in 1613, at the end of the month.

Mr Allister had asked: “Does the Minister also look forward to celebrating the fact that, on 29 March 1613, King James I granted a charter to the nearby settlement that contained these immutable words: ‘that the said city or town of Derry, for ever hereafter be and shall be named and called the city of Londonderry?’”

She replied: “I am not getting into answering questions about specific place names. I know Derry city as Derry city in the county of Derry.

“The articles, including the King James Bible, are also in my Department, and, if the Member is interested, I would be happy to escort him to show him the King James Bible, and we both can look at that quote.”

During the same session Ms Ní Chuilín also said she could not comment on a proposal to resurrect the historical County Coleraine.

East Londonderry MLA David McClarty asked “given Coleraine’s hugely significant contribution to British and Irish history, would the Minister support a call to restore the old county name of County Coleraine?”

The Minister replied: “I am always happy when Members from the unionist community want to go for a thirty-third county in Ireland; it is quite appropriate. I appreciate the Member’s interest in history and what he has outlined about the history and value of Coleraine in marking significant centenaries, but I cannot comment on going back to any names.”