On the first day of summer

Walking towards the Cathedral on the first day of summer, it is hard to believe she is the oldest building in the centre of Londonderry’s ancient city, she looks that well. Stepping into the porch a crowds of schoolchildren are scribbling furiously as tour guide Daphne begins a tour of the historic church - the first Post-Reformation Cathedral in Europe. It is a sharp reminder that the church is not just a place of worship... it is a landmark in history that is constantly evolving to keep pace with the modern world that lies beyond it’s impressive but ancient walls.

Sitting in the Alexander Chapel to the right of the Nave, I wait for the Dean of Derry, Very beneath the stained glass windows of St Columba, I observe two foreign tourists discussing aspects of the church interior and photographing the flags overhead, the altar, the windows and whatever else catches their eye.

Earlier in the week Culture Arts and Tourism Minister Carál Ní Chuilín had praised the Cathedral during a tour with the Dean and had visited the basement in the Deanery - which is the next plan of attack for the custodians of this impressive block of built heritage.

As soon as the Dean arrives for a chat he is waylaid by the groundsman, Hugh Parkhill, swiftly followed by volunteer Gerry Gallick and a clutch of other volunteers who are here to work on the grounds. All, in their own way, are part of the ever-evolving history of the church.

Commenting on the work that goes on behind the scenes, the Dean confides that it was choc-a-block in the Cathedral on Thursday before enthusing about the ministerial visit on Wednesday.

“It was her very first visit and she was very interested in the things that were happening here. The conversation naturally focused on the history of the place and she was very over-awed by the building and was most enthusiastic about the stonework. She also heard about the various events and things we do here and we went on to mention the ever widening appeal of the building, making it more than just a place of worship for a city audience, like Opera Northern Ireland’s production of Tosca.

“I was telling her that the only downside was that they voiced about the production was that they could have arranged it to take place for much longer,” he said.

Delighted by the inclusion of the boy choristers in the production, he said that after wowing the Minister with the Cathedral he took her to the Deanery basement, where she could see what they were planning.

“The entire floor space of the place was as it was left many yeas ago, with the exception of the old range cooker, which is where the boiler is now. I think it was back in Dean King’s time, or maybe before that, that people were last in here using the kitchens. All the food was prepared here and across the courtyard is the music room suite which used to be the former stables. Our plans are to conserve the basement rather than restore it, and leave it in the same condition as it was in or around 1883 to 1903.

“We believe that to conserve the building in this fashion falls well within the whole spirit of the 2013 UK City of Culture remit. In fact, we believe tht this project is as culturally interesting as the spoken word, poetry, hymns of Cecil Frances Alexander, only this is a visual reminder of the built artistic culture this city has to offer.”