Guildhall, Derry
Coordinates: 54°59′53″N 7°19′12″W / 54.998°N 7.320°W
The Guildhall in Derry, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, is a building in which the elected members of Derry and Strabane District Council meet. It was built in 1890.
The Guildhall houses a large hall where many events of social and political nature have been held. It has been home to the Feis Doire Colmcille – an event which celebrates Irish culture – and the now-discontinued Londonderry Feis. It was also home to the Saville Inquiry into the events of Bloody Sunday 30 January 1972 in Derry.
It is known as Halla na Cathrach in Irish and tha Guelders Haw in Ulster-Scots.
Derry's original 17th-century Guildhall was located in the Diamond area of the Walled City. Its name reflected the status of Londonderry as being founded by the City & Guilds of London. This building was destroyed by fire in Victorian times and it was decided to turn the site of the former Guildhall into a city square. Work started on the new Guildhall in 1887 and it was opened in July 1890. The new building was originally titled "Victoria Hall", reflecting the wider vogue in the British Empire at that time to name landmarks after the reigning monarch. Other landmarks in the city named for Victoria include Victoria Market, the Queen's Quay and Queen's Street. The name "Victoria Hall" was discovered on foundation stones found during recent restoration works financed by Derry City Council. The reason for retaining the Guildhall name is presently unclear. The City Hall was financed by The Honourable The Irish Society and cost £19,000. It was badly damaged by fire in Easter 1908 with only the clock tower surviving the fire intact. The whole building was re-built and renovated after the fire and re-opened in 1912.
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