It was with great anticipation that I travelled to 'the wee church on The Walls' (St. Augustine's) last night, Thursday, the 16th of October, 2025, to hear a talk on Medieval Derry by renowned author and historian Dr Brian Lacey.
A packed church audience listened attentively and appreciatively as Brian outlined his 50-year love of research of the city, taking us on a journey steeped in the mists of time, from 550AD to 1650AD. And what a journey it was!
Brian has written a total of 10 books (and many research papers) on how the land of north-west Ireland has been shaped by time and people, and he really brought the subject of the early Middle Ages to life on Thursday evening.
According to Brian, the legend that this wee city of ours originated as a monastery, allegedly founded by St Columba (Colum Cille), but in his lecture the audience embarked on a journey of discovery - unmasking a city shaped by wars, invasions and takeovers firstly in the late 600's AD by the Irish Kingdoms.
If only history lessons in school had been as fascinating, I would have been a much better scholar!