April 2022 - Review of the Year

Sadly, it emerged in April that almost 16,000 people used the Foyle Foodbank in Derry in 2021.

Those using the Foodbank increased by 230% from 6,805 individuals to 15,735.

During that time, the Foodbank distributed 96,732 tonnes of food which equates to 230,314 individual meals.

Denis McGowan, the chairperson of the Foodbank, said the facility was only able to meet this huge demand through the selfless efforts of its volunteer workforce and by the continued “generous support” of its patrons and donors without which the Foodbank could not continue to operate.

He added: “We act as a conduit between those who generously donate food, hygiene products and funds with those in food crisis.”

On a brighter note, Oakgrove Integrated College Year 14 student, Ryan Wilson, received a guard of honour and a hero’s welcome on completion of a Half Iron Man, which saw him complete the 7.5 hours gruelling challenge, raising over £700 for the Foyle Hospice. The monies were raised from fellow pupils and staff at the College.

The A Level student said he had had high hopes the total could reach £1,000 before it was handed over to the charity.

Fellow pupils and staff met Ryan at the gates of the school as he finished the gruelling challenge and on crossing the finishing line he said it was worth it as it raised money for a very worthy cause.

Julie-Anne Canning, head of Year 8 at the school, said all at the school were very proud of young Ryan and the monies raised would be welcomed by the Hospice.

“A big well done to Ryan,” she said.

Later in April, a local driving instructor broke their silence regarding what they described as the' major dysfunction' surrounding Derry's Driving Test Centre.

The instructor spoke to Derry News in the wake of this paper's revelation one local examiner had the highest driving test fail rate in the North, regularly failing 75% of candidates.

“There is such major dysfunction in Derry's Driving Test Centre, I have decided my students will do their driving tests in either Cookstown or Omagh, not in Derry, until the situation here is resolved.

“I have been told by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA), which is responsible for licensing and testing vehicles and drivers in the North, that in January it sent a senior examiner out with an examiner who had a 'performance issue.'

“I have also had students tell me, one driving examiner has conducted tests with his feet up on the dashboard of the car. It goes without saying, this is a totally unsafe practice for anyone going out on a driving test. Examiners are told they must react as quickly as possible in the event of a life threatening situation, be it to themselves, a candidate or anyone else. They are trained to react.

“My point is, how is this particular examiner going to react if their feet are up on the dashboard of a car? And, it would be the driving instructor who would be held responsible if it was the candidate's fault. Can you imagine the personal injury claim an instructor would be faced with if something happened and the examiner couldn't react quickly enough to avert it because their feet were up on the dashboard, they said.

An Ulster History Circle blue plaque honouring legendary Derry musician, James MacCafferty, was unveiled at his lifelong home on 25 Francis Street in the city in April.

It was the house where the highly respected musician and music teacher was born and lived for 80 years - it is also known to hundreds of former pupils, aspiring feis contestants, choir members and countless piano and singing pupils.

In April we also learned that a former Derry radio presenter who was studying for the priesthood was the focus of a major radio documentary.

Shaun Doherty was, for 30 years, a hugely successful and popular broadcaster on Donegal-based Highland Radio, presenting the station's flagship weekday talk show..

Over three decades, he became a household name in the region and won multiple awards for his work.

But one day, he announced live on air that he would be leaving his job in radio, and pursuing something else.

In a podcast entitled ‘Pursuing A More Meaningful Life: Shaun Doherty’, he told journalist and broadcaster, Colm Flynn, why he decided to walk away from the success he had, and move to Rome in Italy, to start a new life studying for the priesthood, and how he hoped to find fulfilment in his new role.

Derry’s much anticipated Jazz Trail was finally unveiled in April. It featured a packed programme of jazz, beebop, blues, soul and swing, with 417 musical performances crammed into five days from April 28 to May 2 across 70 participating venues.

Looking ahead to the festival, Mayor Graham Warke, insisted the Jazz Trail was the essential guide to planning the best jazz experience.

He said: “When the Jazz Trail programme hits the press it signifies the start of the countdown to the festival which we are so delighted to see return in its complete format this year.

“The Jazz Festival is the highlight in the calendar for so many musicians on the jazz circuit who are just thrilled to be back this year.

“It's been a very difficult two years for anyone working in the entertainment industry, and we are delighted to be able to reconnect artists with audiences after such a prolonged period. It's like welcoming old friends back to the city.

“Live music is the essence of this event, so to be able to fill our streets, hotels, pubs and restaurants with music once again is going to be a real joy for everyone.”

Among the favourites this year were Mission Impossible, Mirenda Rosenberg, The Red Stripe Band, Jiveoholics, Buck Taylor, the Jive Aces and Harry Connolly Band to name but a few of the performers.

New faces included Luke Thomas and The Swing Cats, Hyde Park Brass Band, NYJO, Kooskoos, King Pleasure & the Biscuit Boys, Liberal Soul Band and Rusty Jacks.

This year's headliner was Irish blues and soul sensation Imelda May, who took to the stage in the Millennium Forum.

Derry’s legendary factory girls received some much overdue recognition in April.

“No matter what factory girl you talk to, they'll say that the typical working day was great craic,” said former shirt factory worker Clare Moore.

Clare was one of many women who was part of Derry's legendary shirt-making workforce that for decade upon decade made the city synonymous with quality attire.

As shipbuilding was to Glasgow and coal-mining was to the Welsh valleys, Derry's shirt factories were a major part of the city's heartbeat and if anyone around the globe had a shirt of the highest quality, chances were, it was made in Derry.

In April, a plaque was unveiled at the site of the former Star Factory on Foyle Road to pay tribute to all the factory girls who made shirts there – the ninth plaque to be put on the site of a former shirt-making factory.

Like several former factory buildings, the Star Factory has been converted into an apartment block.

Although Clare worked at the City factory, she was there with her other former shirt-making colleagues, to honour the hard work that the women endured – as well as the friends that they made – to play a part in when Derry ruled the roost in quality shirts.

She said: “I worked as a factory girl in the 1960s in the City Factory on Queen Street. At one time there were over 40 shirt factories in Derry. The main ones included the one I worked at, Hogg and Mitchell, the Rosemount – the one with the neon 'Stitch in Time' sign that lights up at night, Welch and Margetson, Robert Sinclaire and, of course, the Star Factory.”