New St Colmcille mural unveiled in Bogside

The feast day of Derry’s patron saint, St Columba or Naomh Colmcille was marked by the unveiling of a beautiful mural in his honour in the city’s Bogside area.

Commissioned by Séamus Ó Cinnéide, owner of Abbey bed-and-breakfast, and painted by Peaball Creatives, the mural was officially unveiled on Monday by Derry’s 1970 Eurovision winner and former Connacht-Ulster MEP, Dana (Rosemary Scallon), long time friend of Séamus and his wife, Helen.

Speaking to The Derry News at the ceremony, where she was joined by pupils from the nearby St Eugene’s primary school to sing the Eurovision iconic ‘All Kinds of Everything’, Dana said Abbey Street had a “very personal” connection for her.

Naoṁ Ċolmcille mural unveiling - Bogside, Derry - @DerryNow digital report thread.

The feast day of Derry's patron saint, Naoṁ Ċolmcille (June 9) was marked by the unveiling of a beautiful mural in the city's Bogside.

Commissioned by Séamus Ó Cinnéide, owner of Abbey B&B… pic.twitter.com/oWMwDCMOUK

— Catherine McGinty (@CathMcGin_Tea) June 9, 2025

“My Uncle Andy owned the shop at the corner of Frederick Street and my granny and my granda, my uncles lived in Union Street, that’s where my mother was raised. This whole area is very important to me,” she added.

“The memories I have as a child, my father played in St Columba’s Brass Band, so we would go to the pump in Holywell Street - leading up to the Long Tower - and the band would be playing and the bunting would be out.

“I have a lot of memories of St Columba or St Colmcille and it is only very recently I seem to have become more aware of him and, really, his importance to our town.

“He is an incredible man and I am only really learning about him.

“Apparently he was totally brilliant in his mind and he was able to copy [manuscripts] like The Book of Kells - in fact my husband said he should be the Patron Saint of Copyright because it was the first copyright battle that he was involved in.

Dana (Rosemary Brown), special guest, at the unveiling of Naom Ćolmcille (St. Columba), with members of St. Eugene’s PS choir, singing 'All Kinds of Everything'.

“He was an incredible man who loved this city so much that he said, every blade of grass in Derry was surrounded by God’s splendour, and that’s his own words, and if he loved this city so much, why couldn’t we love him?”

IN PICTURES: St Columba mural unveiled at Abbey House B&B

Mural unveiled to celebrate the life and legacy of Derry patron Saint Columba

Speaking in front of the colourful Naoṁ Ċolmcille mural, Séamus said he was so passionate about St Columba because he was from Donegal, birthplace of the saint, and his family had always respected St Columba.

“The reason for the mural is that we are here 25 years and I wanted to give something back to the Bogside,” added Séamus.

“I see the need for something children can enjoy. Even when the mural was being painted, a wee child went by and said, ‘Mammy, look at the fish’.

“Let’s face it, it is quite dark around here with murals which represent a period which was a terrible time in our city but they should be the defining legacy of our city because we are steeped in music, literature, whiskey making, shirt making.

“We are steeped in many things but we are not telling the stories we should be telling, the stories that bring joy, the stories that would allow us to have an evening economy. We could have a Music Museum and a Literature Museum. Who else could boast of Seamus Heaney and Brian Friel. There were always great writers and poets in this city.

“I think we need change. Our heritage starts with Columba. I have a petition on change.org to establish June 9 as a public holiday in honour of St Columba - the same as St Patrick and St Brigid - which has got almost 600 signatures. I think we owe that to St Columba. His story is renowned around the world,” said Séamus.

Joining the Lá Fheile Cholmcille celebrations, Derry City and Strabane District councillor Aisling Hutton described the mural as a “lovely, lovely expression of how we are all so proud of St Columba and him being the Patron Saint of Derry”.

“I also think it is important to show support to people like Séamus who have a local business here in the community but are so, so passionate about what our heritage is all about, especially bringing people together.

Seamus Kennedy with granddaughter Eireann Grace and special guest Dana (Rosemary Brown) at Abbey B&B.

“It is just fascinating how many people are here today and I think it is just beautiful to be in the heart of the Bogside, on St Columba’s Day, celebrating with everybody,” said Cllr Hutton.

Drive 105’s Noel Moore also brought his show to Abbey bed-and-breakfast on Monday as part of the St Columba’s Day community get together, where listeners and the audience present were entertained by musicians from the Colmcille Pipe Band, as well as fiddle players Jacqueline McKay and Robert Peoples, and musician and singer Tommy Quigley.