The People’s Hall Tour taking off in St Columb’s Hall

Derry’s iconic St Columb’s Hall has begun weekly, guided tours of the beloved city centre building for local people and visitors to the city.

Among one of the first groups to take advantage of this latest initiative were the Factory Girls: Clare Moore, Theresa McLaughlin, Rosemary Doherty, Sadie O’Kane and Mary White.

Speaking to The Derry News, Clare said the women had had a “lovely, lovely morning”.

“It was beautiful going around the Hall because, as you know, St Columb’s Hall is very special to us,” she added.

“There were so many historical connections to Derry’s Factory Girls, including trade union events such as Eleanor Marx [daughter of Karl Marx] speaking there in 1889 and encouraging local workers to join their union, and speakers in favour of women’s suffrage. Interestingly, the first woman in Ireland to join a trade union was a Tillie and Henderson Factory Girl.

“But we can go back with the Hall to our childhoods because when I was very young, in the 1950s, myself and my brother Freddie [Bridge] were sent to the matinee every Saturday afternoon - the pictures as we called it then.

“That is etched in my memory forever. It was a lovely treat for us.

“My brother was three years older than me and he took me to the Hall and my mammy cleaned the house while we were out at the pictures, which was usually Superman or Roy Rogers or Tarzan.

Factory Girls: Teresa McLaughlin, Rosemary Doherty, Sadie O'Kane, Mary White and Clare Moore with The People's Hall tour guide, Gerry Dorrity, in St Columb's Hall.

“And, even though we are from the city, we found out things we had never known before on the tour, which was given by Gerry Dorrity - who had family connections with two very talented Derry performers Gloria Dorrity and Maureen McGuinness. For examples, the statues on the roof of St Columb’s Hall, above the balcony, symbolise Temperance, Erin and Vulcan.”

According to Clare, St Columb’s Hall was built by the St Columb’s Hall Total Abstinence Society not least because at that time “Derry had a pub for every 50 residents”.

“Some huge international stars have also preformed on the St Columb’s Hall stage including Roy Orbison and Ruby Murray, not to mention Chubby Checker who did The Twist,” said Clare.

“We all know about the Pantomimes and the terrific shows organised by Fr Daly [later Bishop Daly], not to mention the bingo and the Irish dancing. I think the Hall is the most beautiful place inside and out.”

Anne-Marie Gallagher who is the project director at St Columb’s Hall said the tours were designed to increase awareness about the Hall’s history.

“The history is probably a wee bit hidden at times. There is an enormous city heritage there but also a story of a community that took action and built the Hall to try and resolve some of the issues they saw at that time, around drinking. They wanted to promote the cause of temperance,” said Anne-Marie.

“The Hall’s history is dotted with really illustrious characters. Emmeline Pankhurst advocated for the right of women to vote in 1910. Eleanor Mark signed the first woman on the island of Ireland to a Trade Union in the Hall.

“Global superstars like Glen Hansard, Roy Orbison and Primal Scream - the who’s who of the music industry - performed on the Hall’s stage.

“There is also a really, really strong community connection. The story of the Hall is the story of Derry, the story of people’s grit and ambition in getting things done.

“Occasions like the Derry Feis, where the community came together and promoted Irish culture and identity and really propelled a whole generation of performers forward and gave them their first opportunity to perform on the stage.

“The People’s Hall Tour is an attempt to get that story out to people and allow people to understand a bit more about what lies behind the doors and also about the future of St Columb’s Hall too,” said Anne-Marie, who added St Columb’s Hall Trust had an “ambitious plan to bring the Hall back to life and renovate it”.

People’s Hall Tour guide Gerry Dorrity said the tour would discuss the architecture of the building and its history.

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“We also talk a wee bit about St Columba for people from outside of Derry who might not know a lot about him,” said Gerry.

“We also talk about the arts that thrive through here and some of the performers who have been here.

“Not to mention Éamon de Valera who was arrested on the steps outside during one of his speeches.

“We conclude the tour in The Little Theatre where the scenes from The Derry Girls were shot and give participants the opportunity to get up on stage and do a performance, if they want. We then present them with a certificate which says, ‘I performed in St Coumb’s Hall’”.

More details of the weekly Friday St Columb’s Hall tours can be found at: www.stcolumbshall.com. It costs £5 and finishes with light refreshments.