September 2025: Looking back on the Derry defining stories of the year

A public meeting took place in Derry in September to discuss the notorious Mobuoy dump on the outskirts of the city.
Organised by The Environmental Gathering group, ‘How Toxic Is Mobuoy?’ was held on Wednesday evening in Holywell Trust on Bishop Street.

The speakers at the meeting were: Dean Blackwood, Faughan Anglers Association; Mary McGuigan, The Environmental Gathering; James Orr, Friends of the Earth; and Michael Avila, Committee on the Administration of Justice.

Chairing the proceedings, Maeve O’Neill said illegal waste and waste crime across the North was a “massive issue that goes well beyond Mobuoy”.

“I am sure I don’t need to tell anybody here that Mobuoy is biggest illegal in Europe and nothing has been done yet to remediate and clean up the site. It is just being contained and managed at the moment,” she added.

Dean Blackwood opened his presentation by saying although he was born in Bann Drive in Derry he was reared on the River Faughan. “It is my river.”

He said: “In November 2015, this is some of what we knew was in Mobuoy dump: arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel and mercury - all heavy metals that are interacting with and contaminating the groundwater at Mobuoy - to name but a few.

“15 years ago we knew there was this concoction of chemicals interacting with the groundwater at Mobuoy. For anybody that knows the geography of the Mobuoy Valley, it is an alluvial plain, it is sand and gravel, groundwater runs freely through it. But we were assured at the time, these chemicals, whilst the groundwater was highly contaminated, there was no sign of any leachate reaching the river itself, the surface water.

“That was probably quite reassuring, if it was true, in the sense that, we have only discovered very recently from a report that existed around 2012 but only became available in the last year or so, that the volume of leachate being produced - the toxic soup when these chemicals interact together and the groundwater - was the equivalent of one Olympic-sized swimming pool every week.

“That is colossal for a highly toxic soup, a liquid that is being dissipated around that site through the groundwater. It was at times being taken away to Culmore for processing but we don’t know what is happening now. What we do know now is the contaminated groundwater is reaching the River Faughan in quantities above safe water quality levels but we are now assured that once it reaches the river, the volume of water in the river itself dilutes it to the extent it is no longer a problem.

“I would love to believe that,” he added, “but it is quite worrying in itself because if you have passed the Faughan in recent days, it is probably at its lowest water levels that I have seen it at in a long, long time and everyone knows the lower the water level, the higher the concentrations of these pollutions,” said Mr Blackwood.

A canon from the La Trinidad Valencera being removed from the Towr Museum.

Planning permission for new Waterside homes

August also saw two Waterside planning applications for 206 social homes combined have been given the green light by Derry City and Strabane District councillors, contrary to the advice of Council Officers.

The applications for adjoining residential developments in the Corrody Road area were discussed at Council’s Planning Committee meeting.

Sinn Féin councillor Christopher Jackson said the “huge social housing need” in Waterside could not be overstated.
I wish we did have swathes of land and I wish we did have dozens of applications in the pipeline to address the need but the reality is far from that,” said Cllr Jackson, who added, “The need is acute and it can't be overemphasised.”

Deirbhile Leonard (pictured on left), winner of the 'AI for Personalised Learning' category at the inaugural 'AI in Education Awards', hosted recently by Ulster University at the fifth national conference on Generative Artificial Intelligence in Education (GenAIEdu 5), organised with the School of Computing, Engineering and Intelligent Systems and South West College and funded by BRING I.T. ON. and Connected NI. Deirbhile, a recent graduate from Ulster University’s Magee campus in Derry with a First Class Honours in Computer Science, along with a Diploma in Professional Practice, was presented with the award for her 'AIExam - AI Generated Exam Question Generator for GCSE students'. (Photo: Andrew Paton, Ulster University)

National Lottery Heritage Fund announced more than £2.2million of funding in city

The National Lottery Heritage Fund announced more than £2.2million of funding to a range of heritage projects across the City with potential future funding commitments of over £8 million more towards the delivery of capital projects at Austin's and St Columb’s Hall.

The National Lottery funding will: Kick start plans to bring landmark buildings at Austins and St Columb’s Hall back into public use; create and expand three archive projects exploring The Troubles, civil rights in the North West and healing and health in the City; deliver new tourist accommodation within the grounds of St Augustine’s Church; and increase the Heritage Fund’s existing commitment to the DNA Museum by £400,000 to £3.5 million.

Dr Paul Mullan, Northern Ireland Director at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “This is a place that’s committed to heritage-led regeneration and the Heritage Fund is continuing its 30-year commitment to invest millions into a range of projects across the city.”

Breastfeeding group established at Strathfoyle Women's Activity Group

September also saw Strathfoyle Women’s Activity Group (SWAG) host the first ever breastfeeding support group in the area - La Leche League Maiden City.

Established by Dr Noella Gormley, who recently qualified as an accredited La Leche League of Ireland leader, the group meets on the third Tuesday of every month.

The sessions are held from 10.30am to 11.30am in 34, Bawnmore Place in Strathfoyle and Gemma Doherty, SWAG’s deputy childcare co-ordinator/early support co-ordinator said everyone was welcome to come along for “free breastfeeding information, a cup of tea and a friendly chat”.