Historic Derry house up for sale

A famous Derry house, which was the location for historic talks between the IRA and the British government, has been put up for sale. The house (pictured) at Beragh Hill Road in Ballyarnett had been owned by the McCorkell family since it was built in 1845. However, the family’s link to the building was broken in 2011 when the house was sold. The property has now been placed on the market by the current owners with an asking price of £500,000. As well as being one of the most impressive houses in the local area, it also has significant historical interest. In 1972, the owner of the house, Aileen McCorkell, who was a leading member of the Red Cross organisation in Derry, hosted a meeting between representatives of the IRA and the British government. It is believed that Mrs McCorkell was motivated to host the meeting after attending to many of the victims of the ‘Troubles’ in Derry. She was among the Red Cross volunteers who were in Derry on Bloody Sunday on January 30, 1972. The meeting at her home was the first between the IRA and British government since the 1920s. The talks are believed to have eventually led to the shortlived IRA ceasefire in June 1972. It’s understood the IRA delegation at the 1972 meeting in Derry included a young Gerry Adams. Mrs McCorkell passed away on Christmas Day in 2010 at the age of 89. She was particularly well known in Derry for her lengthy involvement with the local Red Cross branch. Mrs McCorkell settled in Derry in the 1950s after marrying Michael McCorkell, who was Lord Lieutenant of Derry from 1975 to 1980. The couple, who had four children, lived in the McCorkell ancestral home at Ballyarnett. The 11-bedroom house is set in eight acres of land which includes a large fish pond and a tennis court. It has been described as a building of significant architectural importance and there is expected to be strong interest in the property. According to the estate agents selling the property, it is in need of ‘total refurbishment’. Any refurbishment would have to be done under the supervision of planning officials as the house is listed. However, the estate agents say that ‘the rewards would be well worth the effort and expense to see this property restored to its former splendor’.