The St Columba Heritage Centre

20/06/2026

Making books: making history: Discover (on our 12 noon tour tomorrow Sunday) the link between this handsome Victorian terrace, St Colm Cille and internationally acclaimed penman-playwright Brian Friel.
We leave from Visit Derry at 12 noon Sunday 21st June, guided literary tour costs £10 but that includes access to the old library of St Columb's College, the college chapel, and 6th Form Study ending at the Medieval belltower Cloigtheach Cholm Cille, PLUS free tea/coffee in Cloisters Cafe.

12/06/2026

We are delighted to welcome the esteemed academic and master-scribe Timothy O'Neill to Aras Cholmcille this weekend. The first of two separate workshops begins at 10 am, tomorrow Saturday June 13th. We look forward to meeting those who've registered to participate.

11/06/2026

Few highlights of a very very special week leading up to June 9th Feast Day of St Columba/Cholm Cille. From Long Tower PS funday, to Vespers at the belltower site, Adoration Vigil, early morning, mid-morning and evening Mass, Rosary as Gaeilge, Blessing of the Well - all of it seeking in one way or another the intercession of our Holy Patron on this city and our neighbouring islands. Thank you + to everyone who took part.

09/06/2026

7 am Mass this morning, ending with the Hymn to St Columba Holy Patron of Our Town. Mass at 10 am, and 7.30 pm.

09/06/2026

Source and summit. Before Long Tower Church was built in 1783, a hawthorn tree marked the spot where the faithful gathered for Mass. Taken 7.20 am, today, St Columba’s Feast Day, June 9th, in the year 2026.

08/06/2026

Tomorrow evening we reach deep into our sacred past, with Vespers at the base of Derry's medieval belltower, now in grounds of Lumen Christi College, formerly St Columb's College. We don't know when evening prayer of the church was last said there, but in the Kairos of time that matters less than our prayer for peace and justice in the world and an end to the multi-headed evils of war. Everyone is welcome 🙏

06/06/2026

Great month-long programme brimming with brand new tour experiences including our Belltower literary tour beginning with the Father of the Book in Ireland, (spoiler alert) whose feast day is on Tuesday!

Walled City Alive presents a programme of animation, arts and culture taking place throughout June. The programme includes music, dance, storytelling and hands-on creative activity, encouraging locals..

06/06/2026

Take our tour tomorrow Sunday 12 noon and step inside the library where Seamus Heaney, Brian Friel, John Hume - and many many boys gifted in different ways - studied. We leave from Visit Derry 12 noon, free tea/coffee, £10 per head.

05/06/2026

Creating a dialogue between archaeology, language and culture: Rare opportunity to join us - 12 noon at Visit Derry - tomorrow Saturday June 6th to walk the Medieval Pilgrim Path to the 13th century belltower base in the grounds of the former St Columb's College, now Lumen Christi. This unique tour links Colm Cille, father of the book in Ireland, to the legacy of Seamus Heaney, Brian Friel and John Hume - with 'the Word' as our connecting thread. Our exclusive tour includes access to the old library and museum on one of the most important historic sites in this city, connected to the Siege of 1689, Bishop Hervey and that's not the half of it.
Charge £10, includes tea and coffee. No need to book, just show up, rain or shine.

03/06/2026

In the tradition of our ancestors...this is a rare opportunity to learn from a master scribe.