Long Tower Church (St Columba's)
St Columba's Church, Long Tower
Derry's oldest Catholic church, built in 1784–1786, with an ornate Italian-style altar and ceiling decoration inside.
Long Tower Church lies just outside the southwest walls. It is said to stand near the site of the monastery St Columba founded around 546, and it takes its name from a medieval 'long tower.' The present church was built in the late 18th century and was Derry's first Catholic church after the Penal Laws era. Its exterior is plain, but the interior is dazzling, with an Italian Renaissance-style marble high altar, painted ceilings and stained glass. It is about a 5-minute walk from St Columb's Cathedral, just outside the walls, and entry is free.
Opening hours
Open daytime
Nearby sights
- Free Derry Corner
- Bogside Murals (People's Gallery)
- Museum of Free Derry
- St Columb's Cathedral
- Siege Museum
- St Eugene's Cathedral
- Craft Village
- Hands Across the Divide