Derry Walls is the second most popular tourist attraction in the North of Ireland, according to new figures.
Data from the NI Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) shows there were 577,000 visitors to the famous walls in Derry city in 2022.
Titanic Belfast was the most popular tourist attraction in the North which had 610,000 visitors to the attraction in 2022 — an increase of 173% from the previous year.
The third most popular attraction in the top-10 list, which excludes the likes of country parks and forests, was the Giant’s Causeway with 422,000 visitors.
Derry’s Guildhall, W5 in Belfast, Ballyronan Marina, the Centre for Contemporary Art Derry/Londonderry and Mount Stewart complete the top 10.
Other places making the list include the Ulster Museum, which claimed fourth position with 387,000 visitors, and Pickie Funpark in Bangor, securing fifth with 353,000 visitors.
In total, these sites attracted 3,667,000 visitors in 2022.
The historic Derry Walls were built between 1612 and 1619 to enclose the city, controlling trade and for use as fortification.
Over the centuries they have withstood sieges, in 1649 and again in 1689, and have never been breached.
During the Troubles they became part of a ‘peace wall’ separating the two communities and were refortified with military watchtowers.
The Derry Walls were reopened to the public in 1995 and guided tours are on offer.
Earlier this month it was announced that the historic cannons on Derry’s Walls are to get spruced up this summer thanks to funding from the Heritage Council through its Irish Walled Towns Network capital/conservation fund.
Works will commence on a first phase project to initially repaint the 18 replica carriages on the City Walls on which the cannons are located.
Derry City and Strabane District Council has now appointed a specialist contractor to carry out the works which will take place over the summer months.
This project will enable the delivery of a programme of interim repairs and refurbishment which will see all the replica cannon carriages cleaned and repainted.
Tags: