Latest news with #RiverFoyle
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Micronesian canoe has maiden voyage on the Foyle
A canoe built using traditional Micronesian techniques has made its maiden voyage up the River Foyle. The 8ft (2.34m) canoe was made from a tree felled at the Brook Hall Estate in Londonderry during a winter storm. It was carved in just nine days by a team from the University of Guam Island Wisdom Micronesian Seafaring Programme. "I have had the pleasure of watching these master carvers turn what was a log into a canoe," David Gilliland from Brook Hall Estate told BBC News NI. Master navigator, Dr Melissa Taitano, one of the team of boat builders, said the Brook Hall Canoe Building and Research Project had taken shape over more than two decades. Twenty-two years ago and then a student, she said she "had an amazing and inspirational teacher, Prof Anne Gilliland, who is an OG Derry girl". Raised at Brook Hall, Prof Gilliland now teaches at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), specialising in the displacement of cultures. Two years ago, her son Tanner, a sculptor and woodworker, formed a friendship with a Micronesian boat builder while on a visit to Hawaii. They pledged to some day bring Micronesia's canoe building traditions to Northern Ireland's north west. When the tree came down at the Derry estate last winter, Prof Gilliland's nephew David gifted it to the group of traditional Micronesian boatbuilders. "We started the planning process, things came together, we were able to gain the funding for it… and so here we are," Dr Taitano said. Arriving on 24 June, the team – Dr Taitano, Larry Raigetal, James Beiuweilish and Willison Yarofaitir – set to work. Finishing in nine days, Dr Taitano said, may be a record. "At home it takes us two months," she said, adding that culturally the building of a canoe holds a deep significance. "We believe the trees and all of nature carry spirit, and they are the spirit of our ancestors. We take the life of a tree but give it new life by transforming it into a canoe that helps to sustain the community. "Canoe culture is sustainable culture," she said. Micronesia consists of some 600 islands in the Western Pacific. Prof Anne Gilliland said those islands are among the most at risk anywhere in the world because of climate change. For the Micronesian people, she added, that poses "an existential risk". "As navigators they are aware of the tides, the winds, the movements of the fish and the sea creatures - these are all changing," she said. "They have really ancient knowledge that our western scientists don't have and that they can bring to bear on what's happening." She said the canoe project had shown how people must adapt to changes in the environment. When the boat builders came to Derry, she said, they had to work with materials they had never used before. "We had no idea what would happen – that is exactly what we have to take into account as the climate changes," she said. Prof Gilliland added: "How are we going to adapt to a future, without losing our past and identities? "This is a little capsule that talks about that and the importance of how you build bonds between communities and how they take us into the future." It was Willison Yarofaitir who paddled the canoe from Brook Hall to the Peace Bridge on Friday. "It was amazing. I am really happy, feeling great for the families that invited us to carve this canoe," he said. Mayor of Derry and Strabane Ruairí McHugh said the canoe was a "powerful symbol of connection between the ancient city of Derry and the islands of Micronesia." The medieval-era boats hiding in the River Foyle Micronesia country profile What lives in the River Foyle?
BBC News
12-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Foyle: Micronesian canoe carved from fallen tree has maiden voyage
A canoe built using traditional Micronesian techniques has made its maiden voyage up the River 8ft (2.34m) canoe was made from a tree felled at the Brook Hall Estate in Londonderry during a winter was carved in just nine days by a team from the University of Guam Island Wisdom Micronesian Seafaring Programme."I have had the pleasure of watching these master carvers turn what was a log into a canoe," David Gilliland from Brook Hall Estate told BBC News NI. Master navigator, Dr Melissa Taitano, one of the team of boat builders, said the Brook Hall Canoe Building and Research Project had taken shape over more than two years ago and then a student, she said she "had an amazing and inspirational teacher, Prof Anne Gilliland, who is an OG Derry girl".Raised at Brook Hall, Prof Gilliland now teaches at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), specialising in the displacement of cultures. Two years ago, her son Tanner, a sculptor and woodworker, formed a friendship with a Micronesian boat builder while on a visit to pledged to some day bring Micronesia's canoe building traditions to Northern Ireland's north the tree came down at the Derry estate last winter, Prof Gilliland's nephew David gifted it to the group of traditional Micronesian boatbuilders. "We started the planning process, things came together, we were able to gain the funding for it… and so here we are," Dr Taitano on 24 June, the team – Dr Taitano, Larry Raigetal, James Beiuweilish and Willison Yarofaitir – set to in nine days, Dr Taitano said, may be a record."At home it takes us two months," she said, adding that culturally the building of a canoe holds a deep significance."We believe the trees and all of nature carry spirit, and they are the spirit of our ancestors. We take the life of a tree but give it new life by transforming it into a canoe that helps to sustain the community."Canoe culture is sustainable culture," she said. Micronesia consists of some 600 islands in the Western Anne Gilliland said those islands are among the most at risk anywhere in the world because of climate the Micronesian people, she added, that poses "an existential risk"."As navigators they are aware of the tides, the winds, the movements of the fish and the sea creatures - these are all changing," she said. "They have really ancient knowledge that our western scientists don't have and that they can bring to bear on what's happening."She said the canoe project had shown how people must adapt to changes in the environment. When the boat builders came to Derry, she said, they had to work with materials they had never used before."We had no idea what would happen – that is exactly what we have to take into account as the climate changes," she said. Prof Gilliland added: "How are we going to adapt to a future, without losing our past and identities?"This is a little capsule that talks about that and the importance of how you build bonds between communities and how they take us into the future." It was Willison Yarofaitir who paddled the canoe from Brook Hall to the Peace Bridge on Friday."It was amazing. I am really happy, feeling great for the families that invited us to carve this canoe," he of Derry and Strabane Ruairí McHugh said the canoe was a "powerful symbol of connection between the ancient city of Derry and the islands of Micronesia."
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Derry remembers Battle of the Atlantic 80 years on
A special event recreating wartime in Londonderry is taking place to commemorate the city's role in the Battle of the Atlantic. The naval base in the city - shared by the Royal Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy and the United States Navy – was pivotal to winning the longest continuous military campaign of World War Two. At one time, 140 Allied escort ships, vital to the protection of convoys in the Atlantic, were based on the River Foyle and in May 1945 eight German U-boats surrendered close to the city. A recreation of the German surrender is taking place at Ebrington Square on Saturday, where a number of wartime museum collections have been on display over recent days. "Derry is a city steeped in history and often we forget its strategic importance during World War II, although in terms of global significance it played a huge role," the city's mayor Lilian Seenoi Barr told BBC News NI. The Battle of the Atlantic was fought for control of vital supply routes, beginning as war broke out in 1939. German submarines were the Allies' principal threat at sea. Winston Churchill once wrote: "The only thing that really frightened me during the war was the U-boat peril." Skirmishes in the Atlantic continued until the war ended in 1945, but the Allies sank particularly large numbers of U-boats in May 1943, effectively winning the Battle of the Atlantic. Thousands of merchant ships and tens of thousands of lives were lost during the longest continuous military campaign during World War Two. More than 66,000 Allied merchant seamen, sailors and airmen died, with 175 Allied warships and 5,000 merchant ships destroyed by German U-boats. Derry is acknowledged as the Allies' most important escort base during the Battle of the Atlantic. On 14 May 1945 the first of the U-boats berthed at Lisahally, the naval port on the city's outskirts, and formally ordered to surrender by Admiral Sir Max Horton, commander-in-chief, Western Approaches. The mayor said as well as holding such vital strategic importance during the Atlantic campaign, the city was also changed by the influx of north American service personnel, housed at Base One Europe, the US Navy's operating base in Northern Ireland. "The billeting of Allied servicemen here during that time also had a major cultural influence here in the city, where people mingled with the US and Canadian forces," she said. Derry City and Strabane District Council's head of culture said Saturday's event will give people a sense of the historic significance of events in the city in 1945. Princess Anne visits Londonderry to mark Battle of Atlantic The German U-boats surrendered 'yards from our house' 'I am a Derry man' - Montgomery and the Maiden City "We want to give people a snapshot of the era by re-enacting some of the events of the day, and the atmosphere of celebration as the city was freed from the shadow of the war," said Aeidin McCarter. "Through our living history characters we will retell the story and give people a glimpse of 1945 Derry through the music and fashion from the day." The Ebrington event will run until 17:00 BST on Saturday and will give people the chance to enjoy the music of the roaring 40's and see how the fashion of the time began to reflect the international influence of the troops. Military vehicles including a replica spitfire will also be on display. Earlier this week The Princess Royal visited Derry to attend a commemoration marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Battle of the Atlantic.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Derry remembers Battle of the Atlantic 80 years on
A special event recreating wartime in Londonderry is taking place to commemorate the city's role in the Battle of the Atlantic. The naval base in the city - shared by the Royal Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy and the United States Navy – was pivotal to winning the longest continuous military campaign of World War Two. At one time, 140 Allied escort ships, vital to the protection of convoys in the Atlantic, were based on the River Foyle and in May 1945 eight German U-boats surrendered close to the city. A recreation of the German surrender is taking place at Ebrington Square on Saturday, where a number of wartime museum collections have been on display over recent days. "Derry is a city steeped in history and often we forget its strategic importance during World War II, although in terms of global significance it played a huge role," the city's mayor Lilian Seenoi Barr told BBC News NI. The Battle of the Atlantic was fought for control of vital supply routes, beginning as war broke out in 1939. German submarines were the Allies' principal threat at sea. Winston Churchill once wrote: "The only thing that really frightened me during the war was the U-boat peril." Skirmishes in the Atlantic continued until the war ended in 1945, but the Allies sank particularly large numbers of U-boats in May 1943, effectively winning the Battle of the Atlantic. Thousands of merchant ships and tens of thousands of lives were lost during the longest continuous military campaign during World War Two. More than 66,000 Allied merchant seamen, sailors and airmen died, with 175 Allied warships and 5,000 merchant ships destroyed by German U-boats. Derry is acknowledged as the Allies' most important escort base during the Battle of the Atlantic. On 14 May 1945 the first of the U-boats berthed at Lisahally, the naval port on the city's outskirts, and formally ordered to surrender by Admiral Sir Max Horton, commander-in-chief, Western Approaches. The mayor said as well as holding such vital strategic importance during the Atlantic campaign, the city was also changed by the influx of north American service personnel, housed at Base One Europe, the US Navy's operating base in Northern Ireland. "The billeting of Allied servicemen here during that time also had a major cultural influence here in the city, where people mingled with the US and Canadian forces," she said. Derry City and Strabane District Council's head of culture said Saturday's event will give people a sense of the historic significance of events in the city in 1945. Princess Anne visits Londonderry to mark Battle of Atlantic The German U-boats surrendered 'yards from our house' 'I am a Derry man' - Montgomery and the Maiden City "We want to give people a snapshot of the era by re-enacting some of the events of the day, and the atmosphere of celebration as the city was freed from the shadow of the war," said Aeidin McCarter. "Through our living history characters we will retell the story and give people a glimpse of 1945 Derry through the music and fashion from the day." The Ebrington event will run until 17:00 BST on Saturday and will give people the chance to enjoy the music of the roaring 40's and see how the fashion of the time began to reflect the international influence of the troops. Military vehicles including a replica spitfire will also be on display. Earlier this week The Princess Royal visited Derry to attend a commemoration marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Battle of the Atlantic.
