A special exhibition has opened today at the Magee campus of Ulster University to showcase 250 years of reporting by the Derry Journal, with Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Sandra Duffy in attendance.
The exhibition includes 15 units that focus on front pages from the Derry Journal’s rich archives dating back to 1772, highlighting key moments throughout the city’s local history. Each unit is sponsored by different organisations, institutions, and businesses from across the city, including one sponsored by host Ulster University.
Running for three weeks from Friday 5 August until Friday 26 August, all are welcome to visit the free exhibition being housed at the entrance to the Teaching Centre, adjacent to the campus library.
Welcoming the opening of the exhibition, Ulster University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Paul Bartholomew, said:
“We are delighted to be hosting this incredibly important exhibition that showcases the vast and rich history of this city. We hope people from right across the city and region and even further afield, can come along to our campus in Derry to enjoy the exhibition and take the opportunity to be immersed in 250 years of local history, along with the more recent archives.
The exhibition will be running over the course of the next three weeks and is free to attend. We would encourage all to come along and view the historical exhibits outlining the role the Derry Journal has had in marking historical events over many generations."
Attending Friday’s launch, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Sandra Duffy, said:
“It is great to see this exhibition being made available to students, staff and the wider public at Ulster University’s Magee campus. The marking of the 250th anniversary of the Derry Journal is a hugely significant milestone and a remarkable achievement for everyone associated with the newspaper.
The Derry Journal has successfully chronicled the history of the city and region over the past 250 years and been at the helm reporting on all aspects of local life in our city, marking historic occasions and reporting through difficult times. More importantly the paper has been pivotal in sharing good news stories and being part of the local community with its human interest features, unique political analysis and ability to tell news that matters.
The exhibition is a great way of sharing that legacy and giving the public an insight into just how important a role it played in keeping the people of this city and region informed on all aspects of the news, sport and current affairs.”