Derry Feis is ‘returning home’ to St Columb’s Hall for Easter 2024

Feis Dhoire Cholmcille will be ‘returning home’ to the very familiar surroundings of St Columb’s Hall during Easter 2024 restoring its decades long connection with the prestigious city centre venue, it can be revealed.

Having used the Millennium Forum for many years, the partial unavailability of the theatre to the feis next spring and the ongoing major revamp of St Columb’s Hall were the prime factors in the return to the venue for the city’s main cultural institution.

Annemarie Gallagher, Project Director at St Columb’s Hall said: “St Columb’s Hall Trust are just delighted to see the Feis coming to what we consider, home to the hall.

"Both St Columb’s Hall and Derry Feis have been just so connected for such a long time. It’s going to be amazing, particularly for younger generations to be able to experience the Feis in the Hall itself. It will also bring back so many memories for people who are a bit older but it’s going to be unbelievable for children to able to experience the competitions in a venue like this.”

St Columb’s Hall has stood adjacent to the city’s Walls since 1886 and since then has been an innate piece of Derry’s architectural and cultural heritage.

Culturally speaking, St Columb’s Hall has played host to everything from classical music recitals and operatic performances to rock and roll and pantomime. Roy Orbison; Chubby Checker, Ruby Murray and Val Doonican also performed at the Hall in the 1960’s. The Hall was also the venue for most of Derry’s vaunted performers to ‘cut their teeth’ in the world of the performing arts.

When in 1972 the Guildhall was destroyed in an IRA bomb attack, the Feis proper did not take place for three years, and for that period morphed into the Bogside Festival.

It wasn’t until 1975 that Derry Feis could celebrate its silver jubilee because of the Troubles in Derry city centre. But when it did return, it was to St Columb’s Hall. From then on, the historic site played a dedicated role in hosting the annual institution until its closure some years ago.

Aisling Bonner, Secretary of Feis Dhoire Cholmcille said: “The Millennium Forum has served the needs of the feis exceptionally well for many years. But there is an undeniable historical and cultural connection between St Columb’s Hall and the feis, so when the opportunity presented itself for a return to the Hall we were delighted to take it.

“The main auditorium in St Columb’s Hall holds unique qualities both in terms of its architecture and atmosphere. It lends itself to making performers feel that they are expressing themselves in a very special place.

"Outside the main auditorium, there are so many other rooms in the Hall that will provide fantastic areas for the competitors across all disciplines to showcase their talent to the best of their abilities.

“I think the feis returning to St Columb’s Hall will not only bring back many fond memories for past competitors and committee members, but it’ll also create great memories for the current generation of young entrants. Using St Columb’s Hall as well as retaining the brilliant venue that is The Playhouse is already making us look very much forward to the Feis in 2024.”