Retired clergy take walking tour of Maiden City

Wednesday June 25th 2025

Members of the Retired Clergy Association (NI) are pictured outside Christ Church during their walking tour of Derry/Londonderry. Also included are Canon Katie McAteer (red coat) and two of the church’s volunteers’ team who provided the refreshments. (Photo: Jim Kelly)

Report by the Rev Clifford Skillen

The Retired Clergy Association (NI) recently branched out from the usual format of its meetings to go on a day trip to Derry/Londonderry.

An early start saw some bleary-eyed members meet at Belfast Grand Central Station to catch the 9.10am train to the Maiden City, with a few others joining the train at various stations along the route, giving a total of 13 members.

The day, which was organised by the RCA (NI)’s chairman, Bishop Patrick Rooke, took the form of a planned walking route around various parts of the city, though transport was available to assist those who found sections of the walk challenging.

On arrival, members crossed the Peace Bridge and through part of the city centre to Christ Church, in the course of which they coincidentally bumped into the Roman Catholic Bishop of Derry, the Most Rev Donal McKeown, who welcomed and chatted to each member of the group.

The party was welcomed to Christ Church by Canon Katie McAteer, deputising for the rector who was in England. Refreshments were provided and served by some of the church’s volunteers’ team.

Then it was just across the road to St Eugene’s Cathedral for a brief visit before the intrepid pilgrims made their way to St Columb’s Cathedral, skirting the edge of the Bogside and negotiating the 160 steps close to Free Derry Corner up to the City Walls and on to the Cathedral.

Members were greeted by the Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, the Rt Rev Andrew Forster, who gave a brief overview of the Cathedral’s life, work and ministry and who expressed his delight at meeting up with a number of his ‘old’ colleagues.

From the Cathedral, the group made a return journey over the Peace Bridge to Ebrington Square for lunch in the Ebrington Hotel.

After lunch, the party made a quick dash to the station to board the 2.38pm train back to Belfast, though, it must be said, two members, who shall remain nameless to spare their blushes, missed the train by just a few minutes; however, they were glad to rest their feet in the station’s café with obligatory refreshments until the next train in an hour’s time.

The full itinerary meant much was packed into a comparatively short time, with a total walking distance of approximately three miles, and it is good (and with much relief!!) to report that members successfully coped with the city’s steep hills and many steps.

The day afforded the group the opportunity to see at first hand some of the main sights of the Maiden City, particularly appreciated by those who were not familiar with the city and its layout and whose knowledge of it was mainly gleaned from media reporting and the notoriety of former times.

It proved to be a tiring but very enjoyable and worthwhile day and members were greatly indebted to Bishop Patrick Rooke for his detailed planning and organising of the programme.