Antiques Roadshow takes a trip through time in Derry

Londonderry’s fascinating links with World War II were among the stories and historic artefacts under the spotlight during Sunday’s BBC’s Antiques Roadshow episode.

The show, filmed during the summer at Ebrington Square, invited local people to raid their attics and bring along any heirlooms or items that helped tell the story of Derry and Strabane down through the years.

Presenter Fiona Bruce joined the team to shine a light on local history, and particularly Ebrington Square, as part of a series of shows exploring various eras of the City and District’s colourful past.

The first of three episodes was broadcast on Sunday October 22nd.

Roadshow fans will be looking forward to finding out more about what the team unearthed during the visit, when the Roadshow experts examined a range of intriguing artefacts brought in by local people.

During the visit the Antiques Roadshow team linked in with the Tower Museum to assist with researching the show. During initial conversations there were so many potential avenues to explore, it was decided that one episode just wouldn’t do the story justice.

Head of Culture with Derry City and Strabane District Council, Aeidin McCarter, explained: “When we first heard the Antiques Roadshow were coming to Derry we were absolutely thrilled as it has such a dedicated following. When we sat down to discuss aspects of Derry and Strabane’s heritage which we knew would be of interest to the audience, the stories just kept coming - from its dramatic maritime and military history, to the factory girls - and we realised it would be impossible to capture even a fraction in one episode.”

She added: “We are delighted that the team decided to take the time to explore further and focus on a number of eras, and with the help of local people uncovered a treasure trove of artefacts to help illustrate those stories. It will be a fascinating journey through the ages, and I can’t wait to tune in.”

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