Culmore Village is situated four miles north of Derry/Londonderry in Northern Ireland and less than one mile distant from the border with Co. Donegal at Muff. Culmore overlooks Culmore Bay on the River Foyle and is directly opposite Coolkeeragh ESB Power Station, and the Lisahally Port.
The village was cut off from its urban centre, Derry/Londonderry, and from its nearest cross border neighbouring village, Muff, during the 30 years of the Northern Ireland 'Troubles'. Cross border roads were blocked and Culmore village was 'sandwiched' between British Army and Garda Siochana checkpoints. Villagers had to endure long delays, noise from helicopters landing and taking off at the end of shifts and intrusion into private property from foot patrols in the village area. Since the checkpoints were dismantled the village has experienced five-fold expansion in residential developments without any community infrastructure (facilities and services) being established to match growth.
Culmore has a history directly linked with the Siege of Derry and before that the Chieftains of Inishowen. The remains of Culmore Castle are still to be seen today and leased by the Honourable the Irish Society to Culmore Boat & Yacht Club for storage facilities. The Castle was a great outpost and the principal fortress of Lough Foyle, but as a military station it has ceased to be used for the last 160 years. It was preserved from total dilapidation by Mr. Abraham M'Causland in 1785, and in 1824 General Hart repaired it in a permanent manner. The walls are more than six feet thick, and the tower consists of three storeys. It is thought to have been built in the 15th Century by Neachtain O'Donnell at a time with other river castles (Inch, Doe) for salmon fishing. The River Foyle at that time was one of the richest rivers in Europe for salmon fishing. In 1608, during Sir Cahir O'Doherty's rebellion, it was surprised and taken by him. Culmore Castle was captured from the O'Dohertys by the English in the 1600s. During the Siege of Derry in 1688-89, it was captured by the Jacobites, who placed a boom across the river at the narrows to prevent supply ships from entering the walled city of Derry. It was captured by the Williamites once the boom had been broken and the Siege abandoned. The present structure is a plain square stone tower of around 30' by 30' by 45' high.
Today there are still families living in the village area who can date their land and homes from the Siege and before. People and their occupations have been in a state of change from fishing/farming to city workers and commuters in recent years. There is a significant influx of newcomers and families with children moving into Culmore village area and little opportunity for old and new and for the different cultures to meet and get to know each other. The village is without a physical 'shared space' for provision of services and facilities for all of its culturally mixed population. Community groups working in the village area have no shared space in which to provide programming, including cross-border, or to store their equipment. Parents have to transport approx. 200 young people each week out of the village to play football on all weather pitches in the city. The Culmore District Electoral Ward has the highest under 18 year old youth population in the Western Health & Social Services Board area at 2922, yet statutory agencies seem to ignore identified needs.
All of the community groups working in Culmore have identified problems due to the lack of facilities and services, particularly the growing youth marginalisation in the village area. They estabished Culmore Area Forum in 2004 to represent them and to lobby for facilities and services. A proposal was submitted by the Forum, with help from the International Fund for Ireland, to Derry Council in 2005 and a reply is still awaited. In the meantime land and buildings within the village area, that could be used by the local community, lie vacant.