Ulster History Walks & Talks

05/06/2026

05/06/2026

Today was a much better day, and I got to "click my clicker" when I had the pleasure of guiding 34 guests from the cruise ship Oceania Marina around my home city of Derry/Londonderry on behalf of Excursions Ireland.

We enjoyed a panoramic tour of the city, followed by a visit to the Museum of Free Derry, and then a walking tour of the historic city walls, where I told the story of the 105-day Siege of Derry.

After completing our tour of the walls, we visited the Guildhall, where the newly installed Mayor hosted a drinks reception. Guests also learned about the history of this magnificent building and its resident ghost.

04/06/2026

I didn't even get to "click my clicker!"

Sadly, a scheduled tour today from Greencastle, County Donegal, to the Antrim Coast and Giant's Causeway for cruise guests from the Spirit of Discovery had to be cancelled due to poor weather conditions.

The crew experienced difficulties manoeuvring the tender boats needed to ferry guests from the ship, which was anchored in Lough Foyle, to Greencastle Harbour.

Hopefully, the weather will improve for tomorrow's cruise guests, and I'll finally get to "click my clicker!"

02/06/2026

I was delighted to be able to meet up with my third cousins Kendra Andreassen and Heather Schaufele and their friend Karen, from Canada, when they visited Londonderry and Inishowen during their tour of the UK & Ireland.
We were able to spend time sharing our genealogy connection between our Ramsey and Magee families and I was able to guide them to their ancestral church, All Saints Church Newtowncunningham County Donegal and the townland of Drumlougher before continuing to Drumree Head.
We just have to now explore the stories passed down through the families and get the facts as to how the family are connected to Debbie McGee (wife of the late Paul Daniels - Magician) and Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein.

02/06/2026

A busy few days, but delighted to be feeling great and out doing what I love doing, enjoying glorious weather and some stunning scenery.

08/05/2026

Had a great evening at the Northern Area Community Network Marketplace, meeting and engaging with a wide range community leaders.

08/05/2026

Pleased with my new business cards which arrived today.

08/04/2026

Lest We Forget
The Germans occupied the Netherlands on May 10, 1940, and established a civilian administration dominated by the SS (the elite guard of the N**i state). Amsterdam, the country's largest city, had a Jewish population of about 75,000, which increased to over 79,000 in 1941. Jews represented less than 10 percent of the city's total population. More than 10,000 of these were foreign Jews who had found refuge in Amsterdam in the 1930s.

In May 1943, German authorities ordered 7,000 Jews, including employees of the Jewish council in Amsterdam, to assemble in an Amsterdam city square for deportation. Only 500 people complied. The Germans responded by sealing the Jewish quarter and rounding up Jews. From May through September 1943, the Germans launched raids to seize Jews in the city.

The Germans confiscated the property left behind by deported Jews. In 1942 alone the contents of nearly 10,000 apartments in Amsterdam were expropriated by the Germans and shipped to Germany. Some 25,000 Jews, including at least 4,500 children, went into hiding to evade deportation. About one-third of those in hiding were discovered, arrested, and deported. In all, at least 80 percent of the prewar Dutch Jewish community perished.

In the spring of 1945, Canadian forces liberated Amsterdam and the rest of the Netherlands.

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/amsterdam #:~:text=In%20May%201943%2C%20German%20authorities,prewar%20Dutch%20Jewish%20community%20perished.

02/04/2026

"Farewell to Belfast" - The RMS Titanic leaves Belfast 2nd April 1912 as reported in the Belfast Telegraph 3rd April 1912