According to the city's Royal Charter the official name is Londonderry and, as stated in a recent High Court decision in January 2007, remains so. It usually appears as such on maps. The city is known by many as Derry, which is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire, which in modern Irish is spelt Doire, and translates as Oak-grove. The name derives from the settlement's earliest references, Daire Calgaich (oakwood of Calgach) The name was changed from Derry in 1613 during the Plantation of Ulster to reflect the establishment of the city by the London guilds. The name "Derry" is preferred by nationalists and it is broadly used throughout Northern Ireland's Catholic community, as well as that of the Republic of Ireland, whereas many unionists prefer "Londonderry"; however in everyday conversation Derry is also used frequently by Protestants
Cool beans. I love the picture, friend, but more than that, I love the information. I remember listening to a comedian on the RTI go on about the contention between Irish Catholics and the Orangemen about the Derry/Londonderry debate.