The City Cemetery hilltop site is an important green space for biodiversity, with grassland, scattered trees, hedgerows, walls and graves providing a habitat for a range of species.

 

Yew trees, so much a symbol of death with poisonous berries and bark, are numerous in the old section. One of the most striking landmarks is the ‘Devil’s Tree’ with its menacing gnarled branches.

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Along with the usual common gulls, blackbirds, robins and rooks, wildlife regularly spotted includes peregrine falcons, sparrow

hawks, field mice and bats. A fox and red squirrel have even been observed. The numerous hares and rabbits that also populate the cemetery can cause noticeable damage on occasion to graves and destroy fresh flowers.

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Please remember, Derry City Cemetery is still a working burial place. Interments may take place on any given day so visitors are requested to respect the sensitivities of those attending the graves of their loved ones. Visitors are advised to be mindful of their safety in the older sections where the ground may be steep and uneven and some of the headstones may be in a vulnerable condition. All dogs must be kept on a leash.