When a city bears your name (or you bear some version of its), you have to visit. Of course I’ve behaved like a complete idiot here in Derry/Londonderry, Ireland, running around taking selfies with all things Derry; also this town gives good hashtag (pics below). But I’ll let this lovely lady, the one and only Charlene McCrossan, speak for me.  She’s sunny and funny and tells a great story - grand craic - and she walks backwards (you never know when a  good backwards-walking guide will tip the scales in favor of Northwestern over BC; sorry, Eagles, sorry, Dad. For the rest of you, it’s a story for another time.) 

SilverFox and I were determined to take this Derry tour because of the fabulous reviews, plus we were craving a better understanding of the city’s intense history.  So we showed up bright and early one morning despite the consistently wet weather, and there she was in her iconic yellow raincoat (the value of a bright color can’t be underestimated; mine is pink), sporting a lovely smile and sparkling like sunshine on the grey day.  

It turns out that Charlene’s dad Martin founded McCrossan CityTours and was crowned “Mr. Derry” for his vision for tourism for the Walled City.  Well, my own dad is famously “Mr. Derry” among my friends and in my shows, and of course this discovery moved us both.  Charlene embodies the warmth, the charm and the strength of Stroke City - the town’s nickname for the slashes that separate the official monikers - and she told some incredibly moving tales not only of the city’s history but of her life in it.  I exhort you to come here and meet her. I’m proud to be a daughter of Mr. Derry with her, and bear the name of her beautiful city.

“The story of the two daughters of the two Mr Derry’s. 🤗

I had the pleasure of taking this wonderful lady @susan_derry on tour of the city. After our introductions we both quickly came to realise that both of our dads were Mr Derry . 💞

A postponed trip for Susan to Ireland and she was most excited about visiting our city because of her connection to it 🥰

Was through coincidence and luck that we met as I usually wouldn’t have been conducting that tour . 

It was a pleasure to have met you Susan ! And I hope you can visit Our beautiful city again in the future ! 🤩”

EDITED: Not long after I posted this, a few pieces on Ireland appeared in the New York Times: this terrific perspective on Derry/Londonderry by Mark Landler: “Few cities are as caught between hope and history as Derry;” Maureen Dowd’s op-ed on abortion rights in majority-Catholic Ireland’s abortion laws, and sadly, the obituary of David Trimble, Protestant leader and organizer for peace and co-architect, with David Hume, of the Good Friday Agreement. Great reading all.