Retro: Andy McGarvey discovers flintlock near Grianan Fort - from the 1995 Derry Journal archive

One of Derry’s best known barbers, Andy McGarvey, of Creggan Street, dug up a bit of history as he helped connect a water supply to a farm near Grianan Fort.

What he thought was another bit of old water pipe under his spade turned out to be something a lot more interesting.

Uncovered, rusted and dirty, was an old gun wrapped in cloth.

Local historian, Brian Lacey, of Derry City Council, got a look at the gun and had it identified as one made for the East Indian Company and introduced to widespread use by the British Army.

It’s a .75 calibre flintlock of a type known as the ‘Indian Pattern, Brown Bess Pattern,’ first made in 1797.