Derry Journal Review of the Year 2022: July

The Foyle Maritime Festival attracted huge crowds to the banks of the Foyle to welcome the Clipper Around the World Race boats to the city. Derry man Gerard Doherty was taking part in the race on the Ha Long Bay boat and he received a heroes welcome as thousands of people waved banners and flags as the boat made its way along the Foyle. He was emotionally welcomed by his wife, two daughters and their dog.

The Festival came to an abrupt end, however, when a months worth of rain fell within a few hours, resulting ‘devastation’ across the northwest as homes and businesses were flooded.

Earlier in the month, Sinn Féin MLA Pádraig Delargy said ‘radical change’ was needed to tackle the mental health endemic. He called for the education curriculum to be updated to include mental health education and says long waits for mental health services needs to be tackled. He says that no home in Derry was unaffected by poor mental health. This came as then-Health Minister Robin Swann released figures that 5,218 people used mental health services in the Western Trust in a five year period between 2017/18 and 2021/22.

The Claudy Bombing was remembered on the 50th anniversary as families remembered the horrific events of the day and called for the truth to be told.

Council workers began their month-long strike for a pay increase and Derry City lost 2-0 against Riga UEFA Conference League.