Enterprising couple showcase Derry’s smart people behind rich flavours

James, 48, is the chairman of LegenDerry, a network of local food and drink producers, chefs and growers, one of the most successful food networks here, and is the managing director of Walled City Brewery, Restaurant and gin distillery in Ebrington Square, once an army barracks.

The network, furthermore, is the organiser of the hugely successful LegenDerry Street Food Festival next month.

“The Food Festival is a platform to showcase the talent, flavour, and creativity of this region – where every dish reflects the people and produce behind it.

“At the heart of LegenDerry Food is a shared goal: to champion our local producers, create unforgettable food experiences, and position the North West as a leading, sustainable food destination. This festival brings that vision to life, right in the heart of the city,” adds James.

He established the craft brewery with wife Louise, originally from Dublin, in 2018. It was the first craft brewery to open in the city for over 100 years and was followed by the first distillery in a similar period.

The distillery, launched by James, produced Earhart Gin in memory of pioneering American aviator Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly the Atlantic. She crashed in a field outside Derry in May 1932. The historic gin uses hand-picked botanicals, purple saxifrage, elderberry and hawthorn berry from the meadow where she landed.

After university in Dublin, James became a qualified brewer and spent 12 years brewing for Guinness, the largest beer company in the world.

A desire shared by James and Louise to move to Derry meant that a new brewing industry had to be created by the couple in the city. They grasped an opportunity provided by the planned regeneration of Ebrington Square and built a small brewery with a range of original brews.