Taoiseach Congratulates Derry on City of Culture Victory

  
The Taoiseach tonight congratulated the people of Derry on the city's victory in the competition for UK City of Culture 2013.
 
'I am delighted to offer my heartiest congratulations to the City of Derry on being chosen as the City of Culture for 2013.
 
Having been a strong supporter of this bid it gives me real pleasure to see the great cross-community effort that was made to ensure its success.  It is a tremendous achievement that will allow Derry and the North West to show the wider world how far it has come and how much it has to offer.
 
Winning this title provides a perfect platform to celebrate Derry's history in the context of a modern city that embraces all traditions, coinciding as it does with the 400th anniversary of the construction of the walled city.
 
The city's strong literary and artistic traditions combined with the exciting regeneration projects that are underway will make sure that Derry's reign as City of Culture will be a colourful and dynamic one.
 
My congratulations to the team who have led this bid and to all of the people of the city who have participated in its success. 
 
I look forward to seeing the benefits of this achievement extending far beyond 2013.'  
 
ENDS