18/06/2026
Historic Tall Ship Phoenix Docks in Derry Ahead of Foyle Maritime Festival
A historic tall ship with a remarkable seafaring and cinematic past has arrived in Derry ahead of this year's Foyle Maritime Festival.
The Phoenix, a 34.1-metre brigantine based in Quiberon, Brittany, France, docked in the city as preparations continue for one of the region's largest maritime celebrations.
Built in 1929 at the Hjorne and Jakobsen shipyard in Frederikshavn, Denmark, the vessel originally served as a schooner for a Danish evangelical mission before beginning a long and varied career at sea.
Over the decades, the ship has undergone several transformations. In the 1950s, Phoenix was adapted for coastal sailing in the North Sea, while a major rebuild in 1974 saw her converted into a brigantine. She later joined the Square Sail fleet in 1988, becoming part of a collection of historic sailing vessels that included the Earl of Pembroke and Kaskelot.
The vessel is perhaps best known for her appearances on screen. In 1991, Phoenix portrayed Christopher Columbus's flagship Santa Maria in Ridley Scott's film 1492: Conquest of Paradise. She later featured in a number of film and television productions, including the 2015 maritime drama In the Heart of the Sea.
The ship measures 34.1 metres in length, displaces around 150 tonnes and carries 12 sails with a total sail area of 370 square metres.
Having docked in Derry ahead of the festival, the Phoenix offers an early glimpse of the maritime attractions set to arrive in the city for the event. The arrival comes just a week before the Foyle Maritime Festival, which returns to Derry's waterfront from 25 to 28 June. The four-day event will bring tall ships, maritime heritage displays, live music, markets, family entertainment and food experiences to both sides of the River Foyle, with extended evening programming transforming the riverfront into a major summer destination.
