About
The Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre on Main Street in Limavady is a modern community museum and arts venue that tells the rich story of the Roe Valley area in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Located in an award-winning purpose-built facility in the heart of this historic market town, the centre combines local history exhibitions with a vibrant contemporary arts programme, serving as a cultural hub for the wider Causeway Coast and Glens area.
The museum's permanent exhibitions explore the layered history of the Roe Valley from prehistoric times to the present day, with archaeological finds from the area's many ancient sites, artefacts from the medieval O'Cahan lordship, and displays on the Plantation of Ulster that transformed the region in the 17th century. A particular strength is the centre's exploration of the linen industry, which was the economic backbone of the Roe Valley for over two centuries, with displays on flax growing, bleaching greens along the River Roe, and the weaving traditions that connected this rural area to global textile markets.
One of the museum's most celebrated stories is that of Jane Ross and the Londonderry Air, better known worldwide as Danny Boy. Ross, a Limavady resident, is traditionally credited with noting down the haunting melody from a travelling fiddler in 1851, preserving what would become one of the most famous and beloved songs in the world. The centre explores this musical heritage through displays, recordings, and interpretation that connect Limavady to a global cultural phenomenon.
The arts programme features a changing schedule of exhibitions by local, national, and international artists, with a dedicated gallery space, workshops, and community events that make the centre a living cultural venue rather than a static museum. The building also houses tourist information, making it an excellent first stop for visitors exploring the Causeway Coast region.
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Annual Visitors (2019)
30,000
Plan Your Visit
⏱️ Recommended Visit Duration
📅 Best Times to Visit
Quietest: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Busiest: Saturday
💡 Weekday mornings for quiet exploration of the museum. Check website for current gallery exhibitions and events.
💡 Visitor Tips
- The centre is free to enter and makes an excellent first stop when visiting the Limavady area — it also has tourist information for the wider Causeway Coast and Glens region.
- Ask about the Danny Boy story — the tale of Jane Ross and the Londonderry Air is the museum's most compelling narrative, connecting this small town to one of the world's most famous songs.
- Combine your visit with a trip to Roe Valley Country Park (3km away) to see the former linen bleaching greens and dramatic river gorge that complement the museum's linen heritage displays.
- Check the website for current gallery exhibitions before visiting — the contemporary art programme changes regularly and often features work by notable local and national artists.
- The centre is a modern purpose-built building with full wheelchair access, lifts, and accessible facilities throughout — one of the most accessible museums in the region.
- Limavady is well placed as a base for exploring the Causeway Coast, with the Giant's Causeway, Mussenden Temple, and Benone Beach all within easy driving distance.
- Parking is available in several nearby town centre car parks at low cost. The centre is right on Main Street in the centre of Limavady.
- The centre is closed on Sundays and public holidays. Weekday mornings offer the quietest visiting experience.
Highlights
Jane Ross and the Londonderry Air (Danny Boy)
The museum's most celebrated story is the tale of Jane Ross (1810-1879), a Limavady woman who in 1851 transcribed a haunting melody played by a travelling fiddler on the streets of the town.
This tune, known as the Londonderry Air, was later set to lyrics by English lawyer Frederic Weatherly to become Danny Boy, one of the most famous and emotionally powerful songs in the world. The exhibition explores how this moment of musical preservation in a small Irish market town created a global cultural phenomenon.
Displays include historical context about Ross, the folk music tradition she helped preserve, and the song's journey from local melody to international anthem sung everywhere from Irish pubs to opera houses.
Roe Valley Linen Heritage
Comprehensive displays exploring the linen industry that was the economic lifeblood of the Roe Valley for over two hundred years. The River Roe provided the clean water essential for bleaching linen cloth, and the valley became one of the most important linen-producing areas in Ireland. Exhibits include original flax-working tools, spinning wheels, weaving equipment, and examples of finished linen, alongside photographs and documents illustrating the lives of workers in the industry.
The displays trace the complete process from growing and retting flax to spinning, weaving, and bleaching the cloth, and examine how the decline of the linen trade transformed the local economy and community in the 20th century.
Archaeology of the Roe Valley
Displays of archaeological finds from the Roe Valley and surrounding area, spanning thousands of years of human settlement. The region is rich in prehistoric sites including megalithic tombs, standing stones, and ring forts that testify to continuous habitation from the Neolithic period onwards. Artefacts include flint tools, Bronze Age metalwork, Early Christian period objects, and medieval finds that illuminate the daily life, trade connections, and cultural practices of the valley's ancient inhabitants.
The displays set local archaeology within the broader context of Irish and British prehistory and connect to the many visible ancient monuments in the surrounding landscape.
The O'Cahan Lordship and Plantation
Exhibition exploring the medieval O'Cahan (O'Kane) lords who ruled the Roe Valley for centuries, and the dramatic transformation brought by the Plantation of Ulster in the early 17th century. The O'Cahans were one of the most powerful Gaelic families in the north of Ireland, and their territory encompassed the Roe Valley and surrounding lands.
The Plantation replaced Gaelic lords with English and Scottish settlers, fundamentally changing the landscape, culture, and society of the area.
Displays examine both the Gaelic world that was displaced and the new Plantation town of Limavady (originally Newtownlimavady) that was established, exploring themes of colonisation, cultural change, and identity that resonate to this day.
Collections
The Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre holds collections relating to the local history, archaeology, and cultural heritage of the Roe Valley and Limavady area. Holdings include archaeological artefacts from prehistoric to medieval periods, objects relating to the linen industry, photographs and documents illustrating the social history of Limavady and surrounding communities, and materials connected to the story of Jane Ross and the Londonderry Air.
The contemporary art collection grows through the gallery programme.
The centre also serves as a repository for community-contributed memories, photographs, and objects that document the lived experiences of the Roe Valley's residents across generations.
The Roe Valley Story
Core heritage exhibition tracing the history of the Roe Valley from prehistoric settlement through the O'Cahan lordship, Plantation, linen industry, and modern era, with archaeological finds, historical objects, and community memories.
📍 Heritage Exhibition Area
Danny Boy: The Londonderry Air Story
Exhibition telling the story of Jane Ross, the Londonderry Air, and the creation of Danny Boy, connecting Limavady to one of the world's most famous and beloved songs.
📍 Main Exhibition
Themes
Time Periods
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.