Confirmed · Bogside and Cityside · Attraction

St Columba’s Church, Long Tower

the church exterior during the Toto chase in Derry Girls. Exterior from public approach; worship takes priority; allow allow 30–60 minutes.

On screen as: the church exterior during the Toto chase
Access: Exterior from public approach; worship takes priority
Time needed: Allow 30–60 minutes
Where: Derry~Londonderry

On screen

How St Columba’s Church, Long Tower appears

St Columba’s Church at Long Tower supplies the church exterior associated with the Toto chase in Derry Girls. Discover Northern Ireland explicitly limits its credit to the outside of the building. The interior weeping-statue sequence was filmed at St George’s Parish Church in Belfast, so the broadcast church combines two real locations. The Derry visit therefore concerns a recognisable exterior within the city’s hillside setting, without claiming that the rooms inside reproduce the scene seen on television.

The real place

What you can visit

Long Tower is a working place of worship, with worshippers and church events taking priority over filming interest. A view from a public approach is the simplest way to appreciate the credited exterior. Do not enter during a service merely to search for a camera angle, and ask about any visitor opening separately if you want to see inside. Sloping streets and the church approach can make this a more demanding stop than the flatter square and riverfront locations.

The screen connection is outside, so a respectful exterior view is sufficient without interrupting the church’s worship programme.

Discover Northern Ireland ↗

Getting there.

Use central Derry bus arrivals or the Waterside rail connection, then allow roughly twenty minutes uphill from the Guildhall area as a planning estimate. Bishop Street parking is an option for a walk from the walls side. The exterior can be viewed year-round from public approaches; church interior access depends on worship and advertised visitor arrangements. Avoid arriving with a photography group during a funeral or service.

Official visitor information ↗Open in Google Maps ↗Read the visiting guide →

Common questions

Planning a responsible visit

Was the weeping statue filmed inside Long Tower?

No. Discover Northern Ireland identifies the Long Tower exterior only, while Visit Belfast names St George’s Parish Church for the interior sequence. This guide keeps those production roles separate.

Can I enter as a television visitor?

Use any advertised visitor opening and follow church directions. Worship, funerals and other religious activity take priority, and the credited filming destination here is the public exterior approach.

Is the church close to the walls?

It is within the city-side walking area, but hills and route choices affect the approach. Plan extra time rather than assuming every central Derry stop is on a flat circuit.

Plan your visit