‘Derry is a city in the hands of inspired leaders.’ The talent and energy of the many civic leaders of Derry is indeed incomparable and explains how this city, which has suffered so much, can reach beyond mere survival to embrace the future. Spanning just one generation John Hume, the consummate politician, and Phil Coulter, the composer and entertainer, have gained recognition far beyond their national and cultural boundaries. Their attachment to their native city is expressed by one in practical terms, while the other is inspired to express it in music. But there have been many others, perhaps not so well known, who have been instrumental in the development of their city. As A.E.J. Morris points out, ‘Theoretical planning expertise is of little significance in the absence of community resolution’. Eamonn Deane, James Doherty, Paddy Doherty, and John Hume are but a few of Derry's many leaders.

Although no longer as prominent an activist as he was in the fifties and sixties, James Doherty continues to serve the needs of the people of the area. He remembers his service as chairman of the Education and Library Board as one of the most rewarding and fruitful periods of his many years of public service, but what I remember most are his contributions to promoting the housing needs of Derry in the making of the Munce Plan and his consistent and unswerving belief in the benefits of planning for the future. John Hume's career and his continuing contributions to the development of the city and its population, from the sixties on, are unparalleled, and the scope of his career is different in that locally, nationally, and internationally it could be considered an example for aspiring politicians everywhere. In a recent book, he describes growing up in the Bogside and how he was drawn into the civil rights movement and a career in politics. Since 1972, he expanded his work to promote industrial development and secure investment in Derry by establishing ties with politicians in Europe and the United States. Much of the progress seen in Derry today is a direct result of these contacts.