Doubling Down in Derry
Derry is a large city with a compact tourist area surrounded by the only walled city in Ireland and the last one to be built in Europe. It is also the place to connect with the causes and events of the Troubles. Unless you were born after 1998, you were immersed in the problems and violence of Northern Ireland (NI) vicariously through the news.
Northern Ireland Today
We drive for a second time to Derry after a marathon forced us to go Ambling the Antrim Coast the previous day. We were looking for the border of Northern Ireland. But there was no indication we were in another country. An open border was a condition of the Good Friday 1998 peace accord. So what will they do with Brexit?
Finally, 40 km from Ramelton, there was a sign in miles. It is like there is only one Ireland. One of our B&B hosts said it will take two more generations before the old timers disappear and replaced by a younger generation that has known only peace.
Siege of Derry
The modern day story actually begins when Catholic Jacobite forces attempted to seize the town in 1688. This was foiled by 13 apprentice boys. They were orphans from the Great Fire of London (1666) that were shipped to Derry. The apprentice boys grabbed the keys to the city and closed the gates.
The siege became an icon of Ulster Protestant culture. Since the 19th century, the Apprentice Boys Society held two annual parades one on 7th December to celebrate the closing of the gates and on 12th August to celebrate the lifting of the Siege of Derry. The Apprentice Hall above was built in 1873 for this Protestant organization. The Orange Order was established in 1795 to unify the various Protestant factions.
Bishops Gate
Walk up the stairs for some good views from the walls. King James II came here with his army in 1689 and asked Derry to surrender. They fired their cannons. This was an act of rebellion and the siege continued for 105 days!
The Catholic James II was in Ireland because he was deposed as King of England the previous year by the Protestant Prince William of Orange, a Dutch noble. What we did not know was that William was James’ son-in-law!! I wonder what James’ daughter thought?
But this was only indirectly about religion. The real cause of the war and the later Troubles was political. James was supported by his cousin, Louis XIV of France! William had organized a multinational coalition to oppose French aggression. The real purpose of the coup was to deny Louis XIV a strong ally in Britain. For more on the Battle of the Boyne, see the Neolithic Newgrange post.
St Columb’s Cathedral
In 1600, Henry Docwra invaded pre-Derry and tore down the already ruined cathedral. Henry laid down the streets and is considered the founder of Derry. He used the stones of the cathedral to build the walls of the fort.
The present day Gothic style St Columb’s Cathedral was actually built in the Baroque Era (1633).
Wall Walk
Do the whole walk along the walls. You get many views and a whole different perspective
It is not long and you never know who you may meet. Here is a nurse from 1917 who talked about World War I to a large school class.
St. Augustines Chapel
St. Augustines looks like a 13th century Gothic church but was built in 1872 on the site of St. Columba’s Monastery (542).
The chapel does not face east because the original monastery faced northwest in order to fit onto the hill surrounded by oak trees. St. Columba did not want to cut any oak trees down. The city was was named after these oak trees, which is also the symbol of the city.
The current church follows the same orientation. As a result the entrance is right off the western walls. The entrance has some nice flowers including this white anthurium, the first time I have ever seen.
Bishop Street
Back at Bishop Gate, look down Bishop Street. Yes there really was not much traffic. So it is a pleasant walk down to The Diamond with Guildhall in the distance.
Austins
Established in 1830, Austins was the world’s oldest independent department store. The original store was destroyed by fire. The current building was built in 1906 on Diamond Square. It has an Edwardian-style baroque facade. The store was closed in 2016 due to asbestos.
Guildhall
The original 17th century city hall occupied the Diamond Square. This beautiful building was built in 1890 in Beaux Arts style — a combination of French neoclassical, Gothic and Renaissance styles.
It has the distinction of being the most bombed building during the Troubles. It cost a mere £19,000 to build, but this is dwarfed by the £8 million spent on recent restorations.
Free Derry Corner
Head to Lecky Road and when you find the Free Derry wall you have arrived at Bogside. This historical landmark is a free standing wall that used to be attached to a row of homes. It commemorates a self-declared autonomous nationalist area of town from 1969 to 1972. Not only have the barricades come down but this area was demolished to build the Lecky boulevard.
The Bogside Murals
The murals provide a visual history much like frescoes in a church. Dating from 1994, they were painted by brothers Tom and William Kelly, and their friend Kevin Hasson. These images are dramatic, powerful, and superb art.
Battle of the Bogside
Refugees from the Potato Famine (1845-49) fled to Derry to find work during the Industrial Revolution. They settled in this boggy side of the city. In more recent ties, working class Catholics remained concentrated in the overcrowded Bogside, below the western wall. In the 1960s, Catholics protested peacefully for civil rights and a fair share of jobs. The NI government favoured the Protestant areas in terms of job opportunities.
The Protestant Unionist politicians isolated the Catholics in a small number of electoral wards. Even though the Catholics were in the majority in Derry, severe gerrymandering meant that Unionists controlled the city government. Thus, the Catholics were marginalized much like the Blacks in America.
The Petrol Bomber
This mural is a scene from the Battle of the Bogside in this area of Derry in August 1969. This is a young boy wearing a gas mask to protect himself while he holds a petrol bomb.
Unfortunately, the protests were met with violence. The Troubles conflict began in Derry with the Battle of the Bogside in 1969.
Bernadette
Bernadette McAliskey, a social activist, is addressing a crowd during the Battle of the Bogside. She received a prison sentence for initiating and participating in a riot. Bernadette would later be elected to parliament at the age of 21.
By 1971, the level of violence across NI was such that the government introduced internment without trial. However, internment was applied predominantly to republicans.
Bloody Sunday
30 January 1972 became known as Bloody Sunday around the world. British soldiers shot 28 unarmed civilians during a protest march against internment — 14 people died.
Death of Innocence
You will be able to seem some of the murals as you walk along the western wall of Derry. British snipers used to fire from the wall. Fourteen year old Annette McGavigan was killed in 1971 at a place very close to this mural. A British soldier killed her while she stood at the side of the road. In total, 3,000 people were killed during The Troubles. The large butterfly was painted afterwards as an empty silhouette as they were not sure th peace process would succeed. In 2006 it was filled with colour and symbolizes the hope for peace.
The Saturday Matinee
The Saturday Matinee depicts a riot scene that became common on Saturday afternoons in the Bogside between 1969 and the early 1970s.
The Runner
This mural show a young boy running from the tear gas. Two young teens are shown at the bottom. They were killed by British sniper fire and IRA bomb respectively.
Civil Rights Mural
This artwork showcases the struggle for democratic rights for both Protestants and Catholics. These early marches through the streets were inspired by Martin Luther King’s civil disobedience campaigns.
The Peace Mural
The Peace Mural is a dove emerging from an oak leaf. The dove is a symbol of peace and Derry’s patron saint, Columba. The oak leaf is a symbol of Derry. The background is a set of equal-sided squares, which represents the equality of all citizens. On this colourful note, let us hope for a peaceful and prosperous future for Derry.
