It was up nice and early for a full cooked breakfast this morning before ordering a cab up to the town centre. First port of call was the lovely Guildhall for the first of the day’s tours.
Just before 11.00 I saw a tour guide on the steps, named Glen from Bogside History Tours whose father (Patrick Doherty) was killed on Bloody Sunday. No other customers showed up for that tour slot, so it was just me and him. He gave a good account on the background to the City, including the plantations and some of the sieges that have gone on in the past. He also walked me round the Guildhall which is a fascinating building, and where the bulk of the Saville enquiry was held. This was followed by a tour to the Bogside itself for a description of the events of Bloody Sunday. I didn’t know this but the Bogside is right next door to the City centre.
We took a walk to Chamberlain Street where the shooting started. Moving on then to Rosville Street; all the killings are in or around this street.
It’s also the street on which all the peace murals are painted.
This is Glenfada Park, a small car park behind houses on Rosville Street. More shootings occurred here of protesters trying to run to safety. During the day, 5 protesters were shot in the back.
Moving down to the end of Glenfada Park, the wall at the end is the location of the Free Derry Museum. On the right of the picture, two bullet holes are still in the wall caused by 7.62mm rounds.
This is the monument in Rosville Street to those who were killed on Bloody Sunday. More killings took place behind the monument, including the tour guide’s father Patrick Doherty who was shot while he tried to crawl to safety. Bernard McGuigan heard his cries for help and tried to assist him, waving a white hankerchief to signal his peaceable intentions. He was shot in the back of the head.
Many will be familiar with this picture of the Free Derry Corner.
This gable end was originally painted when the Bogside was a no-go area, signalling the start of the “free” area which was not under British control. The block of houses was eventually demolished, but this wall was kept.
This is one of the most moving murals in the Bogside collection. It’s entitled “Death of Innocence” and it depicts a young girl called Annette McGavigan.
In 1971, she had been sent to the shops on an errand by her parents. During her trip she was shot and killed by a British solider during crossfire with the IRA. She was 14 years of age.
That was the end of my Bogside tour. I had a quick cup of tea afterwards with Glen and headed round the shops for a nosey and had some lunch in the local McDonald’s.
At 2PM, I went to the address for Martin McCrossan whose company runs a tour of the City walls. Derry has been under attack three times and nobody has got in yet, so the “walls” warranted a bit of a look round.
There was a slightly bigger turnout this time, myself and a couple from Coleraine. The tour started off at one of the four main gates to the City. This is the gate which was closed by the Derry Apprentice Boys against enemy forces. They march twice a year, once in December to commemorate the closing of the gates and again in August to mark the end of the siege.
Our tour guide gave a great account of the history, again starting back at the time of the plantation – it’s essential to understand that in order to get the full picture on issues that have occurred in more recent history.
The walls are over a mile in circumference and there are some great views from the walls. There is a superb view of the Bogside from the City walls, and the Creggan area above it which are the two large Catholic estates in West Derry.
There is a small Protestant area called the Fountain Estate which can also be seen from the City walls.
In much the same way as the Nationalist areas have painted the lamposts in the colours of the Irish flag, the Unionists have done this in the colours of the Union flag. The kerbstones have also been painted to match.
This is a Protestant church within the confines of the City walls, up until recently it was defaced and boarded up. Being right next to an army garrison it was a natural target for attack.
Since the troubles have ended, it has been restored and has hosted various peace initiatives. Guests such as Martin McGuinness and Martin Luther King III have attended various symposiums held here.
Well that was the end of my tour of Derry. I know it wasn’t my normal “ice cream and sunshine” post, but events here have shaped generations of events both in Ireland and the UK, and I felt it important to get a more detailed insight to the history of the City. I would warmly recommend a visit to Derry, the tours in particular were superb and only cost around the £4-£5 mark. Eating out is cheap and everybody is friendly.
Tomorrow, the van (if it starts) will be going to Belfast. I’ve a couple of days there before heading back to Dublin. There’s a Maplin in East Derry so I must remember to buy some wire and crimps there to try and fix the ignition system up.
It seems that every time I open the cupboard above the cooker, a coffee jar or glass pepper grinder falls out and hits the hob. I haven’t succeeded in smashing a jar yet, but there are numerous chunks missing out of the enamel where high speed contact has been made.
After a few hours grunt, the 3D printer turned up the goods and produced something which was made to measure. Two containers; a round one, and a square one to ensure a good fit for the various condiments I carry around. Neat, eh?
