This is a birthday that Denny will never forget, how many people get to spend their 78th birthday in Ireland? I had told the guide, so I thought he would just wish him a Happy Birthday. He announced it on the bus and everyone sang Happy Birthday to him. A very nice gesture.
After leaving Donegal, we headed to Derry, located in Northern Island. Derry is where alot of the fighting went on between the Catholics and Protestants. In 1921, after a war with British rule, 26 of the 32 counties became the Irish Free State. The remaining 6 chose not to join them and stayed with Britain. These were mostly Protestants, the Unionists. . The Irish Free State were mostly Catholics, The Nationalists. Within the 6 counties that stayed with Britain, were many Catholics that felt they had been sold down the river by the International border. The catholic side formed the IRA, who wanted all of the 32 counties to be under the Irish Free State. This is a very short synopsis of how the fighting started.
Derry even has 2 names, depending on whose side you are on. Protestants call it Londonderry. Catholics call it just Derry.
There is only one official flag of Northern Island, the Union flag of the UK. But you also see the green, white and orange tricolor flag used by the Nationalists and the Northern Irish flag, white with a red cross and red hand in its center.
Most of the British troops left in mid 2007. Today, you can feel comfortable wandering the streets on both sides
Most of the British troops left in mid 2007. Today, you can feel comfortable wandering the streets on both sides
The fighting has stopped, but there are still lots of remnants to see of the conflict. There is still resentments, but no fighting breaking out. These pictures are a little blurry because I had to take them from the bus window while it was moving.
The murals were painted by 2 brothers, starting in 1994 to commemorate the events leading to Bloody Sunday, 40 years ago. The the murals are in the Blogside area, which is where most of the fighting occurred. The 2 brothers grew up here and witnessed it all. There are 12 in all, but, I'm just showing you a few
The murals were painted by 2 brothers, starting in 1994 to commemorate the events leading to Bloody Sunday, 40 years ago. The the murals are in the Blogside area, which is where most of the fighting occurred. The 2 brothers grew up here and witnessed it all. There are 12 in all, but, I'm just showing you a few
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| THE HUNGAR STRIKE-occurred in 1981, 10 people died |
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| BLOODY SUNDAY-group of men carrying a body away from the ill fated march |
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| Area meeting place for speakers to address the crowds |
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| BERNADETTE Berdette McAlisky, only 21 yrs old, an outspoken civil rights leader, youngest elected member of the British Parliament |
DEATH OF INNOCENCE- 14 yr old girl killed by crossfire on this very spot in 1971. At the time it was painted, the gun was in one piece. Also the butterfly just had the outline. When the peace came, it was repainted to show a broken gun and filled the butterfly in with colors to signify peace had come.
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| PEACE- showing a dove on the left and an oak leaf on the right, made from one single ribbon |
There was a wall built in 1613-1618 to separate Protestants and Catholics. The first siege in 1688 lasted 105 days with 20,000 dead. Amazing how long the fighting in one way or another lasted through 1960's. We walked along the top of it. Notice the small holes to put their guns thru and still be protected. It is 20' high and the walls are sometimes 20' thick.
The picture below shows the steps we used to get on top.
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| You can tell by the coloring that this was Protestant territory The Nationalists would never step foot in this area or they would be shot |
Another different way to say things in Ireland. In the States, it would be RIGHT OF WAY
I just thought this was a beautiful paper cup. The black wavy lines were ridged
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