Ireland ~ Derry ~ Bloody Sunday & Fort (Day 8) 29Jul23

Derry/Londonderry is an intense place in Ireland. Yeah it's an old walled city with just four original gates to enter the center and to protect the British from the much more numerous "bog-sider" Irish. It is also the site of "Bloody Sunday." An only recently recognized British slaughter of a dozen innocent civil rights protesters. We toured the many street installations commemorating the date as well as a museum in part organized by Jesse Jackson. The Irish civil rights protesters picked up the mantle from American blacks protesting lack of equality and civil liberty, which was felt by the Irish as well. The retelling of the 30Jan72 massacre was chilling and felt all over Derry - but the seeds were sown long ago as evidenced in this 1500's era walled city dividing the powerful & wealthy British occupants from the resident Irish. There were seemingly many unacknowledged villains and many more heros who kept up investigations long past their tiring ~ to finally have later UK reports recognize the deeds largely for what they were - unwarranted, murderous, violence - yet no one was prosecuted or jailed. I observed the "starry Plough" of the Irish Citizen's Army on several spots outside the walls, and that's an embossed wall of a soundtrack of that day.

We moved back into the walled center and walked atop the wall with Ronin. Derry's another keen city with nice views and a long, if checkered, history. Bishop's Gate is an old one but Castle Gate is "new" from the 1700s.

Kirsty's gold bus took us out of the city then and up a high hill on a nothing road leading to a "fort" overlooking town. A largely not well understood structure and surrounding concentric rings dating from pre-history was likely fortification for observation, living, and defense. Ireland had some very ancient, well-organized humans.

Once back in town and the safety out of the weather K3 & I hit the City Hall to see the assembly hall and organ as well as John Hume's Nobel Peace prize. Hume was a very influential Social Dem from Derry’s bog side who helped drive agreement with the British to quell unrest - he’s the only person ever to win all 3 major peace prizes.