Sunday June 11 th 2017

---

Woke up to sunshine but some clouds. By the time we joined the group on the bus the clouds had taken over and we were soon in the rain. We first stopped in Derry/ Londonderry. there is controversy over it's name but our guide who joined us in the town calls it Derry. This means Oak trees which are what the town was named after. London was added after financial input from wealthy people of London had invested in the town.

Our guide Garvin was amazing. He had been born and brought up in Derry spending his teenage years during the troubles of the 1970's. He is passionate about his town. While we were there a Triathlon was going on and we saw the cycling stage of this. There was also a march celebrating 100 years ago of the Battle of Messines followed by a church service so there was a lot of police activity and roads shut. We drove through the town having various points of interest shown to us. We saw the Peace Bridge apparently paid for from EU funds, not for much longer we can assume. We then went to the Bogside area, past the memorial garden for all those who lost their lives there. The paintings depicting the times are still on the walls, the Peace wall and various peace fighters, and Bernadette Devlin, who at the age of 21 became an MP and political activist. We heard about Bloody Sunday. There was also pictures of a young boy who was injured and being carried away to die shortly afterwards and a young girl who was killed on the way to school. No one stopped at the picture of the young girl as her father came everyday to stand in front of the picture and speak to her until the day he died. After all this we were all in tears he was so passionate about his history. He just wants us to understand what happened and to tell everyone it is now safe to return and would be welcomed. We then went on to walk on the walls around the town. It is the only UK town which has the walls still complete. They are very wide and gave a wonderful view of the town.

Garvin told us many funny stories about men and women taking a walk on the walls and strutting their stuff, he demonstrated this. He stopped in front of a plaque telling us of Mrs Cecil Frances Alexander who wrote words to many well known hymns and even sung one, All things bright and beautiful. He was full of knowledge and nonsense and brought it all to life.

We then went to the Ulster American Folk Museum which told of the reasons of so many Irish emigrating to America and how they fared when they got there.

We got back after a good day out in spite of the frequent showers. Still hoping for better weather in the coming week. Now watching Poldark, good as ever!

---

Photos

Garvin
Our guide in Derry

The Peace Wall
in the Bogside

graffiti
protest against the British law of interment

Bloody Sunday
death of a young boy

small house
one roomed house at Ulster American Folk Museum

street
shops of 1800's