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Derry is one of the best example of a walled city in Europe, and the only remaining city in Ireland with virtually complete walls surrounding the inner core. The walls were erected early in the 17th century as defenses against encroaching English and Scottish settlers. Like most places in Northern Ireland, they saw their share of trouble during "The Troubles". The walls were a good 12 feet wide and originally had only four entrances, all of which met at one central square.
When the walls were first built, the river came up to the edge of one wall. Land has since been 'reclaimed' and the Guildhall, a waterfront, roads and parks are on the land that was once water. We looked out onto 'bogside' which was the Catholic part of town during the Troubles; the IRA bombed one of the high points but the wall itself has stood. St. Columba Cathedral (Anglican) is inside the walls.
This is the site of a battle between James and William of Orange, for the crown. I finally asked why it was being fought here, not in England. Basically, I was told, James ran away to Ireland and William of Orange was chasing
him, to fight for the throne.
We went to the Guild Hall for a talk about Derry--
The Guilds of London invested to build a new city here, building the Guild Hall and changing the name to Londonderry. It was the first planned city in Ireland.
During the 18th century, this was the ain emigration point for people going to Canada and the US.
In the 19h century, it was a center of industry, especially shirt making. Industry brought an influx of 'different' people--female labor, Catholics, Irish Nationalists In the 1860s, the Catholics wanted to march on the walls for St Patrick's Day--conflict. Gladstone (PM) dis-established the Church of Ireland as the official religion, then introduced some land reform. Both Catholics and Protestants fought in WWI. Easter Rebellion, 1916, Unionists were loyal to the monarchy. The Anglo-Irish Treaty drew the Northern Ireland borders and Derry was cut off.
In WWII, troops from US, UK, Northern Ireland were housed here and the people still speak of the "Quonset Huts" that were used for housing after the troops left.
The Civil Rights Marchs began, the police attacked and people began seeing the British as an occupying
force. In Derry, on Bloody Sunday, 13 people were killed. It was filmed, beamed around the world. Really divided by religion. Good Friday Agreement has brought peace but there is still deprivation, no strong industry (except tourism).
In the afternoon, we went to the Ulster American Folk Park, with a section on life as it was, the trip to the US, and life in the US. Sponsored by Mellon, it included his family's original home in Ireland, and then models of his homes in America. It was open-air with enactors who did a great job.
We had dinner on our own, at a great place Mike found and reserved. Seafood!
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