Derry into Londonderry (or Derry), on to Bushmills, Northern Ireland

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July 15, 2008, Tuesday
Derry into Londonderry (or Derry), on to Bushmills, Northern Ireland
Ballyness Caravan Caravan Park

We shared a taxi, the first one this trip, with our fellow campers into Derry/Londonderry(?). A walking tour of this historic walled city was our first introduction. Martin, our guide, although fast talking, was very knowledgeable about the city and its history. The "ups and downs" of Derry read like the NY stock market. There has been lots of blood shed, and lots of anger and violence over the centuries; English lords and poor Irish farmers, catholic and protestant battling as recent as 1970's 1980's. Today the city is trying to "move on" , but issues still remain that must be resolved. It is difficult for me to be neutral. There were so many injustices and atrocities done, but I guess many other countries have had this type of persecution and survived. The very name of the city Derry/Londonderry is still up for grabs... it seems to respond to both. This walled city is the only complete wall in Europe.
In graduate school... 1968, a very angry Irish priest asked me, "Why aren't you supporting the Catholic Irish in Derry, and doing something?" ... I didn't have a glue. The English have spent over 189 million pounds sterling investigating some of the events here in Derry, however, it has not yet been resolved...39 years later. The Brits have said it "may" have been a mistake, the operative word is...MAY. So was our first day in Northern Ireland.
Back to the "farm" and onto the road... to Bushmills, Ballyness Caravan Park, just off the coast of Northern Ireland. This is a beautiful area and busy with tourists. A tour of Bushmills Distillery was attempted, but we were too late.

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