Traveling: Derry, Northern Ireland

Derry, also known as Londonderry, is the second largest city in Northern Ireland. There is so much history there that when our guide was talking, my head was spinning. Derry walls were built in the 17th century and they are still intact. You can walk around the walled city through a promenade and explore the outer city from the many gates.

Unfortunately, Derry is mostly known now for being the place where the Troubles started in the 60’s. The conflict between Catholics/Nationalists and Protestants/Unionists lasted three decades and saw a lot of violence. In 1972, one of the most notorious events of the Troubles also happened in Derry: on “Bloody Sunday” 26 civil rights protesters were shot by British soldiers.

Now Derry is a much more peaceful place, but the horror of the guerrilla war can still be seeing on the political murals of the Bogside. There are also some monuments dedicated to peace, such as the Peace bridge and the peace monument “Hands across the divide”.

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