It is the emblem of an entire geopolitical conflict. The “Free Derry” wall, located in the Bogside district, is one of the symbols of the Northern Ireland conflict, opposing loyalist and nationalist ideologies.
At the time, this painted gable wall marked the entrance to a self-proclaimed nationalist republican enclave: a zone representing Free Derry. This enclave, in place from 1969 until 1972, covered the Bogside and Creggan neighborhoods, and was defended by Republican activists.
Today, the wall is still in place, and has been preserved as it was in memory of the Troubles.
The Bogside district has regularly been the scene of clashes between Republicans and Northern Irish Loyalists. Witness the terrible Bloody Sunday of 1972, or the numerous acts of violence recorded during parades and parades, degenerating into all-out conflict.
So what better way for the Catholic district of Bogside to display their hopes clearly than on a white wall, with imposing black lettering? This was the wish of nationalist activists in the 1960s: they wanted to create a free, republican enclave, free from British control.
The wall was first painted in January 1969 by John Casey.
This wall signified the entrance to a free territory: a zone deemed illegal by the loyalists, but which managed to survive for almost 3 years.
Today, the wall remains in place. Regularly tagged, it is constantly maintained and restored. It’s one of Derry’s must-see tourist attractions, attracting thousands of visitors every year: it’s an emblematic site that provides a better understanding of the city’s cultural and historical identity!
It demonstrates, even today, the extent to which Northern Ireland remains weakened by centuries of conflict.
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