Free Derry Corner, flying a tricolour, is at the centre of some wild-style writing, with BRY [Bogside Republican Youth] graffiti. On the Bogside shops.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Welcome To The Bogside
London-/Derry
Eastway Wall Art Project
“Eastway Wall Art Project – a Re-Imaging Communities Programme – aims to help all communities in urban areas tackle the visible signs of sectarianism and racism and to create a positive welcoming environment for everyone. Living gallery envisaged by Creggan Enterprises and created by Guildhall Press & Tom Agnew. Signage and artwork fabricated locally by Globaltech. [acknowledgements] The Eastway Wall itself has undergone major refurbishment including the construction of two new pillars to frame the wall. The lower Eastway natural-stone tower maintains the historical link between Rath Mór and the Grianán of Aileach ring fort in Donegal. The higher Eastway structure comprises two sections of a factory chimney stack once located on the nearby Bligh’s Lane site and demolished in 2008. This was added to preserve an important link with the area’s industrial heritage.”
The image above shows the second through the eighth panel. A few of the info boards, including the main one, are shown below. (For the Creggan Story and its info board, see M05174.)
Above the panels shown, some panels just have single words in them – for five of these see Vibrant.
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Hunger Strike
This is the sixth mural by the Bogside Artists, commemorating the hunger strike. The main figure is Raymond McCartney, shown after 53 days on hunger strike in 1980; the female figure is perhaps Mary Doyle (the other two female strikers were Maıréad Farrell and Maıréad Nugent).
Visual History page for the Bogside Artists.
Rossville Street, Derry
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Centre For Learning & Development
On closer inspection, one can see images relating to WWI, the UDA, the William King Flute Band, and various arms of the military such as the Paras and B Specials adorning the Cathedral Youth & Community Centre/Centre For Learning & Development in The Fountain, London-/Derry/Doire. The close-up below shows a plaque in honour of David Warke, who founded the club in 1972 (Yellow Tom); the profile is perhaps also of Warke.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Relief Of Londonderry
“Derry” became “Londonderry” in 1613, but in 1689 at the time of the siege, as now, it was commonly referred to as “Derry”. The slogan of the defenders was “No Surrender” and the successful resistance to penetration gave rise to the epithet “The Maiden City” (WP).
Pictures of the unveiling of the plaque in 2009, which commemorates William Love, can be seen here.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00941 William Love 1908-1966 composer of flute band music was born near this spot; william attended cathedral school and worshipped in St. columb’s cathedral he played with the maiden city flute band churchill flute band and the hamilton flute band among his many compositions are senior service, stop in style, hale and hearty, cross and crown, and moore st. erected as a project of the maiden city festival aug. 2000
Thousands Are Sailing
The Irish went to America, the pigs went to England. “Beware! Pigs Crossing. Bacon curing was one of the city’s oldest industries. People fattened pigs in their back yard. The women delivered them to the factories close to the quays in case their men spent the pig money on drink on the way home.”
Straight-on shot below …
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Trooper
One of loyalism’s most famous muraling icons – paradoxically of the peace-time era – is Eddie The Trooper. This one is in the Waterside’s Ebrington Terrace, Londonderry. For others in other locations, see Eddie’s Visual History page.
The first part of the words above the board come from the last paragraph of this WWI order: “There must be no retirement. With our backs to the wall and believing in the justice of our cause each one of us must fight on to the end”.
Source: http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/backstothewall.htm
The last sentence of Haig’s order is not included; instead we here have “We determine the guilty. We decide the punishment.” which appears to be the motto of a “fantasy tabletop war game” Warhammer 40,000.
The image is a 1997 (according to Peter Moloney) replica, with additions, of a 1983 Iron Maiden cover (WP). This character, “Eddie”, was featured in much of Iron Maiden’s artwork. The two images below show a close-up of Eddie, now sporting a UFF badge on his shoulder, and of the victim on the left, now wearing a distinctively gold coloured epaulette to go with his green uniform and white sash.
The board was painted by a group called ‘Attitude Artwork’, made up of Dee Logan, Mark Logan, and Marty Edwards (CAIN). In an interview with the BBC, Marty Edwards said, “I work for Attitude Mural Artists. We’re based in the Waterside, Londonderry and we paint predominantly Protestant paintings. We would usually paint paramilitary paintings for UDA people, UVF people in their own estates. You know, sort of to mark their territory bounds like, you know, stuff like that. Usually we’re left to our own devices, to come up with something that’s really intimidating, will antagonise Catholics. But this project I’ve been involved with two groups from both sides of the community, four schools. … ” (BBC)
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Direct Line
“In God We Trust” on a wall jutting out/continuing on from the main “peace” line, in The Fountain, Londonderry.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Past The Gaol
This is the board in The Fountain, Londonderry visible in the distance in True Blue. The panels feature local spots from days-gone-by.
A piece of the old Gaol still stands, between Bishop Street and The Fountain.
Wapping Lane still exists. One can view census records for Clarence Place and Wapping Lane from 1901 at the National Archives.
It would seem that the mural being painted in the top panel was in Clarence Place? (Inferred from this first-person account of life in The Fountain from the Londonderry Sentinel. (Add a comment if you can confirm/refute this.)
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00940 past the gaol and down behind the fountain wapping lane clarence place
Vita, Veritas, Victoria
“Life, Truth, Victory.” A new (within the last 12 months) board just outside the walls of Londonderry, in the Fountain area. (The Fountain area is a small Unionist area on the west bank of the Foyle river; the larger unionist population is in the Waterside on the east side of the river.)
The city’s coat of arms is featured in the centre – there are various interpretations of its elements, including the skeleton (WP). St. Columb’s cathedral (WP) is top left and a map of the wall bottom right. In the top right is the coat of arms of the city of London (whose flag is the top part of the coat of arms) – “Lord, Direct Us.”
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00939 [X05219] domine dirige nos, ano do 1633 cap regis 9, if stones could speake then londons prayse should sounde, who built this church and cittie from the grounde vaughan – see If Stones Could Speak.
Extramural Activity 