****On-Going Project – Please send any corrections, additions, and photos to extramuralactivity@gmail.com ****
Introduction
For information about the wall and the house it was originally a part of, see the Visual History page for the front of Free Derry Corner.
Images
In 1982, the free-standing wall that was Free Derry Corner was hit by a British Army personnel carrier and about a quarter of the wall, on the right, was knocked down. The decision was taken at the time not only to rebuild the wall but to add an apex and buttresses on either side, giving the wall the shape that most people are familiar with.
The whole wall, both front and back, was plastered and painted, thus providing two surfaces for messages. On the front, the slogan (“You Are Now Entering Free Derry”) was repainted in block capitals:
The first recorded use of the back or “inside” of Free Derry Corner was for a version of the slogan on the front in Irish (and in the old Irish script where lenition is indicated by a dot, above “c” and above “D” in this case) – “Anoıs tá tú ag dul ısteaċ ı Saor Ḋoıre” – in 1983.
The IRA’s Martin McGuinness at Free Derry corner.
In 1984, the scandal over the SDLP’s failure to back the name “Derry” drew comment.
?1985? “Éıre amháın, pobal amháın – an t-aon rogha” [One Ireland, one people – the only choice]
“Yer man Patrick Coyle came up with the idea of putting the board on the back of the Wall” – Arlene Wege (Derry Journal)
“Ass[emble] Sun 28 June Creggan Shops” (Derry Volunteers Commemoration march, held annually)
“Be A Part Of The Struggle For Peace – Demonstrate Aug 14th”
There are four images from 1990. We think the order is as follows:
Bloody Sunday/Free The Birmingham Six – March on January 28th, 1990
Easter 1916 – March on April 15th, 1990
Derry Volunteer Commemoration – March on June 24th, 1990
Save Dessie Ellis – 13th day of Ellis’s hunger strike would be October 23rd, give or take a day.
1990 “AIDS – it affects us all. Patrick Doherty 1961-1990” (Woods plate 18). Possibly for World AIDS day, December 1st.
1991 International Women’s Day (March 8th) by Patricia Hegarty and Sinn Féın Women (Woods plate 19). This board was also partially reproduced in the “Derry Women” mural in the Brandywell.
“1916-Easter-1991” For the 75th anniversary of the Easter Rising, the Starry Plough and Connolly. (Easter Sunday in 1991 was on March 31st.)
In 1991, for the tenth anniversary of the hunger strike, the theme was ‘Celebration Of Resistance’
1992 (December) Foreign Funds
1993 (Woods plate 20 gives “Christmas 1990”) Send The Rich Away. An army helicopter flying in a starry plough sky shines down its light on the three wise men of the European Economic Community (EEC), Catholic church, and Sky broadcasting; on the right is a Bible quote and a blanket-man.
1993: “Amuıgh agus bródúıl [out and proud] – Derry celebrates lesbian, gay pride. 19th-26th June ’93”
?1993? “Free POWs” candle
(M05513)
1995 1993 Building For The Future
“Open Both Eyes – Women’s Liberation, National Liberation” was also on the dirty wall
“The joke’s over lads.” One of multiple small panels, with the mounting slats in disrepair.
(Stones Speak 5m40s)
Racist Brain – date entirely unknown
With the Hume-Adams initiative and the first ceasefire in 1994 came demands for the removal of the British Army (and disbandment of the RUC and release of political prisoners). It appears that the wall has been cleaned and the flag-pole repaired.
und. “Vote For Peace – Vote Sınn Féın” was on the clean wall with long pole
und. Repatriate All Political Prisoners Now
14 small holders for flag poles are added for the victims of Bloody Sunday – see the 1997-01 image in the page about the front of the wall (also in ?1998/1999? an electrical box)
1997 “Free Roısín and her baby” “International Women’s Day”
1997 Gasyard Wall Féıle
und. Truth, Justice! (Bloody Sunday)
(S00086)
und. SF Building A New Ireland
1999 “We demand the truth! International independent enquiry for Pat Finucane and Rosemary Nelson.” with Loyalist Death Squad.
1999 Mitchel McLaughlin – Peace and Independence in Europe
(S00093)
wall is painted
1999 Battle Of The Bogside 30th Anniversary
2000 Quilt for International Women’s Day
(S00136 Stones Speak 5m03s)
2000 “Bloody Sunday – Truth Justice Healing”
(2000 S00135)
2000 East Timor/Raytheon “Discriminate And Destroy”
(DS3 062 | Stones Speak 6m28s & 6m17s)
und. Zero Tolerance To Violence Against Women
2001 Féıle na Samhna
2001 “Cherish all the children – Ardoyne 2001”
?2001? postcard from “the Turkish hunger-strikers [and] The Palestinian people” (flagpoles)
?2001? “We demand Real Undiluted Change”
(M05514)
und. Blanket man and hunger strikers
?2002? Free The Colombia 3
2002 One World, Many Struggles (Bloody Sunday 30th anniversary)
2002 Gasyard Wall Féıle
2002 Foras na Gaeılge
2002-12 “HIV is for life, not just for World AIDS Day”
(J1507)
?2003? Solvent Abuse
2003 “No to war – Ireland-Iraq” International Women’s Day
(Stones Speak 6m04s)
2003 “Your winning team” SF Mitchell McLaughlin
2003 “1968-2003 – nothing has changed – we demand our rights”
(Helms 2004 p. 68)
“Don’t let solvents make your life a nightmare” (flagpoles)
Three hearts (flagpoles)
“Women’s Voices – International Women’s Day” (flagpoles)
“Support the Palestinian people – boycott Israeli goods”
(M05516)
2004 “Revolution – yes you can try this at home” – “Cher” Guevara – International Women’s Day
(J1991 M05515)
(in ‘Revolution’, the flagpole holders have been removed but the plaster has not been replaced; after this, boards were placed on a billboard on poles a little distance from the wall but within the buttresses; initially the poles are white and the electrical box is green; later – 2013 – they are repainted black and the box white)
2005 Martin Doherty
2005 “Power To The People” – Rossport – Shell (white poles green box)
2005-11 “Don’t Abuse Antibiotics”
(Cooley)
2006 “Towards justice” – Bloody Sunday
2006 “No Racism, No Excuses”
(BBC/Guildhall Press)
2006-05 “Our revenge …”
(Venichka)
2006 Féıle 06′ [sic] “star power”
2006 “You Don’t Have To Spend To Give This Christmas – neighbourhood money and debt advisor”
2007-01 Defend The Raytheon 9 – Resisting War Crimes Is Not A Crime
2007-02 “Bars in this area will become smoke free on 30th April 2007”
2007 Féıle ’07 Roots
2007 “Doıre Abú” (back of pink “Foyle Pride” wall)
2007 Che 40th
2007-10 Breast Cancer Awareness Month – Pink Ladies
mentioned in Derry Journal
2007-12 “Traveller Focus Week”
2008-04 “U*turn says … A Clean Community”
(Taylor)
2008-05-13 “The ultimate superfood” breastfeeding
2008-06 “Olympic challenge – protect the human” – Amnesty
2008 “Féıle ’08 Outside”
2008 “Remember The Hunger Strikers – Sunday 17th August 2008”
(N&SF Flickr | Stones Speak 3m51s | see also 2009’s Hunger Strike board)
2008-08-29 Launch of mural for 40th anniversary of Civil Rights march
mentioned in DJ
2008-12 Derry 4 – 32CSM
2009-01 “Gaelscoıl Éadaın Mhóır”
(Bakker)
2009-02 “Wanted For International Terrorism”
(N&SF Flickr)
2009-03 “Stay Safe”
(N&SF Flickr)
2009-04 “Wear an Easter lily with pride” – Easter March – ÓSF
(N&SF Flickr)
2009-05 de Brún (European election)
(N&SF Flickr)
2009-05 “Community Pharmacy Now”
2009-06 Papal Legate
(N&SF Flickr)
2009-06 “From The Heart” – concert
(N&SF Flickr)
2009-06 Emmet Shields
(N&SF Flickr)
2009 “Sammy Devenny 40th Anniversary Mass Friday 17th July 2009”
2009 “Be safe, not sorry – Don’t burn, baby burn”
2009 “Remember the hunger strikers” (Galbally march)
2009 “Internment an injustice in Ireland today – Stormont shame” RNU
2009 Celtronic 09
2009 Gasyard Féıle 24th July – 2nd August
2010-03 “Unmanageable revolutionaries” – International Women’s Day
(indymedia)
2010-04 “People Before Profit – Vote McCann”
(N&SF Flickr)
2010-05 “Vótáıl Anderson”
(N&SF Flickr)
2010-05 “Derry Women On Trial Need Your Support” – Raytheon
(Socialist Worker)
2010-06 Kieran Doherty and family
2010-06 “Annual Derry Volunteers Commemoration 27th June”
(N&SF Flickr)
2010-07 “The roaring meg custom bike show”
2010-07 “Celebration of resistance – the centenary of James Connolly’s landing in Derry and return to Ireland”
2010 Féıle
2011 “Give your child … the gift of bilingualism” Scoıl Éadaın Mhóır
2011 “Vindicated” “Bloody Sunday Justice Campaign”
2011-04 “Easter Sunday commemoration march – Assemble 2:30 pm Westland Street”
2011-04 “Hungerstrike commemoration 1981-2011” (possibly after ‘Vote McCann’ and/or ‘Vótáıl Sınn Féın)
2011 “Vote McCann” – Che with ballot paper
2011 “Everybody has their part to play – play yours on the 5th of May – Vótáıl Sınn Féın”
2011-06 “Annual Derry volunteers commemoration march” (over an unknown blue board)
2011-07 “Join RNU”
2011-07 Roaring Meg
Google X05499 (same as 2010)
2011-07 “18 Years of Féıle 1993-2011” (being replaced by “Join Sınn Féın”)
2011-08 Join Sınn Féın
2011-09? “Helen Harris”
(Derry Anarchists)
2011-11 “End all forms of violence against women”
(Derry Anarchists)
2011-11 “Student Fees”
2012 “Bloody Sunday”
2012 “Heroes with their hands in the air”
2012 “Celebrating international women’s day”
2012-04 “No gods, no masters – John McGuffin” (on back of red and black)
(wsm.ie)
2012-05 “Always Unique Totally Interesting Sometimes Mysterious – 2nd April 2012 World Autism Awareness Day”
2012-05 “The Earhart Festival”
2012 “National Hunger Strike Commemoration” Dungiven
2012-09 Free The Cuban 5
2012-10 Líofa 2015
2012-10-19 “Don’t let your children play with fireworks or bangers”
2012-10/11 “Best of luck [Derry City] lads – FAI cup final Nov 4th”
2013-01-21 End Impunity
2013-03 “Free Gaza, Free Derry”
2013 “Easter Sunday Commemoration March”
Some time between March and May, 2013, the poles were repainted black and the electrical box white
——-undated billboards from before the change——-
“Human rights are your rights” woman blowing trumpet
“The Fact Project supports anti-bullying”
“Bobby Sands 5th May 1981”
(derryfriendsofpalestine)
——-undated billboards from after the change———-
“World cancer day”
“F**k British Tory Cuts” James Connolly
(DS5 072)
“Northwest community motorcycle project”
Gasyard Wall Féıle Roaring Meg Bike Show
2013-05 “Stop domestic, sexual & state violence”
2013-06 “Derry Antifa in the area”
2013-06 “Ireland says No to G8”
2013 “Fleadh Cheoıl Na hÉıreann 11th – 18th August”
(Flickr)
2013-08 “Derry Walls Day” 25th Aug
2013 “British Army/RUC Impunity – A Poisonous Legacy”
2013-11 “Male cancer awareness month” – 7 staff Pink Panthers
(Derry Journal)
2013-12 Mandela
(Derry Journal)
2014 “Cumann Na mBan – Céad blıaın ag streachaılt” International Women’s Day
2014 “Easter Sunday Commemoration March”
2014-04 “Get a drink think box”
2014-05 “Féıle Pan Cheılteach”
2014 “Leading Nationally, Delivering Locally” SF
2014-06 “Domestic Abuse – it’s an own goal”
(Google)
2014 “351 Dead – 4 prosecutions of soldiers”
(North Belfast Journal)
2014 “Annual Derry Volunteers March Sunday 29th June 2014”
2014 “Féıle August 7th-16th”
2014-10 “Where’s your head at? We don’t take drugs, drugs take us”
2014-11 “Male cancer awareness month” – same board as 2013-11
(Derry Journal)
2014-12 “Free the Cuban 5”
(Derry Sinn Féin)
2014-12 Cogús
(Derry Journal)
2015-01 “Resist – march for justice – Bloody Sunday”
(Kingfisher | Alamy)
2015-02 “Cúnamh Eating Disorder Project” child with fawn
2015 “Ard Fheıs Shınn Féın 6th-7th March”
Easter Sunday Commemoration
2015 “Vótáıl Gearoıd Ó hEára”
?2015-06? “Off-road vehicles’ misuse”
2015-06 Celtronic
(Google)
2015 Féıle (rainbow, field)
(Stones Speak 8m10s)
2015 #derryhappy “Feel Good Fortnight”
2015 “End British Internment – Smash Stormont” IRPWA
2015 “End Internment” RNU
2016-02 Time For Irish Unity
2016 “Easter Parade 2016”
2016-05 “Did [James] Connolly die strapped to a chair for this?” – Ireland
2016-04-11 Hunger Strikers 35th
2016-06 Derry Volunteers Commemoration
2016-07 Éıre Chun Cinn
2016-07 Celtronic 2016
2016-08 Féıle
2017-01 Holy Child Primary School
2017-02 “Cúnamh Eating Disorder Project”
2017-02 “End corruption RHI”
2017-04 Easter 2017
2017-05 “Spring Festival”
(Google)
2017-05-18 “Commemorating the Tamil genocide”
2017-07 Celtronic 2017
“Be Breast Aware – Check For Change”
“Domestic Abuse Is Child Abuse” (tarp over Be Breast Aware)
2017-08 Féıle 2017 (Or, “Gasyard failure” as Gregory Campbell described it!)
2017-10 “Illegal Fireworks … not much craic now??”
(Derry Journal)
2017-11 “Male cancer awareness month” – mustache
(Derry Journal | Stones Speak 7m27s)
2017-12 “We invite you to our Christmas Market 9th December”
2018-01-09 “No Return To The Status Quo – M McGuinness”
(Derry Journal)
2018-03 Easter 2018
2018-05 “Derry Voted Remain”
2018-06 Celtronic (street view)
2018-08 Féıle
2018-11 “Welfare Reform Destroys Communities”
2018-12 Internment
2019-03 International Women’s Day
2019-03 Cloud Mind
2019-04 Easter 2019
2019-04 SF
2019-06 Celtronic
(tw)
2019-06 Derry Volunteers Commemoration
2019-08 Féıle
2019-09 Roaring Meg bike show
2019-10 Westmonster Circus
2020-01/02 Jail Jackson
2020-03 Covid-19
(tw)
2020-06-05 Black Lives Matter
2020-09 Children’s Cancer Awareness
(Derry Journal)
2021-05 Jail [General Sir Mike] Jackson
2021-07 Pesticide-Free Derry
(Derry Journal) with flower boxes on the front of the wall (X09253)
2022-01 Bloody Sunday 50
2022-05 SF Time For Real Change
2022-06 North West Migrants Forum
Bloody Sunday 50th
2022-08 NHS Supports Breastfeeding
2022-10 Be Breast Aware (street view)
2023-02 Gaelscoıl Éadaın Mhóır
2023-04 Fifty Years Of Failure
(A1176)
2023-05-04 England’s Bloody Empire (to coincide with the coronation of Charles III on May 6)
2024-04 Sr Clare Retreat
(A1186)
2024-06 Derry Volunteers Commemoration
2025-01 Bloody Sunday March For Justice
2025-04 Saoradh Easter Commemoration
References in parentheses to mural collections:
C = Tony Crowley Collection
D = squire93@hotmail.com collection
J = Jonathan McCormick Collection
M = Peter Moloney Collection – Murals
S = anonymous collection
T = Paddy Duffy Collection
X = Seosamh Mac Coılle Collection
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Written material copyright © 2017-2025 Extramural Activity. Images are copyright of their respective photographers.
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