Londonderry / Derry, Northern Ireland

Two Republican Murals in Derry

Murals near Free Derry Corner

August 10, 2022

The fissures of division even reach the name of this city: Londonderry for those loyal to the British Queen, Derry for Irish Republicans who would rather drop the association with the UK’s largest city.

A quick walking tour through town stunned us with the real and present tension in Northern Ireland. (London)derry evokes the tribalism of urban gangs: flags are used as territory markers; murals celebrate divisive identities often with violent imagery. This was especially evident in the working class neighbourhoods. Numerous peace bridges and peace memorials have been installed by city leaders, but the tension in rival apartment complexes is no less real.

The roots of this tension are a tangled web to unravel, but a local friend helpfully explained that “it’s less about Protestant v Catholic and more that some people see their ancestors as Scots who settled on Northern Irish shores and others see their ancestors as native Irish people. Their current allegiances follow suit.” Each side also seems to believe “the other shot first” – so retaliation is justified.

One afternoon in Belfast, I asked a Unionist friend about taking Eve to a swimming pool in a Loyalist neighbourhood. He retorted that “he wouldn’t visit that place even if there was a supermodel handing out free hugs and kisses.”

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