Delving into Derry
For many years, Bogside was the tinderbox of the modern "Troubles" in Northern Ireland. Most notably, the tragic 1972 Bloody Sunday events unfolded here, during a march protesting the internment of pro-Catholic activists. When a British regiment moved in to make arrests, 13 marchers died. The clash sparked a sectarian inferno whose ashes took decades to cool.
Today, visitors come to Bogside to honor this sad past and to view 12 memorial murals, painted along a 300-yard stretch of road where the march took place. Dramatic and emotional, these political murals -- and others around Northern Ireland -- form an enduring travel memory.
Sectarian violence in Ireland has given way to a settlement that seems to be working. Both sides have come to the position that "an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind." In Derry, the growing hope for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland is expressed in a powerful public-art sculpture of two figures extending their hands to one another.
Given the city's complex history, it's worth taking the time to drop by the Tower Museum Derry. Occupying a reconstruction of a fortified medieval tower, the exhibits at this well-organized museum help sort out Derry's tangled historical roots.
These days, the once divided city sees itself as a shared city. The symbol of that recalibration is the Peace Bridge across the River Foyle. This pedestrian span, built with European Union funds, is intended to bring the two sides together: east bank and west bank, Irish and British, Catholic and Protestant, Nationalist and Unionist. And to the surprise of locals, it's working.
In a sign of the times, a British army base that once occupied prime real estate near the old city wall has been transformed into an outdoor concert venue and a gathering place for all of Derry. It's an emblem of what's happened here; you'll find that now the long-divided communities love their "legend-Derry" Irish city.
IF YOU VISIT...
SLEEPING: Merchant's House, on a quiet street a 10-minute stroll from Waterloo Place, is a fine Georgian townhouse with nine rooms (moderate, www.thesaddlershouse.com). Inside Derry's walls is Maldron Hotel, offering 93 modern and immaculate rooms (splurge, www.maldronhotelderry.com).
EATING: The Custom House Restaurant and Wine Bar is the classiest place in town, serving great meals and a selection of fine wines in a posh, calm space (Queens Quay, tel. 028/7137-3366). Busy Fitzroy's is stacked with locals, serving quality food at reasonable prices (2 Bridge Street, tel. 028/7126-6211).
GETTING AROUND: Derry is compact enough to see on foot, so you won't need a car or public transportation to get around.
TOURIST INFORMATION: www.derryvisitor.com.
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(Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at rick@ricksteves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.)
(c)2015 RICK STEVES DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
