Another day in Corrymeela with nothing but blue sky and sunshine and a new place for breakfast and new experiences. And Pat T also saw a sea otter in the sea. Great start to the day.
Driven by Patrick, and shepherded by Lisa, Garth and Olivia, the Team headed out to Derry. Lots of great chat on the bus with sheep, cows, sheep, horses, sheep, lambs and sheep in the fields we passed.
We picked up Adrian in Derry and began our visit to the old city. We walked over to the walls and walked a little way along them. Adrian then summarized about 500 years of British and Irish history related to why England had to maintain control of Ireland. His thought was that it was primarily to assure secure access to the Atlantic Ocean, which then assured England's access to its colonies as the British Empire expanded.
Adrian then talked about the troubles and how he was only nine years old when Bloody Sunday occurred on January 30, 1972. From the vantage of the walls overlooking the Bogside, he pointed out locations where the violence of Bloody Sunday had occurred.
We then walked to the "Free Derry Museum" and met a museum manager whose brother had been killed during Bloody Sunday and who had spent a good deal of his life trying to get justice for all those injured or killed during that awful day. On the outside wall of the Museum was a sound wave of the song "We Shall Overcome" (see picture below).
Our last guide was Tom Kelly, one of the three Bogside Artists who painted and maintained the famous wall murals in the Bogside about the Troubles. Tom is always fascinating to listen too, but this time it was a little sad as one of the three had just died, and Tom said they might not continue to maintain the murals, and might leave Derry.
Adrian then took us to a spot on overlooking the City on the other side of the Foyle where we took pictures of the entire city. A very lovely view.
We ended our day at the Croi, a worship area at Corrymeela. A short service with singing concluded another beautiful day.
Walking the Walls with Adrian
The Free Derry Museum
Sound Wave for "We Shall Overcome"
Some of the Bogside Artist Murals
How lovely to relive your time with us through these lovely words and pictures. It was a really great few days with the most beautiful weather and very enjoyable company. Look forward to seeing you all again, take care, Lisa :)
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