A Decade of Conflict

The Men of Derry

A DECADE OF CONFLICT – THE MEN OF DERRY

Recollections and writings from the journals of Eddie, recalling the stories of the people of Derry in the days and years before and following Bloody Sunday.

Eddie recalls the tension of the rapidly changing political and social situation in Northern Ireland. His friends have chosen to abide by the law, and they are determined to support the legal political parties and organizations.

Other acquaintances have chosen the path of violence and have become members of the Irish Republican Army and its offshoots. They are determined to have an independent Ireland, including Ulster.

The Loyalists are equally determined that Ulster will remain part of the United Kingdom, and that the Republican Papists must be put in their place. They work with the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the British Army in an attempt to crush the Republicans.

A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR

I write this as much in hope as expectation. But, I have the conviction that hope sustains people and allows us to enjoy the beauty of life while empowering us to endure all that is bleak and difficult.

I have written a story straight from my heart about ordinary people caught up in the web of their own history, and drawn into a series of extraordinary circumstances. Their tale is about innocence turned to bitter experiences, faith challenged by suffering, and the magic of the human spirit and the natural world driven underground by brutal force.

But, this is not a tale of despair or destruction. It is about the ability of individuals and communities to survive when faced with hardship, violence, and social upheaval. It is about family ties and happiness, along with the realization that change and death are inevitable. It reveals institutional and personal oppression and exploitation tempered by personal growth and acceptance.

It spins a web about the magic of nature and the spirit world and its place in our imaginations. It is a story about the world of men who are sustained and anchored by the women who love them.

It explains the circumstances and provocations that push those who lack hope into the despair of violence and terrorism. It portrays those who are determined to fight injustice without becoming part of the evil they are struggling against.

It emphasizes the need for traditional enemies to forgive and reconcile. It reveals love and its ability to change lives and allow us to see the world as a bright place, even when we are confronted and confused by darkness.

I write this in the hope that you will read this story and see in it all that I have mentioned above… and more.

NOEL DOHERTY

REGARDING THE GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

Since the book is geographically and historically accurate, the reader can increase their enjoyment of the story by following the events on Google Earth.

As you read, you can look up the places where the events took place. Maps of Northern Ireland and County Donegal are available. Pictures of Grianan of Aileach, the Walls of Derry, Free Derry Corner, Saint Columb’s Cathedral, Colonel Walker’s Pillar, Creggan, the Brandywell, the Bogside, the Waterside, the Guildhall, QUB, and etcetera are readily available.

Look for the small towns and villages of Buncrana, Muff, Bridgend, Dungiven, Prehen, Portrush, Bushmills, Kilmacrennan, Letterkenny, Malin Head, and others.

The pubs mentioned in the story are worth a look:

Look for The City Hotel, Badger’s Place, Peadar O’Donnell’s, The Clarendon Inn, The Bogside Inn, The Railway Tavern, and The Stores.

In Belfast, look for The Europa Hotel (the most frequently bombed hotel in the world), The Crown Bar, and The Beaten Docket.

Other places of interest are The Derry and Belfast Murals, The Monument to Bloody Sunday, and The City of Derry Castle Museum.

Find your own special areas of interest while you read, and enjoy. Thank you for reading Bloody Sunday and its sister book, A Decade of Conflict.

NOEL DOHERTY