Derry/Londonderry: A Contested City's History from Plantation to Peace Bridge

Key facts

• Derry/Londonderry is located on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, with the River Foyle dividing the city into Cityside (Catholic/Republican) and Waterside (Protestant/Unionist) areas.
• King James I initiated the Plantation of Ulster in the early 17th century, leading to the colonization by Protestant settlers and the renaming of Derry to Londonderry in 1613.
• The Irish Rebellion of 1641, involving leaders like Sir Phelim O'Neill, resulted in massacres of Protestants, including the Portadown massacre, and made Derry a Protestant stronghold.
• The Siege of Derry in 1689 lasted 105 days during the Williamite War, with up to 10,000 deaths inside the city walls, and ended when British ships broke the blockade on the River Foyle.
• The Battle of the Boyne in 1690 secured Protestant ascendancy in Ireland, leading to Penal Laws that restricted Catholics' rights.
• Sectarian violence in June 1920 killed hundreds in Derry, preceding the partition of Ireland in 1921 and the creation of Northern Ireland.
• The Troubles began in Derry in August 1969, with Bloody Sunday on January 30, 1972, where British soldiers killed 14 Catholic civil rights demonstrators.
• The Protestant exodus from Derry reduced the Protestant population from 8,459 in 1971 to 1,407 by 1991, driven by intimidation and violence during the Troubles.
• The Peace Bridge opened in June 2011, connecting Ebrington Square and the Guildhall, with ceremonies attended by political figures like Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness.
• Derry was named UK City of Culture in 2013, reflecting post-Good Friday Agreement revitalization efforts.