We are now entering Free Derry, which was declared by the nationalists to be an autonomous area of Derry and which existed between 1969 and 1972. Free Derry was secured by activists in the community following an incursion by the Royal Ulster Constanbulary (RUC)--the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001.

The Easter lily in the park is a symbol of peace and small ones are worn over Easter holidays as a remembrance for people who died fighting for their country.

There are 12 murals known as the People's Gallery in the Bogside area. They have been painted on the side of buildings. You can see two of them in the photo.

The one on the left of the photo is named "The Petrol Bomber" and shows scenes from the Battle of Bogside, which took place in this area in August 1969. The mural shows a young boy in a gas mask which he used to protect himself from CS gas used by the RUC. The boy is holding a petrol bomb.

Closer-up of the mural on the right.

Closer-up. It is named the "Bloody Sunday Mural." The mural is of a group of men, led by a Catholic priest, carrying the body of Jack Duddy from the scene of the shooting on Bloody Sunday, January 30, 1972. Fourteen unarmed civilians were killed by British paratroopers on that day.

Another mural on the side of the building in the back left of the photo.

This mural is called "The Runner" and it is dedicated to the memory and heroism of Patrick Walsh, who crawled toward Patrick Doherty as he was dying after being shot by the British. The mural shows a common sight during the Troubles. Tear gas was extensively used. The mural shows a young boy in flight from the gas.

The mural is called "Operation Motorman," which was a British army operation during the Troubles with the aim to retake the "no-go areas" that were controlled by the area residents.

"The Civil Rights Mural. The Beginning." This mural commemorates the beginning of the struggle for democratic rights in Derry.

"A Tribute of John Hume,' (top left) who campaigned for democratic rights for the opporessed Northern Ireland Catholics. Top right, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who influenced Hume. Mother Theresa (bottom left) was educated in Dublin and sought peace in Northern Ireland. Nelson Mendela, top bottom. His fight for justice was similar to the fight for justice in Ireland. All four won the Noble Peace Prize.

"The Saturday Matinee--The Rioter." The scene in this mural is typical of many of the riots that occured in Northern Ireland from 1969 to the early 1970s, with many of them occurring on Saturday afternoons.

"The Peace Mural."

This mural, named "Bernadette, Battle of Bogside," is being worked on. It depicts scenes from the Battle of Bogside, August 1969, and is of Bernadette Devlin talking to crowds on the street. She received a prison sentence for taking part in and also inciting a riot.

What the mural looked like before it was being worked on. (Borrowed photo.)

This is how the mural looked before being worked on. The printing on the mural: "You are now entering Free Derry." (Borrowed photo.)

This mural, named "The Death of Innocene. Annette McGavigan Mural," was also being worked on. Annette was 14 years old when she was shot by a British solider on September 6, 1971, while she was standing in the street where she lived.

We didn't see this mural, part of the People's Gallery. It is named "Bloody Sunday Commemoration. Bloody Sunday Victims." The mural shows the 14 people who were killed by the British army on Bloody Sunday. (Borrowed photo.)

We also didn't see this mural, part of the People's Gallery. It is called "Hunger Strike. Raymond McCartney Mural." The mural is based on the hunger strikes by political prisoners in the H-blocks of the Maze Prison. Raymond McCartney was one of the prisoners who went on the hunger strike. (Borrowed photo.)

More murals, none part of the People's Gallery except for the one on the far right.

Starting from the left. No information on this mural.

The People's Army. Irish Republican Army. "Beware of the risen people."

"Smash MagHabetry." Maghaberry is a maximum security prison housing political prisoners.

Cogus is a prisoner support group at Maghaberry prison.

A large mural but not one of the People's Gallery. At the top: Ernesto Che Guevara Lynch. At the bottom: "In my son's veins flowed the blood of Irish Rebels." Che Guevara's grandmother was Ana Isabel Lynch and his father was Ernesto Guevara Lynch, hence the reference to the "blood of Irish rebels" as he had Irish roots.

Memorial to those who died on Bloody Sunday, listing the names of the 14 men who lost their lives.

Closer-up.

H block hunger strikers memorial sculpture dedicated to the IRA and INLA prisoners who died during the second hunger strike at the H Block Maze Long Kesh prison in Northern Ireland in 1981. Ten men, one of them Bobby Sands, died during the strike.

Signs in the Bogside area: "Civil Rights. The Guide to Free Derry."

"Their operation was to maim, kill and destroy so that they could take over the barricades and they were given the right to do this by the British Government."

"In memory of those from this area who left Ireland to fight against Fascism during the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1933."

"One Ireland. One Vote." the 1916 Societies, which is an Irish Separatist Movement that believes that the Irish Republic should be a sovereign independent state.

"Free Tony Taylor." There was a mural on the Belfast Peace Wall also saying "Free Tony Taylor. End internment." Tony Taylor was sentenced for 7 years for Republican activity, three years in custody and four on license (parole). The license was revoked.

"Free Bilal Kayed." He is a Palestinian preisoner in Israel. (His hunger strike is over.)

"Ireland did not vote for Tory cuts. Break the Connection with England."

The Museum of Free Derry is located in this area. It is a project of the Bloody Sunday Trust, which tells the story of Free Derry and the civil rights era, the Battle of the Bogside, Internment, Bloody Sunday, and Operation Motorman.