I’ve tried unsuccessfully to find the author of this timely piece – it appeared on Facebook
On the 4th January 1969 – On a march from Belfast to Derry, the civil rights group People’s Democracy was attacked at Burntollet Bridge
“The People’s Democracy decided to go ahead with a four-day march from Belfast to Derry, starting on 1 January. The march would be the acid test of the government’s intentions. Either the government would face up to the extreme right of its own Unionist Party and protect the march from the ‘harassing and hindering’ immediately threatened by Major Bunting, or it would be exposed as impotent in the face of sectarian thuggery, and Westminster would be forced to intervene, re-opening the whole Irish question for the first time in 50 years. The march was modelled on the Selma-Montgomery march in Alabama in 1966, which had exposed the racist thuggery of America’s deep South and forced the US government into major reforms.”
e departure on New Years Day 1969 of approximately 40 People’s Democracy supporters on the march to Derry was marked by a protest in Belfast by loyalists under the direction of Major Ronald Bunting, a close associate of Rev. Ian Paisley. It was the loyalist’s intention to harass the march along its entire journey.
On the first day of the march, after it’s colourful send off the march made its way unhindered towards Antrim. Just outside Antrim the marchers ran into a police barricade, behind which several hundred loyalists were gathered, led by major Bunting The RUC refused to remove the blockade and after a lengthy delay, and minor scuffles, the marchers were driven in police tenders to Whitehall Community Centre where they spent an unsettled night interrupted by a bomb scare.
The next day, the marchers set off for Randalstown but again found their way blocked by Major Bunting and a crowd of loyalists. Once again the RUC refused to remove the loyalist protesters and the marchers were eventually transported to Toome by car. The marchers were welcomed at Toome and after taking lunch in the village they set out for Maghera. After 30 minutes the march was again halted and then rerouted away from the loyalist village of Knockloughlin. After two miles loyalist protestors, led by Major Bunting, again halted the march. Another stand off ensued by as locals gathered to support the marchers the RUC’s County Inspector Kerr asked the loyalists to stand aside, which they did. The marchers then made their way towards Maghera, where loyalists had gathered to wait their arrival. On hearing of this ‘reception’ committee, which was armed with clubs and sticks, the marchers decided to bypass the village and spent the night at Brackaghreilly. That night Maghera witnessed considerable violence from frustrated loyalists.
The next day the marchers set out for Dungiven and encountered little opposition. After lunch in Dungiven they travelled on to Feeny. A mile outside Dungiven the marchers were halted by the RUC with reports of a loyalist protest further along the road. A civil rights supporter then arrived along the road that was allegedly blocked and reported no obstructions ahead. The marchers decided to breach police lines and encountered no protest ahead. After reaching Feeny the marchers moved on to Claudy, where they received a friendly reception and settled down for the night. That night a loyalist attack on the hall the marchers were staying was repulsed by locals.
The same night in Derry a rally by Ian Paisley in the Guildhall led to serious disorder. Whilst those inside the hall were listening to Major Bunting call for loyalists to gather the next day at Burntollet a crowd of nationalists gathered outside the building in protest. During clashes as the rally dispersed Major Buntings car was destroyed. Later that night stockpiles of bottles and stones were left by loyalists in the fields at Burntollet.
The next morning the marchers, who now numbered approximately 500, set out on the last league of their journey to Derry. Just before Burntollet District Inspector Harrison stopped the march in order to investigate reports of loyalists ahead. DI Harrison, together with County Inspector Kerr, spoke of 50 loyalists ahead and claimed to be confident that there was no danger. With the RUC leading the way the marchers advanced. In the field overlooking the road the marchers observed approximately 300 loyalists, identified by white armbands, armed with cudgels and they came under a bombardment of missiles. Marchers sought to escape the bombardment by speeding up the road but there was to be no escape as they immediately encountered a second contingent of loyalists blocking their esc
As many marchers fled into the fields they were pursued by attackers and the RUC made no attempt to intervene. Others were thrown into the nearby River Faughan.
As what was left of the marchers continued on to Derry they were also attacked twice in Derry’s Waterside before receiving a rousing welcome in Guildhall Square.
That night clashes occurred between the RUC and local people and the first Free Derry was born. At 2.00am members of the RUC attacked the Bogside, running amok in the Lecky Rd, St Columbs Wells districts. Windows were broken, residents were assaulted and sectarian abuse was directed at the people of the Bogside. The reaction to this ‘invasion’ ranged from the painting of the Free Derry legend to the formation of vigilante squads in the area, based at the Foyle Harps Hall in the Brandywell and Rossville Hall in the Bogside. The barricades remained up for a number of days and relations between the community in the Bogside and the RUC, which had never been particularly good, grew steadily worse.
These events, together with the steady increase of conflict between local youths and the RUC as the year progressed, was to lay the foundations for the resistance that was to take place during the Battle of the Bogside.
Jude,I remember the march well and was probably one of the youngest participants as it passed the end of our lane.I was aged 10 and only home from school when me and my younger brother saw the march approaching.We went to the road and joined in for at least a mile and then scurried home for our tea.In those more innocent times ,country children roamed freely and could be absent from the house for longish periods without even being noticed.When we returned and told our mother about our political baptism,she seemed to regard it without any alarm at all.That night when Da came home from work ,we all headed for Maghera in my Uncle’s car to show solidarity and were stopped by loyalists at the lower end of Maghera.I think many of them were B men but my uncle lied that we were all going to see relatives outside the town.The fact that there were women and children in the car probably gave credence to his story and we got through.We finished up at Brackareilly hall but only the older people went in to meet the marchers We moaned about having to wait outside in the car but little did we know that if we had been more observant ,it was outside the hall that was the place to be.Subsequent media reports stated that the “South Derry brigade of the IRA had mounted an armed guard outside the hall”” and there we were in the middle of it and did’nt even know!
Jude, I thought you were treated abominably today on Nolan and as a result I’ve sent a strongly worded email to the SDLP website as it seems I could not contact Pat Mc Carthy directly. I can post said email here if you wish, I don’t mind who sees it.
Splendid. But don’t cry for me, Argen – I mean Gearoid. Water off a duck’s back, I promise you…But put up your ‘Outraged, Tumbridge Wells’ email, sure…
Gearoid, I haven’t listened to Jude on Nolan yet but I’m willing to risk making myself look silly and guess without much doubt that a certain “George from the Shankill” was on at some point in the exchanges this morning giving his usual view point.
George from the Shankill may as well take over the Nolan Show when Stephen is on Holiday or when he retires, hes never off the radio and is always on with the same old predictable nonsense. I wonder if other callers get on the air as easily as George does or ex RUC man Alex from Lisburn? Somehow I doubt it….
The peace loving, Rev. Ian Paisley, encouraging and leading Loyalist thugs to attack a peaceful march for civil rights. What a brave and honourable man he was…..you can really see the likes of Jesus Christ or St Francis of Assisi or some other Saint preaching to brutally attack or discriminate against a group of people just because they have a different religious/political viewpoint, cant you? Paisley’s legacy is preaching hatred, which lead to many evil’s being committed, one of which was to influence many, many gullible people to join loyalist paramilitaries and murder innocent Catholics and then end up in prison, destroying their own lives in the process, not to mention the families of the people they murdered.
And they wonder why the IRA came into existence and why republicans/nationalists despise this state.
so called civil rights marchers.some of the leaders of the march forty odd yrs on are denying and voting against womens civil rights ie abortion.gay marriage ect.
So glad Billy is following your page Jude, dont expect any sudden conversion!!!
Very.brave.men.and.boys.God.bless.then.Jude.
The “long march” was not without some humerous incidents.When the march left Toome,the direct route to Derry would have necessitated it passing the estate of Major James Chichester Clarke outside Castledawson.A number of people from the Newbridge area on the Derry side of Toome were waiting to join the march when the “major” pulled up beside them in a landrover.In a scene from the 19th century he told them in his best public school accent: “go home to your farms,this march will not be allowed anywhere near Castledawson”. (He was correct as the march was subsequently diverted) However he was met with a very non 19th century response.Most of those present had no farms to go home to and he was answered with howls of derision,one youthful “man of no property” telling “the major” to go and f— himself!
They were very brave people who stood up for the things we take for granted today.
The spirit of repression still flows strong today in the bastion of bigotry, begrudging equality every step of the way.
For the champions of fairness and equality we just have to keep chip, chip, chipping away!