On the map we had, there were short stretches of wall shown. Perhaps 200m - 300m each. One section apparently having a gate to link the communities. But when we headed down, the reality was very different. This wall was something else. Approximately 20 metres high, starting with concrete, then steel, then mesh.
No breaks. No gate. A mix of goodwill graffiti "willing peace", and torch marks from petrol bombs. We were both quite speechless by this point...
One of the saddest structures I've seen:
Boards have been fitted to the wall. They are used for personal messages - mostly well-wishing, with a background of general graf.
On the other side of that wall, is the catholic area.
On this particular stretch, some things stand out. A group of young lads are playing football. The ball goes astray. "Oi! Mister! Can you get our ball?". I go to fetch their ball. "Where are you from?" This is the first time I'm going to be blatantly English inside the republican area. "London"... "So what team do you support?"... The premiership knows no bounds. The catholic lads are a mixture of Man U, Chelsea and Arsenal fans. Me, being a blues fan, has at least one of them on my side and grinning from the result the day before.
OT points at the scorch marks on the wall. "Do you know what that is?" he asks in a innocent voice. "Erm... maybe someone threw a petrol bomb. But it wasn't us mister!!"
Then, seconds later an old man stops OT. He points at the wall, where the scorch mark is from a petrol bomb.
"Have you ever seen anything like that in your life?"
It's safe to say I have'n't, at least, and we go on our way.
This is the side of a row of houses, just near the street football game.
The back gardens are caged, to shield them from attack over the wall:
Finally, a house being built near the wall.
No breaks. No gate. A mix of goodwill graffiti "willing peace", and torch marks from petrol bombs. We were both quite speechless by this point...
One of the saddest structures I've seen:
Boards have been fitted to the wall. They are used for personal messages - mostly well-wishing, with a background of general graf.
On the other side of that wall, is the catholic area.
On this particular stretch, some things stand out. A group of young lads are playing football. The ball goes astray. "Oi! Mister! Can you get our ball?". I go to fetch their ball. "Where are you from?" This is the first time I'm going to be blatantly English inside the republican area. "London"... "So what team do you support?"... The premiership knows no bounds. The catholic lads are a mixture of Man U, Chelsea and Arsenal fans. Me, being a blues fan, has at least one of them on my side and grinning from the result the day before.
OT points at the scorch marks on the wall. "Do you know what that is?" he asks in a innocent voice. "Erm... maybe someone threw a petrol bomb. But it wasn't us mister!!"
Then, seconds later an old man stops OT. He points at the wall, where the scorch mark is from a petrol bomb.
"Have you ever seen anything like that in your life?"
It's safe to say I have'n't, at least, and we go on our way.
This is the side of a row of houses, just near the street football game.
The back gardens are caged, to shield them from attack over the wall:
Finally, a house being built near the wall.
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