Free Derry Corner

Free Derry Corner is one of the best-known political landmarks in Northern Ireland: a lone white gable wall in the Bogside neighbourhood of Derry (Londonderry), where Lecky Road, Rossville Street and Fahan Street meet. The wall is all that remains of a row of houses, and it commemorates Free Derry, a self-declared autonomous nationalist area that existed between 1969 and 1972.

What is Free Derry Corner?

It is a free-standing gable end, not a building you can enter. Its meaning comes from the words painted on it and from the events that took place in the streets around it. The open space in front of the wall became known as Free Derry Corner, and the name stuck to the whole site.

How did the wall get its slogan?

The slogan was painted by an activist in January 1969, reportedly on the night of 4-5 January. For a long time the painter was believed to be John "Caker" Casey, although some accounts suggest it may have been Liam Hillen. When British politician Jim Callaghan visited Derry in August 1969, the wall was painted white and the lettering was redone in black. That white wall with black lettering is the image most visitors recognise today, though the wall has been repainted many times and has appeared in other colours.

Why does it matter historically?

The surrounding streets were the scene of the Battle of the Bogside in 1969 and of Bloody Sunday in 1972. In the years that followed, the corner became the focal point of the annual Bloody Sunday commemorations. The houses that once stood beside the wall were later demolished, but the wall itself was kept. In 2000 the site was handed over to the Heritage service of the Department of the Environment.

What else can you see nearby?

At the corner there is a memorial to the 1981 hunger strikers, along with several murals. One of them is the Petrol Bomber, painted in 1994. It recreates a 1969 photograph by Clive Limpkin taken during the three-day Battle of the Bogside.

Practical tips for visitors

• The site is in the open air and can be seen at any time, so no ticket is needed.
• It is a short walk from the centre of Derry, and the nearby Bogside murals make a natural continuation of the visit.
• The wall is a memorial with a living political meaning for many local people. Treat it with respect and keep that in mind when taking photos.
• Its coordinates are about 54.9958 N, 7.3268 W.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Free Derry Corner? In the Bogside area of Derry, at the junction of Lecky Road, Rossville Street and Fahan Street.

What does "Free Derry" refer to? A self-declared autonomous nationalist area of the city that existed from 1969 to 1972.

Is the wall original? The gable wall has stood since the late 1960s, but it has been repainted many times, and the lettering was redone in black on white in August 1969.

Is there an entry fee? No. It is an outdoor landmark by a public street.

Why do people gather here every year? The corner is the focal point of annual commemorations of Bloody Sunday, which took place in 1972 in the nearby streets.