On the March

Abstract

On a cold Sunday afternoon in January 2007, a few hundred people gathered outside the shops in the Creggan area of the city. Just a short distance away is the Catholic church where the funerals of the dead took place. Along the railings in front of the shops Irish republican banners bearing the symbols of republican cumann, or branches, stand upright, their bright colours of red, green and yellow throwing the dark grey clouds overhead into sharp relief. Further up, young and old, men and women, republicans and non-republicans gathered outside the Telstar bar — some with pint in hand — and listen to drum and flute bands practise their musical arrangement. A photograph of the original Bloody Sunday march hangs on the wall inside the pub and the grafittied walls outside declare “Provoland”.