HISTORY

Apprentice Boy's March



Apprentice Boy's March

Introduction

Battle of the Bogside took place between twelfth and fourteenth August 1969 in Derry in Northern Ireland. This was a large communal riot that took place between the residents who lived in Bogside area and Royal Ulster Constabulary. The Bogside area was under Derry Citizens' Defence Association. After RUC tried to disband the Irish nationalists who protested, it resulted in a riot. This protest was because they were protest against a loyalist Apprentice Boys parade alongside the walls of the city. Since RUC was not able to enter that area, therefore, British Army tried to regain control. This was the first confrontation that occurred during the conflict. This was called the Troubles and a lot of violence spread in Northern Ireland because of the riot.

Discussion

Apprentice Boys parade takes place on August 12th to honor the victory of the Protestants in the Siege of Derry in 1689. Many Catholics considered this as extremely provocative. With reference to the march, a Derry activist wrote that it was an insult for the Derry Catholics. Despite of the fact that the march did not pass through the Bogside, it was close to Waterloo Place and William Street. At this point, trouble began. In the initial stage, the loyalists and the Bogsiders exchanged taunts, and both sides threw stones on one another till the time when the police arrived, and nationalist had to enter Rossville Street. After this, the argument soared when the local people supported Apprentice Boys (Coogan 1996, pp.55).

Many people crowded Bogside and bombarded stones as well as Molotov cocktails on the police. Moreover, they had also prepared barricades in order to prevent the police form stopping them. RUC used armoured cars in order to clear the people from the way. However, 43 officers from 59 who tried to invade got injured. An annual parade is held by the unionists who celebrate the relief of Siege of Derry that took place in 1689. This took place because there were thirteen young boys who had shut the gates of the city to stop King James's army. During this time, the parade takes place each year in twelfth August every year.

There were many participants who marched along the walls of the city above Bogside. These people came from Northern Ireland and Britain and were antagonistic to the people who lived there. It was in July 1969 when Derry ...