After the camp finally closed the Springtown community  was spread all over the four corners of Derry and some even in the outskirts of the city. The only place you would meet old neighbours was at Mass or down the town. Just a year later the Civil Rights movement began in earnest as people were finally fed up with the Londonderry Corporation's bigoted policies of gerrymandering and rigging elections in Northern Ireland. Derry was the center of discrimination as the majority in our city were nationalist. Yet, we had the disgraceful situation that because of careful gerrymandering by the Unionist of the electoral boundaries, the vast majority of nationalist voters could only elect eight nationalist councillors, whilst the smaller by far Unionist voters could elect twelve councillors. This careful gerrymandering of the electoral boundaries, of course led to a permanent Unionist controlled Londonderry Corporation majority after every election.To make matters even worse the Corporation had full control of the allocation of public housing, and public sector jobs in Derry.

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The treatment of the people of Springtown Camp by the Unionist controlled Corporation over many years which led to the many Protests by the tenants from 1959 until the camp was finally closed in 1967 was a precursor of what was about to unfold in Northern Ireland, under the banner of NICRA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Mothers from Springtown Camp occupy the chambers of the Guildhall where the corporation were holding their monthly housing meeting as a protest as the Mayor refuses to permit a spokeswoman to address the meeting regarding the conditions of the huts in the camp. M.P Eddie McAteer standing on the left, with some of the Nationalist Councillors supported the women. September 1960.

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The Unionist were totally shameless in their discrimination, however they had crossed the line once to often and this was about to change. The Civil rights movement NICRA  organised a march for Saturday 5 October 1968 from Duke Street to the Guildhall Square. The then Minister for Home Affairs William Craig, one of the Unionist most powerful men, was about to make the biggest mistake of his political career, when he banned the march. Not only did he deny people their right to peaceful protest, but he give the green light to the sectarian RUC to use whatever force they needed. The result was the RUC brutally batoned the marchers off the streets when they used their batons to attack men, women and teenagers. They inflicted serious head wounds on many of the marchers with the result that many needed hospital treatment. The numbers of the injured were so many that Altnagelvin hospital put out a call for nurses and doctors to come to the hospital to help treat the injured.

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The television cameras captured the scenes of RUC brutally, chaos and of blooded marchers staggering about with blood pouring from their heads. The public outcry was so great that it awakened the people of not only Northern Ireland, but also the people of the Republic and the UK, to the seriousness of the situation. 

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Undeterred by the brutality of the RUC at Duke Street, just one month later on Saturday 16 November NICRA organised another march on the same route. The people defied the ban once again and the crowd was massive on this occasion.

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The massive crowd crossing the Craigavon Bridge on Saturday 19 November 1968

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Many old neighbours and friends from Springtown Camp can be seen in the many images of the marches that were taken place. The protests we very successful and Terence O'Neill the Northern Ireland P.M Brian Faulkner, and William Craig were summoned to Westminster for a meeting with the British Prime Minister Harold Wilson. 

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The outcome was the announcement of a five point reform programme on 22 November 1968. They included A points system to ensure a fairer allocation of council houses.

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The detested Londonderry corporation was to be disbanded and replaced by a Development  Commission. A lot of the Special Powers Act would be removed. The removal of additional for Business owners, plus major reforms to the operation of Local Government.

 

All the above reforms would be in place no later than 1971.

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In essence a total granting of all of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association demands. The protests continued to keep the pressure on Stormont and make sure they stuck to their new agreement.

 

The Unionist were incandescent with rage, protest on the Unionist side and eventually Terence O'Neill resigned. The hardliner Brian Faulkner was made the new P.M. Then on the 9 August 1971 Internment without trial was introduced on 9 August 1971. It was one sided as 90% of those interned were from the Nationalist  community. It proved a disaster and nationalist felt a strong sense of injustice once more. A protest against Internment was organised for 30 January 1972. Thousands turned out in protest, the size of the march left no doubt about the feeling of the Nationalist. The British Paratroopers ran amok and shot twenty eight marchers, thirteen of them dead, and one other man died of his injuries a few months later. The television footage was shown around the world, as was the many still images taken on the day.The British Embassy was set on fire in Dublin in protest  and the Irish Ambassador  to Britain was withdrawn in protest by the Irish Government. Britain was condemned around the world and large protests were held in the US. Britain's name was once again sullied all over the Globe. To this day the families of the people murdered and injured have still not got justice. 

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Bishop Edward Daly waving a blood stained handkerchief as Hugh McMonagle who helps carry 17 year old boy Jackie Duddy who was shot dead in the Bloody Sunday massacre by British Army Paratroopers

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The Springtown Camp community were shocked and saddened when the news of the names filtered down of the men murdered and those injured. A lot of them were former neighbours and friends from the camp. The above image shows Springtown Camp man Hugh McMonagle carrying Jackie Duddy

 

Jackie Duddy:   Hugh Gilmore :  William Nash:  John Young: were all born in Springtown Camp

 

Michael Bridge, Alex Nash, and Michael Bradley all of whom were badly injured, all lived in the Camp for many years.

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The troubles continued unabated for many years after Bloody Sunday and the trouble was not solely confined to the streets, as big trouble were brewing in the prison's over conditions and broken promises to the political prisoners.  Some went on hunger strike and after 60 + days agreement was agreed with the authorities and Prisoners. Unfortunately the prison authorities broke their agreement and this enraged the men. Once again the men went on hunger strike. Bobby Sands elected to go on hunger strike first and it was agreed he would be joined by another hunger striker two weeks later, and each hunger striker after on the same two week interval.

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Bobby Sands while on hunger strike, stood for parliament for Fermanagh and South Tyrone against a hardline unionist Harry West. The people turned out in their thousands  to support Bobby Sands and he was duly elected as M.P with over thirty thousand votes.

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Sadly Bobby died after 66 days on hunger strike on 5 May 1981.

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Nine other republicans prisoners died on Hunger Strike and the last one to die was Michael Devine who was born in Springtown Camp.