I think me being sick yesterday was a good choice rather than being sick later, because today was a relaxing and do-what-you-want-to-do day for our last day in Derry. Kevie and I went to Guildhall to see the history of Derry. After going there, we went to Primark, which is like Penneys in Ireland, which is like Forever 21 in America but almost a bit cheaper. We spent some good time there trying on some clothes and buying things. I noticed that even though it's the same as Penneys in Ireland, I could tell a slight difference in styles between Primark in Northern Ireland and Penneys in Ireland. Our next destination was Derry Peace Bridge. This curved bridge's architecture was unique and modernized with beautiful surroundings, and especially with the weather like today, I think I would workout everyday by coming here taking a walk or running if I were to live here.
The Derry Peace Bridge was opened on June 25, 2011 and it lies over the River Foyle connecting two opposite sides of the river. It stretches from the Guildhall in the city center of Derry City to Ebrington Square and St. Columb’s Park on the far side of the river. It's 235 meters long and 4 meters wide that's designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects in London and funded by the European Regional Development Fund for Peace – 14 million pounds; Dublin government also helped to fund. This bridge is thought to connect a 400 year-old physical and political gap between two sides of a once divided community. The two structural arms that are prominently sticking out heading in opposite directions symbolize the unification of both communities from the opposite sides of the River Foyle, the Protestant Waterside and the Nationalist Bogside. The bridge is built in an S-shape to signify a handshake across the river.
There is a news article that talks about how this bridge will help people move away from the past with conflicts and lead to a brighter future. This article is written on June 27, 2011, only two days after the opening of the bridge. According to this article, hundreds of people lined both sides of the River Foyle for the celebration. This was marked by school children singing an anthem that was composed to mark this special occasion. Johannes Hahn, European Union commissioner for regional policy carried out the official opening. He said that the bridge would help establish lasting prosperity. “It will encourage greater levels of peace and reconciliation tor the city.” According to a guest speaker at the opening, a former Nobel peace laureate John Hume, this good crowd turnout showed that the bridge was a good thing for the city.
http://www.irelands-hidden-gems.com/derry-peace-bridge.html http://republican-news.org/current/news/2011/06/derry_bridge_is_peace_symbol.html#.U4ilEma3NoM
The Derry Peace Bridge was opened on June 25, 2011 and it lies over the River Foyle connecting two opposite sides of the river. It stretches from the Guildhall in the city center of Derry City to Ebrington Square and St. Columb’s Park on the far side of the river. It's 235 meters long and 4 meters wide that's designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects in London and funded by the European Regional Development Fund for Peace – 14 million pounds; Dublin government also helped to fund. This bridge is thought to connect a 400 year-old physical and political gap between two sides of a once divided community. The two structural arms that are prominently sticking out heading in opposite directions symbolize the unification of both communities from the opposite sides of the River Foyle, the Protestant Waterside and the Nationalist Bogside. The bridge is built in an S-shape to signify a handshake across the river.
There is a news article that talks about how this bridge will help people move away from the past with conflicts and lead to a brighter future. This article is written on June 27, 2011, only two days after the opening of the bridge. According to this article, hundreds of people lined both sides of the River Foyle for the celebration. This was marked by school children singing an anthem that was composed to mark this special occasion. Johannes Hahn, European Union commissioner for regional policy carried out the official opening. He said that the bridge would help establish lasting prosperity. “It will encourage greater levels of peace and reconciliation tor the city.” According to a guest speaker at the opening, a former Nobel peace laureate John Hume, this good crowd turnout showed that the bridge was a good thing for the city.
http://www.irelands-hidden-gems.com/derry-peace-bridge.html http://republican-news.org/current/news/2011/06/derry_bridge_is_peace_symbol.html#.U4ilEma3NoM