Exodus: how Derry lost its Protestants…

Long awaited (on Slugger at least) last night’s programme on the mass migration of Protestant population from the west bank of Derry City is worth watching in full. The whole issue remains a matter of some controversy but, as the narrator says towards the end, the truth is probably nowhere near as cut and dried as either side quite believes.
It’s true, as some commenters have mentioned on previous threads on this subject, that population movements were common throughout the Troubles. Indeed, according to figures from the Housing Executive, only 10% of public housing is not segregated. This was certainly not the case before 1969.

What makes Derry remarkable is the vast numbers involved (14,000, down to less that 400), the virtual silence on the matter within wider public discourse and the deleterious impact it’s had on the civil life of the city. It’s also differs from other mass movements in that it was not all effected in one sudden move. The causes were both various and cumulative.

Next week we hope to have one of the producers for a live interview on Slugger.

We are reader supported. Donate to keep Slugger lit!

For over 20 years, Slugger has been an independent place for debate and new ideas. We have published over 40,000 posts and over one and a half million comments on the site. Each month we have over 70,000 readers. All this we have accomplished with only volunteers we have never had any paid staff.

Slugger does not receive any funding, and we respect our readers, so we will never run intrusive ads or sponsored posts. Instead, we are reader-supported. Help us keep Slugger independent by becoming a friend of Slugger. While we run a tight ship and no one gets paid to write, we need money to help us cover our costs.

If you like what we do, we are asking you to consider giving a monthly donation of any amount, or you can give a one-off donation. Any amount is appreciated.