Winter Market brings Christmas spirit to Bishop Street-Fountain interface

Derry was alive with Christmas spirit over the weekend as the Winter Market made a welcome return for its third year to the Fountain and Bishop Street interface.

Organised by Triax Peace Walls Project in the city, the market was part of a series of Peace Walls activities aimed to build confidence and relationships between local communities and ultimately pave the way for continued dialogue around future transformations within the area.

The event was supported by a number of partners including the International Fund for Ireland, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and Derry and Strabane District Council, Urban Villages.

The Market ran over two days (Saturday-Sunday) and offered visitors a funfair adventure, hand-made gifts made by local residents and an exciting live entertainment line-up.

Residents from the Fountain and Bishop Street areas had worked together over the last three months on a range of arts and crafts in preparation for the Market.

The workshops helped to boost confidence, skills and relations between both communities. Residents sold their handmade products to patrons both local and further afield.

Rachel Mullan from Triax Peace Walls Project said the workshops were a great way to bring people together to boost their skills.

She added: “This often forms unlikely friendships, which makes it even more worthwhile.

“This year’s market has been a truly memorable, festive event for the whole family.

“There were a variety of activities on offer including live entertainment from local musicians, carol services, brass bands, pipe band Santa Clause, guided heritage tours and much more finishing in a spectacular display of fireworks.

“Our biggest attraction this year was definitely the Big Wheel where visitors had a bird’s eye view of the area.” The Triax project has been working closely with local communities within the city since 2013 through a range of engagement activities.

This has resulted in changes in attitudes towards the interface and has resulted in the softening of some barriers such as removal of security grills from people’s homes, and more significantly the temporary opening of a gate that hadn’t be open in 40 years.

People were happy and confident in moving freely in both communities across the interface area.

Peace Walls is supported by the International Fund for Ireland through its Peace Walls Programme which assists communities to begin building the levels of trust required before starting the process of engaging with statutory authorities about removing physical divisions.

Photo shows Angela McGowan, Geraldine Deery and Mary McCloskey at Pink Ladies stall