It was undertaken to highlight the need for fair treatment and housing for Catholics, in Derry. Protestant Loyalists have caused disruptions along the way, but the marchers are refusing to retaliate, hoping to illustrate that it's a peaceful march.
Brendan suspected there would be trouble and learned a number of people were taking a bus to a village called Claudy to join with the marchers on the last leg of their journey. His mother refuses to let him join them, so he sneaks out and walks towards the town...but never makes it. He happens upon a group of men preparing rocks and cudgels to attack the marchers with and cannot get past them.
He tries to warn people, but no one believes him. Sure enough, at Burntollet Bridge the marchers are attacked by crowds of Loyalists and helped along by the Constables who were supposed to keep the peace. Dozens were hurt, but the march continued. They made it to the Guildhall, in Derry, and then all hell broke loose once people learned of what had happened.
I took some poetic license and had Brendan find a few of the injured in a car that ran off the road. He helps get them to Altnagelvin Hospital, about 3-4 miles down the road, and there he learns Eamonn was badly hurt but will get better.
I've done that walk, myself. Took a bus to Burntollet Bridge and walked back. It rained half the time, and I stopped at a petrol station to have an okay slice of pizza and a coke, but made it in about 3 hours. I also stayed mostly dry since I had a poncho with me. Worked well.
It's pretty country, and hilly, and doing that walk shifted that part of the story a little. That's why I keep going back to Derry, to make certain I'm getting at least some of the logistics right. Of course, the road is well-paved, now and there's more development along it, but it served me well enough.
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