THE TOUR BEGAN at the Free Derry Corner.
From there it was a walk around the Bogside, learning about the various murals and hearing the different stories behind each one.
“It was funny, we actually bumped into one of the men who was on one and the guys couldn’t get their heads around the fact that the same kid who was in front of a soldier’s jeep throwing a petrol bomb was there talking to them about it,” Derry City manager Declan Devine laughs.
From the Bogside, his players ventured further afield, hearing tales about the Derry Walls, before eventually finishing up in Guildhall Square.
“We explained how any team that is successful, or if it’s a boxer or in the GAA, they all get celebrated there. Guildhall is where people will come to rally around them,” Devine adds.
For Walter Figueira the whole day was a lot to take in. Mostly because he had never been taught in school about what happened on Bloody Sunday or the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
“It’s such a big thing, so close to home, and I’m 24 years old but only learned about Bloody Sunday now,” he says, exasperated.
“I’m British born, I’m from England and was never taught anything about it. There is so much we aren’t told about.”
Geography was always Figueira’s favourite subject in school growing up in Battersea in London. His father, Antonio, loved history and it was only when Figueria told him that he was joining Derry City during the winter that he first began to understand the significance of the place he would call home.
“He knew, my Dad understood. He looked at me and asked if I knew about what had happened over there and what happened with the British. I literally had no clue, I never got taught it once in school.
My Dad explained to me a bit and then Declan [Devine], he made sure we got understand what Derry is as a city, what the people are about. This is a place for hard work, I knew nothing at all so wanted to take it in.
“When we play at home at the Brandywell I do feel that extra bit of fire in the belly because we know what the city has been through and we want to bring a bit more joy.
“What we saw and hearing from people involved in the club and on the tour about what it was like for them during those days, it was an eye opener to me. There is so much history to be told in school and you’re going to be told about it. I think you have to know what Derry is as a city because the truth is so many people don’t.
When I was in England, I remember James McClean didn’t like wearing the poppy. I knew that much, that’s it. You think he is just kicking up a fuss about not wearing poppy, but then you realise why, about the British killing Irish people in his city and you know why he felt deep about it. You know why he would completely refuse to wear it. You have to understand that and it makes you respect it, too.”
Figueira, a forward who signed from Waterford, has led a nomadic existence in football since leaving Chelsea’s academy in 2013. He’s travelled from Greece to Bognor Regis, tried his hand in the Portuguese lower leagues and looked for salvation at places like Dulwich Hamlet and Chessington & Hook United in his native city.
If his career has been one of contrasts, it is nothing to what his life was like growing up in Battersea, where he was so close to the River Thames to realise it was pungent for some, beautiful for others.
“Where I’m from, where I grew up, I was literally a road away from houses worth millions of pounds. Then in these rich areas there are high crime areas, gated estates are protected in the middle of all this madness. We just got on with it but the divide is definitely very clear, you always saw it.
“Where I lived,” Figueira continues. “There is a bridge, you cross it and you are at Sloane Square, Kensington, places where we are talking millions of pounds. It depends on how you want to see the contrast of living.
I tried to use it as motivation because there was a Land Rover shop right where I lived and I saw it since I was a kid that there would be cars worth £50,000 right in front of you. It made me want to work hard to make a certain type of living that I could afford one of those vehicles.”
Antonio, and his mother Raab, made sure Walter and his two younger siblings – a brother and sister – always understood the value of an honest day’s work.
“My parents showed me that if I work hard I can be anything that I want. They let me pursue my dream of football. They gave me the knowledge of going about things the right way.
“There was a lot of crime but I never looked at the Range Rovers and thought I would break the law a few times to get the money for it. I was told to be focused, work hard and do things right to have that car.
“Don’t get me wrong, what saved me is that I was good at football. I used to get told it a lot. I now what it’s like to be that kid who sees crime as the easiest way to make money. It’s not easy and you need to have positive people to look up to.
“There were some traumatic things that I seen growing up, things that you go through, it’s not easy. There is too much negative stuff to focus on and go about life that way. There are loads of people that I’ve known since I was a kid, some have passed, some can’t cope with life, some were good but now at rock bottom.
You have to pursue what you can to get where you want to in life but it’s not always easy for everyone. London is very intense, put it that way. Knife crime and stuff, there is a lot of nonsense. You justy want ot put your mind into happiness and focus on stuff you like.
“If you’ve not got anything going for you in that environment it’s just poison. You want to just keep battling to get out of it and make the best of your life.”
That is what Figueira is determined to do now with Derry. His partner and two young children – seven years old and three months old – are based in London surrounded by both families. “It’s not easy but you have to try to be strong, mentally,” he explains.
“It helps me stay focused. I don’t have time to mess around with my career because I’m away to better their life and my life as well. So if I’m messing about, I’m messing about on my family because I’m missing out on time knowing my kids and being around them. It’s not helping my future get any better.
“I put myself in a mental space where I can perform and make sure I can do it consistently, that is what I need to do this season. My son looks up to me now because he understands what I do for my job.
“I want to make a better life for them but I know I needed to deliver for Derry this season. I have to attack this season head on.”
