 Derry City lies near the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland . It has a majority nationalist population , and nationalists won a majority of seats in the 1920 local elections . Despite this , the Ulster Unionist Party controlled the local council , Londonderry Corporation , from 1923 onwards . The Unionists maintained their majority , firstly , by manipulating the constituency boundaries ( gerrymandering ) so that the South Ward , with a nationalist majority , returned eight councillors while the much smaller North Ward and Waterside Ward , with unionist majorities , returned twelve councillors between them ; secondly , by allowing only ratepayers to vote in local elections , rather than one man , one vote , so that a higher number of nationalists , who did not own homes , were disenfranchised ; and thirdly , by denying houses to nationalists outside the South Ward constituency . The result was that there were about 2 @,@ 000 nationalist families , and practically no unionists , on the housing waiting list , and that housing in the nationalist area was crowded and of a very poor condition . The South Ward comprised the Bogside , Brandywell , Creggan , Bishop Street and Foyle Road , and it was this area that would become Free Derry . 
 Derry City <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>lies</mark></a> near the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland . It <a href='got' title='2'><mark>has</mark></a> a majority nationalist population , and nationalists won a majority of seats in the 1920 local elections . Despite this , the Ulster Unionist Party controlled the local council , Londonderry Corporation , from 1923 onwards . The Unionists maintained their majority , firstly , by manipulating the constituency boundaries ( gerrymandering ) so that the South Ward , with a nationalist majority , returned eight councillors while the much smaller North Ward and Waterside Ward , with unionist majorities , returned twelve councillors between them ; secondly , by allowing only ratepayers to vote in local elections , rather than one man , one vote , so that a higher number of nationalists , <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>who</mark></a>did not own <a href='negative_concord' title='4'><mark>homes</mark></a> , <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>were</mark></a> disenfranchised ; and thirdly , by denying houses to nationalists outside the South Ward constituency . The result was that <a href='dey_it' title='6'><mark>there</mark></a> <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>were</mark></a> about 2 @,@ 000 nationalist families , and practically no unionists , on the housing waiting list , and that housing in the nationalist area was crowded and of a very poor condition . The South Ward comprised the Bogside , Brandywell , Creggan , Bishop Street and Foyle Road , and it was this area that would become Free Derry . 
Derry City lie near da border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland . It got a majority nationalist population , and nationalists won a majority of seats in the 1920 local elections . Despite this , the Ulster Unionist Party controlled the local council , Londonderry Corporation , from 1923 onwards . TdaUnionists maintained their majority , firstly , by manipulating thdaonstituency boundaries ( gerrymandering ) so that thedauth Ward , with a nationalist majority , returned eight councillors while the dah smaller North Ward and Waterside Ward , with unionist majorities , returned twelve councillors between them ; secondly , by allowing only ratepayers to vote in local elections , rather than one man , one vote , so that a higher number of nationalists , did not own no homes , was disenfranchised ; and thirdly , by denying houses to nationalists outside the Sdah Ward constituency . The result was dat it was about 2 @,@ 000 nationalist families , and practically no unionists , on the hodang waiting list , and tdathousing in the nationalist area was crowded and of a very poor condition . The South Ward comprised the Bogdae , Brandywell , Creggan , Bishop Street and Foyle Road , and it was dis area thdatould become Free Derry .