As the 92nd anniversary of the Somme was commemorated in Londonderry yesterday, the unearthing of an inscribed shell from World War I reveals a tale that ironically ended in deadly gunfire at the Diamond in 1920.

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Last year, the remnants of a shell were dug up from a garden in Castle Park in the nearby town of Buncrana. How it got there still remains a mystery, but what was etched into the side of it tells a tale of unity between Irish born soldiers fighting for Britain.
The shell case, later turned into a watering can, has inscribed references to Thiepval and the 16th Irish Division, the nationalist division hailing mainly from southern Ireland and the 36th Ulster Division, regarded as the Protestant and loyalist soldiery from Northern Ireland.
As well as this the shell has inscribed into its side a drawing of a harp with a pair of hands, shaking hand another hand, thought to be symbolic of the red hand of Ulster.
All the etchings are enclosed in a heart, symbolising unity between nationalists and unionists who fought the brutal and bloody battles of World War I.
Londonderry historian, Trevor Temple, was made aware of the artefact by Paul Quigley, the Buncrana man who discovered it and who later donated it to the Holywell Trust who conduct in-depth research into Londonderry's war dead.
Yet, the story is far from over at this point. Also inscribed on the shell was the name EA Price and his Army number 54652.
Trevor Temple's research into the number revealed the man's name was Edwin Price who had returned from America at the outbreak of hostilities and enlisted in the Ulster Division, Royal Army Medical Corps.
Having survived the War, Edwin Price returned to Londonderry and took up residence in the Diamond Hotel.
On June 19, 1920, six people died in Londonderry during civil disturbances, amongst them was Edwin Price.
Trevor Temple told the Sentinel: "This story is very ironic. The two traditions had come together to fight a common enemy. He had survived the war, it turns out he was shot dead on the streets of his own city by unionists firing at nationalists."
The Sentinel reported that as shooting broke out between unionists and nationalists: "Mr Edwin Price was shot. He had come to the door of the hotel, when a bullet struck him in the abdomen. After penetrating his body, the shot pierced a two-inch door and embedded itself in the woodwork inside."