🔗 Share this article

Sunday 30 January 1972 remains arguably the most fatal – and significant – days throughout three decades of conflict in this area.

Within the community of the incident – the legacy of Bloody Sunday are displayed on the structures and etched in public consciousness.

A protest demonstration was organized on a wintry, sunny afternoon in the city.

The demonstration was a protest against the policy of internment – holding suspects without trial – which had been implemented after an extended period of unrest.

Troops from the elite army unit shot dead multiple civilians in the neighborhood – which was, and remains, a strongly nationalist area.

One image became especially iconic.

Images showed a Catholic priest, Fr Edward Daly, displaying a bloodied cloth while attempting to protect a assembly moving a teenager, the fatally wounded individual, who had been mortally injured.

Media personnel recorded extensive video on the day.

Documented accounts includes Father Daly informing a media representative that troops "just seemed to discharge weapons randomly" and he was "absolutely certain" that there was no reason for the gunfire.

The narrative of events was disputed by the original examination.

The initial inquiry found the military had been shot at first.

In the negotiation period, Tony Blair's government established a fresh examination, in response to advocacy by family members, who said Widgery had been a whitewash.

That year, the findings by Lord Saville said that overall, the military personnel had discharged weapons initially and that none of the victims had been armed.

At that time government leader, the leader, issued an apology in the government chamber – declaring killings were "without justification and inexcusable."

Law enforcement started to examine the events.

One former paratrooper, identified as Soldier F, was prosecuted for killing.

Indictments were filed regarding the deaths of James Wray, 22, and 26-year-old another victim.

Soldier F was further implicated of attempting to murder Patrick O'Donnell, other civilians, Joe Mahon, another person, and an unknown person.

Exists a judicial decision protecting the defendant's identity protection, which his attorneys have argued is necessary because he is at danger.

He stated to the Saville Inquiry that he had only fired at individuals who were possessing firearms.

The statement was dismissed in the official findings.

Evidence from the investigation could not be used straightforwardly as proof in the criminal process.

In the dock, the defendant was hidden from public using a privacy screen.

He addressed the court for the opening instance in the proceedings at a session in December 2024, to reply "not guilty" when the accusations were presented.

Family members of the victims on that day made the trip from Derry to the courthouse every day of the case.

John Kelly, whose brother Michael was fatally wounded, said they were aware that listening to the case would be difficult.

"I can see all details in my memory," he said, as we walked around the main locations discussed in the case – from Rossville Street, where his brother was fatally wounded, to the adjacent Glenfada Park, where the individual and the second person were died.

"It returns me to my location that day.

"I participated in moving my brother and lay him in the medical transport.

"I experienced again the entire event during the evidence.

"Notwithstanding enduring everything – it's still meaningful for me."