🔗 Share this article

Sunday 30 January 1972 remains arguably the deadliest – and consequential – days in thirty years of violence in the region.

Within the community of the incident – the images of that fateful day are visible on the structures and embedded in people's minds.

A public gathering was organized on a wintry, sunny day in Londonderry.

The protest was challenging the system of internment – imprisoning people without legal proceedings – which had been implemented after an extended period of conflict.

Troops from the Parachute Regiment killed thirteen individuals in the Bogside area – which was, and continues to be, a strongly nationalist area.

A particular photograph became notably iconic.

Images showed a clergyman, the priest, displaying a bloodied fabric while attempting to defend a crowd moving a youth, the injured teenager, who had been killed.

Media personnel recorded extensive video on the day.

The archive contains Fr Daly informing a media representative that troops "gave the impression they would shoot indiscriminately" and he was "completely sure" that there was no justification for the gunfire.

The narrative of what happened was rejected by the initial investigation.

The first investigation found the military had been attacked first.

In the negotiation period, the administration commissioned a fresh examination, after campaigning by bereaved relatives, who said Widgery had been a whitewash.

That year, the conclusion by Lord Saville said that generally, the military personnel had discharged weapons initially and that not one of the victims had been armed.

The contemporary government leader, the leader, issued an apology in the Parliament – declaring fatalities were "without justification and inexcusable."

Law enforcement commenced investigate the incident.

An ex-soldier, referred to as Soldier F, was charged for homicide.

Indictments were filed over the fatalities of one victim, 22, and 26-year-old the second individual.

The accused was also accused of seeking to harm several people, additional persons, more people, Michael Quinn, and an unnamed civilian.

There is a court ruling maintaining the veteran's anonymity, which his attorneys have claimed is necessary because he is at threat.

He told the investigation that he had only fired at individuals who were armed.

The statement was dismissed in the official findings.

Material from the inquiry could not be used straightforwardly as proof in the criminal process.

In the dock, the accused was shielded from sight using a privacy screen.

He made statements for the first time in the hearing at a hearing in late 2024, to answer "not guilty" when the allegations were read.

Kin of the deceased on the incident travelled from the city to the courthouse daily of the trial.

One relative, whose sibling was fatally wounded, said they always knew that listening to the proceedings would be painful.

"I can see all details in my recollection," John said, as we examined the key areas mentioned in the proceedings – from the location, where his brother was killed, to the adjoining Glenfada Park, where James Wray and the second person were died.

"It reminds me to my location that day.

"I assisted with the victim and place him in the medical transport.

"I experienced again each detail during the evidence.

"Notwithstanding experiencing everything – it's still valuable for me."