🔗 Share this article

Sunday 30 January 1972 is remembered as arguably the most fatal – and momentous – dates throughout multiple decades of unrest in this area.

Within the community of the incident – the legacy of the tragic events are displayed on the buildings and embedded in people's minds.

A protest demonstration was conducted on a cold but bright day in the city.

The protest was challenging the practice of imprisonment without charges – imprisoning people without due process – which had been established following an extended period of unrest.

Soldiers from the Parachute Regiment fatally wounded multiple civilians in the Bogside area – which was, and remains, a predominantly Irish nationalist population.

A specific visual became especially memorable.

Photographs showed a clergyman, Father Daly, displaying a blood-stained fabric in his effort to defend a assembly moving a youth, Jackie Duddy, who had been killed.

News camera operators recorded considerable film on the day.

The archive contains Fr Daly informing a media representative that soldiers "appeared to discharge weapons randomly" and he was "absolutely certain" that there was no provocation for the discharge of weapons.

The narrative of what happened was disputed by the original examination.

The first investigation concluded the soldiers had been fired upon initially.

In the negotiation period, the administration commissioned a new investigation, in response to advocacy by family members, who said the first investigation had been a inadequate investigation.

In 2010, the findings by the inquiry said that generally, the military personnel had fired first and that zero among the individuals had posed any threat.

The then head of state, the leader, expressed regret in the government chamber – declaring fatalities were "without justification and unjustifiable."

The police commenced investigate the incident.

An ex-soldier, referred to as Soldier F, was brought to trial for killing.

Indictments were filed regarding the fatalities of the first individual, in his twenties, and in his mid-twenties another victim.

The defendant was further implicated of trying to kill Patrick O'Donnell, Joseph Friel, further individuals, another person, and an unknown person.

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

He stated to the examination that he had only fired at persons who were carrying weapons.

This assertion was dismissed in the official findings.

Material from the investigation was unable to be used immediately as proof in the legal proceedings.

During the trial, the accused was shielded from sight using a protective barrier.

He spoke for the initial occasion in the hearing at a proceeding in late 2024, to reply "not responsible" when the accusations were read.

Relatives of the deceased on Bloody Sunday made the trip from Londonderry to the judicial building each day of the proceedings.

One relative, whose sibling was died, said they understood that hearing the trial would be painful.

"I remember everything in my mind's eye," he said, as we walked around the primary sites referenced in the case – from the street, where the victim was fatally wounded, to the adjacent the area, where James Wray and another victim were died.

"It returns me to where I was that day.

"I helped to carry my brother and lay him in the vehicle.

"I relived every moment during the evidence.

"Despite experiencing everything – it's still worthwhile for me."