🔗 Share this article

January 30th, 1972 remains among the deadliest – and momentous – days in multiple decades of conflict in the region.

Within the community of the incident – the memories of that fateful day are painted on the buildings and seared in collective memory.

A public gathering was organized on a wintry, sunny period in the city.

The protest was challenging the system of internment – imprisoning people without legal proceedings – which had been put in place following multiple years of conflict.

Troops from the elite army unit fatally wounded multiple civilians in the Bogside area – which was, and remains, a strongly nationalist community.

A particular photograph became notably iconic.

Pictures showed a clergyman, the priest, displaying a stained with blood cloth in his effort to defend a group carrying a teenager, the fatally wounded individual, who had been killed.

Journalists captured much footage on the day.

Historical records features Father Daly explaining to a media representative that military personnel "gave the impression they would shoot indiscriminately" and he was "completely sure" that there was no justification for the shooting.

That version of events wasn't accepted by the original examination.

The Widgery Tribunal found the military had been shot at first.

Throughout the resolution efforts, the ruling party established a new investigation, in response to advocacy by surviving kin, who said the first investigation had been a inadequate investigation.

That year, the findings by the investigation said that overall, the military personnel had fired first and that none of the individuals had posed any threat.

The then head of state, the Prime Minister, issued an apology in the Parliament – stating deaths were "unjustified and inexcusable."

Authorities commenced look into the events.

A military veteran, known as the accused, was prosecuted for homicide.

Indictments were filed regarding the killings of the first individual, twenty-two, and twenty-six-year-old William McKinney.

The defendant was also accused of seeking to harm multiple individuals, other civilians, Joe Mahon, another person, and an unidentified individual.

Remains a judicial decision protecting the defendant's identity protection, which his legal team have maintained is essential because he is at risk of attack.

He stated to the examination that he had exclusively discharged his weapon at persons who were armed.

This assertion was disputed in the final report.

Material from the investigation would not be used immediately as testimony in the criminal process.

During the trial, the defendant was hidden from public using a blue curtain.

He made statements for the opening instance in court at a hearing in December 2024, to answer "not responsible" when the charges were read.

Relatives of the victims on Bloody Sunday travelled from Londonderry to Belfast Crown Court daily of the trial.

A family member, whose relative was died, said they understood that hearing the case would be emotional.

"I visualize the events in my mind's eye," John said, as we walked around the primary sites discussed in the case – from the street, where his brother was killed, to the adjoining the area, where one victim and the second person were fatally wounded.

"It reminds me to my position that day.

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

"I went through the entire event during the evidence.

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