🔗 Share this article

Sunday 30 January 1972 remains one of the deadliest – and consequential – occasions in thirty years of unrest in the region.

Throughout the area where events unfolded – the memories of that fateful day are painted on the walls and seared in public consciousness.

A civil rights march was conducted on a cold but bright period in Derry.

The protest was opposing the policy of imprisonment without charges – imprisoning people without due process – which had been put in place following an extended period of violence.

Soldiers from the Parachute Regiment fatally wounded 13 people in the neighborhood – which was, and continues to be, a predominantly Irish nationalist population.

A particular photograph became particularly iconic.

Images showed a Catholic priest, the priest, using a bloodied cloth in his effort to defend a assembly carrying a young man, the fatally wounded individual, who had been killed.

Media personnel documented extensive video on the day.

Documented accounts features the priest telling a media representative that soldiers "appeared to fire in all directions" and he was "totally convinced" that there was no reason for the shooting.

This account of events wasn't accepted by the initial investigation.

The first investigation found the military had been fired upon initially.

During the resolution efforts, Tony Blair's government commissioned a fresh examination, after campaigning by bereaved relatives, who said the first investigation had been a cover-up.

That year, the findings by the inquiry said that generally, the soldiers had discharged weapons initially and that zero among the casualties had posed any threat.

The then head of state, the leader, expressed regret in the House of Commons – declaring deaths were "improper and inexcusable."

Authorities commenced look into the events.

A military veteran, referred to as the defendant, was prosecuted for murder.

Indictments were filed concerning the fatalities of one victim, twenty-two, and twenty-six-year-old the second individual.

Soldier F was further implicated of trying to kill multiple individuals, additional persons, further individuals, Michael Quinn, and an unknown person.

There is a legal order preserving the soldier's privacy, which his attorneys have claimed is necessary because he is at threat.

He stated to the Saville Inquiry that he had exclusively discharged his weapon at people who were carrying weapons.

That claim was dismissed in the official findings.

Material from the investigation would not be used immediately as evidence in the legal proceedings.

In court, the veteran was hidden from public behind a blue curtain.

He addressed the court for the opening instance in court at a session in late 2024, to respond "not responsible" when the accusations were put to him.

Kin of the deceased on that day made the trip from Londonderry to the judicial building every day of the case.

One relative, whose brother Michael was fatally wounded, said they understood that attending the trial would be difficult.

"I visualize everything in my mind's eye," the relative said, as we visited the key areas referenced in the proceedings – from the street, where Michael was shot dead, to the nearby the area, where James Wray and another victim were fatally wounded.

"It reminds me to my position that day.

"I participated in moving my brother and place him in the ambulance.

"I experienced again the entire event during the evidence.

"Notwithstanding having to go through all that – it's still valuable for me."