🔗 Share this article

Sunday 30 January 1972 remains one of the most fatal – and significant – dates during three decades of unrest in the region.

Within the community where events unfolded – the legacy of that fateful day are visible on the walls and embedded in people's minds.

A public gathering was organized on a cold but bright period in Londonderry.

The protest was challenging the practice of imprisonment without charges – detaining individuals without due process – which had been put in place after three years of violence.

Soldiers from the elite army unit shot dead multiple civilians in the Bogside area – which was, and remains, a overwhelmingly republican area.

One image became especially prominent.

Images showed a clergyman, the priest, using a stained with blood fabric in his effort to shield a assembly transporting a young man, the fatally wounded individual, who had been mortally injured.

Journalists captured extensive video on the day.

The archive contains Fr Daly informing a media representative that troops "gave the impression they would discharge weapons randomly" and he was "absolutely certain" that there was no justification for the discharge of weapons.

That version of what happened wasn't accepted by the initial investigation.

The Widgery Tribunal determined the soldiers had been attacked first.

Throughout the negotiation period, the administration set up a fresh examination, following pressure by bereaved relatives, who said Widgery had been a cover-up.

During 2010, the conclusion by the investigation said that generally, the military personnel had discharged weapons initially and that not one of the individuals had been armed.

At that time Prime Minister, the leader, apologised in the House of Commons – stating fatalities were "without justification and unacceptable."

The police commenced examine the matter.

A military veteran, known as Soldier F, was brought to trial for homicide.

Indictments were filed over the fatalities of the first individual, 22, and twenty-six-year-old William McKinney.

The accused was further implicated of seeking to harm Patrick O'Donnell, additional persons, Joe Mahon, another person, and an unknown person.

Exists a legal order maintaining the defendant's privacy, which his legal team have claimed is essential because he is at threat.

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

The statement was rejected in the final report.

Information from the inquiry was unable to be used immediately as evidence in the criminal process.

In the dock, the defendant was hidden from public with a blue curtain.

He made statements for the opening instance in court at a hearing in late 2024, to answer "not guilty" when the accusations were put to him.

Relatives of those who were killed on that day journeyed from the city to the judicial building daily of the trial.

One relative, whose sibling was killed, said they understood that listening to the trial would be painful.

"I can see all details in my recollection," he said, as we examined the main locations mentioned in the trial – from the street, where the victim was shot dead, to the nearby Glenfada Park, where James Wray and William McKinney were killed.

"It reminds me to my position that day.

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

"I went through the entire event during the proceedings.

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