Bloody Sunday (1972)
Bloody Sunday (Irish: Domhnach na Fola)[1][2]—sometimes called the Bogside Massacre[3]—happened on 30 January 1972, in the Bogside area of Derry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. During this protest against internment, some protesters threw stones. 26 unarmed civil rights protesters and spectators were shot by British soldiers. Thirteen males, most of whom were in their teens and twenties, were killed. A fourteenth man died from his injuries four-and-a-half months later. Two protesters were also hit by army vehicles.[4] Five of the wounded were shot in the back.[5] The incident happened during a Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association march. The soldiers involved were members of the First Battalion of the Parachute Regiment (1 Para).[6]
| Bloody Sunday | |
|---|---|
| Location | Londonderry, Northern Ireland |
| Coordinates | 54°59′49″N 7°19′32″W / 54.9969674°N 7.3255581°WCoordinates: 54°59′49″N 7°19′32″W / 54.9969674°N 7.3255581°W |
| Date | 30 January 1972 16:10 (UTC+00:00) |
| Attack type | Mass shooting |
| Weapon(s) | L1A1 SLR rifles |
| Deaths | 14 (13 immediate, 1 died months later) |
| Injured | 14+ (12 from gunshots, two from vehicle impact, others from rubber bullets and flying debris) |
| Perpetrator(s) | British Army (Parachute Regiment) |
Two investigations have been held by the British government. The Widgery Tribunal, held soon after the event, said that the soldiers and British authorities were almost reckless. Critics said the report made it seem like the British did nothing wrong.[7][8][9] The Saville Inquiry was held in 1998 to investigate the events a second time. The inquiry took 12 years. The report was made public on 15 June 2010. The report said that some soldiers were wrong to have shot the protesters.[10] The report found that all of the people shot were unarmed, and that the killings were "unjustified". When the Saville report was published, the British prime minister, David Cameron, said sorry to the victims.[11]
The Provisional Irish Republican Army's (IRA) war against the partition of Ireland had begun in the two years before the incident. The incident helped the IRA to recruit new members.[12] Bloody Sunday remains among the most important events in the Troubles of Northern Ireland. The reason it is seen as so important is because those who died were shot by the British Army rather than paramilitaries.[3]
In September 2025, a soldier, David Cleary, was eventually put on trial for the murder of five victims: William McKinney (26), James "Jim" Wray (22), Bernard "Barney" McGuigan (41), Patrick Doherty (31), and Michael Kelly (17). A court order meant that in the UK, Cleary could not be called his proper name in the media, and instead could only be called "Soldier F", even though he had been identified by name in both the British and Irish parliaments.[13] In October 2025, the trial found Cleary not guilty, with the judge saying that the case couldn't be proven beyond doubt.[14]
Bloody Sunday (1972) Media
- Rossville flats, Bogside - geograph.org.uk - 1306695.jpg
The Bogside in 1981, overlooking the area where many of the victims were shot. On the right of the picture is the south side of Rossville Flats, and in the middle distance is Glenfada Park.
- 20111210151725!Bloody Sunday memorial.jpg
Bloody Sunday memorial in the Bogside
- Patrick Doherty Belt.jpg
Belt worn by Patrick Doherty. The notch was made by the bullet that killed him.
- Bloody Sunday Banner and Crosses.jpg
Banner and crosses carried by the families of the victims on the annual commemoration march
- Free Derry Bloody Sunday memorial march.jpg
The 35th Bloody Sunday memorial march in Derry, 28 January 2007
- Parachute Regiment Flag Ballymena.jpg
Parachute Regiment flag and the Union flag flying in Ballymena
- Bloody Sunday mural - panoramio.jpg
A mural in Derry commemorating Bloody Sunday
References
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ "Faoiseamh agus Domhnach na Fola". The Irish Times. 6 June 2010. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2010/0622/1224273029105.html. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil). pp. 4–6
- ↑ 'Bloody Sunday', Derry 30 January 1972 – Names of the Dead and Injured Archived 6 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine CAIN Web Service, 23 March 2006. Retrieved 27 August 2006.
- ↑ Extracts from 'The Road to Bloody Sunday' by Dr Raymond McClean Archived 2019-01-09 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 February 2007.
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ Nick Cohen (1 February 2004). "Schooled in scandal". The Guardian (London). http://politics.guardian.co.uk/kelly/comment/0,,1136486,00.html. Retrieved 18 May 2007.
- ↑ 1972: 'Bloody Sunday' report excuses Army. BBC News. 19 April 1972. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/19/newsid_2491000/2491125.stm. Retrieved 18 May 2007.
- ↑ McDonald, Henry; Norton-Taylor, Richard (10 June 2010). "Bloody Sunday killings to be ruled unlawful". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jun/10/bloody-sunday-inquiry-northern-ireland. Retrieved 12 June 2010.
- ↑ Bloody Sunday report published. BBC. 15 June 2010. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10320609. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil). P. 293: "Youngsters who had seen their friends die that day flocked to join the IRA..."
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ Kearney, Vincent (23 October 2025) (in en). Soldier F cleared of two murders, five attempted murders on Bloody Sunday. https://www.rte.ie/news/ulster/2025/1023/1540095-soldier-f-trial/.