“A Moment of Truth — and a Moment of Shame”
comment by Derry Member of Parliament Ivan Cooper at press conference following shootings

“I have no regrets whatsoever” — UK Para's commanding officer's comments to the media given immediately after the shootings..

Some might refer to it as a confused society. Some may hold grudges that they find impossible to lose. All humanity bears the scars of the events of Sunday 30 January 1972 when hundreds of people took to the streets of Derry to stage a civil rights march in protest against the introduction of internment.

The British army was present in force, together with other members of the Ulster police and security forces. So too were members of the IRA. It may be that no-one will ever truly know the exact circumstances of the tragic events that unfolded and in which 27 people were shot when paratroopers opened fire on some of the protesting marchers, leaving 13 dead on the streets—seven aged under 20.

What is known is that, fearful of the growing unrest following rioting in protest against sectarian discrimination, the UK government had increased security measures across the north of Ireland and on 10 August 1971 had introduced internment without trial, six months after the death of the first UK soldier in Northern Ireland on 9 February 1971.

The growing levels of violence, coupled with severe restrictions of civil liberties had created a melting pot of anger that was not confined to the civilian population of Northern Ireland. Troops serving there on the orders of the UK government were edgy, fearful and brash as a result.

What has also come to light, through painstaking and painful inquiry and research into the events of that day, is that a number of people taking part in the march, led mostly by younger more outspoken elements, had veered towards barriers manned by armed soldiers and away from the proposed course of what was intended as a peaceful civil rights march. The IRA, Ulster Freedom Fighters and Loyalists were also present, openly scornful of the success possibilities of peaceful marches.

Concerned by the levels of escalating civil disorder across the region, the UK government had deployed a detachment of paratroopers whose job was to ‘round up troublemakers’ in a bid to try and forcefully quell further disturbances. The sight of paratroopers lining the top of a barbed wire wall with high powered rifles further incensed an element of the marchers who had broken away from the planned route of the march and were angrily confronting the roadblocks and barriers, manned by other soldiers and security forces.

What is certain is that such events must never be permitted to happen again. Ivan Cooper MP said unequivocally that the actions of the UK military on that day had given the IRA its ‘greatest victory’ to date. In that he was correct, it was not only young people, enraged at the events they had witnessed or heard about, who became easy fodder for recruitment by those intent on taking paramilitary action, feeling they had been left with little or no other choice. Given the circumstances of the time, the outcome of the events of 30 January 1972 seemed almost unavoidable.

It is any return to circumstances whereby a similar Mexican stand-off may arise that must be avoided by all.

Whilst holding to that, another perspective must be fully taken on board by all who are currently discussing and arguing the rights and wrongs of the tragedy and the unearthed fiasco of the subsequent Lord Widgery ‘inquiry’. It would be incorrect to take a nationalistic stand, as many are currently doing, in attempting to apportion blame for the event itself and the corruption of the inquiry. It is no secret that sensitive political issues will always be prey to the wiles of corruption on all sides. The failure is one of a combination of immaturity in authority together with a general failing of the times.

It must be remembered that an element ot hate inspired terrorist activity was then active, and still remains present, in Northern Ireland and it was against such a backdrop, albeit far more volatile at the time, that the tragic events of Bloody Sunday took place.

What is unforgiveable and inexcusable is the collusion to pervert the course of justice that took place following the tragedies of the day in order to allay blame and protect individual and vested interests. To overcome such corruption requires the patient and peaceful cooperation of the forces of good from all sides.

Snapshot of historical detail

SPEECH BY SDLP CHAIRPERSON ALEX ATTWOOD MLA
ON 30th ANNIVERSARY BLOODY SUNDAY RALLY

I wish to first acknowledge the enduring dignity and resilience of the families of the dead and injured of Bloody Sunday. Faced with those who over many years have sought to demean the truth and those who over many months have sought to derail the Saville Inquiry, your dignity and resilience has been tested and as always proven.
The campaign you the families have sponsored and sustained has been uncertain and difficult. It may continue to be so. What is not uncertain is the inspiration you are and that you should be to those who are in pain and seek out answers as to the cause of their pain.

What should not be difficult is for those who believe in the rights of all victims to be
with you as you assert the rights of those mown down and maimed 30 years ago.

no one should sidetrack Saville
For the campaign and those who stand with the campaign the attempts by the Bdfish Army and other to stymie or sidetrack the Saville Inquiry creates doubt and distrust. The British Army attempts to avoid the people of Derry by refusing to come to the city of Derry. The British Army may soon attempt to avoid the eyes of the families by lurking behind screens of shame at forthcoming Saville hearings.

The British Army may well seek out further means to frustrate or fool the Inquiry. The British Army and the Military of Defence have done all of this and may do so again. And they do so "as agents and servants" of a government, the British Government. There will be no argument here that all citizens who ever they are have the right to the proper protection of the law, a principle abused by Widgery. But citizens also have the right to expect that the authority and independence of a public inquiry is respected. The British Government should ensure by what they say and what they do, or what their agents and servants say and do that they respect the authority and independence of the Saville Inquiry.

SAVILLE CRITICISNS MISGUIDED, MISCHEVIOUS OR MALEVOLENT
We all know of some who choose to comment harshly on the Bloody Sunday campaign and the Saville Inquiry. They comments are variously misguided, mischievous or malevolent. Those who speak with malevolence will not take from those who died or were injured thirty years ago, their innocence as it was then and is now.

Those who are mischievous mall not take from the people of this City their defence of the truth as it is now and always. And those who are misguided should nor deny or diminish one of the liberating legacies of the Bloody Sunday Campaign.

Our citizens, other cities and places all communities require from those responsible for all our tragic days and deaths a greater acknowledgement of the truth, an acceptance of innocence, appreciation of pain and accounting for that which happened.

Whatever means we choose to undertake this task - and it is a task we should choose - the families of those who died and those who were injured thirty years ago, at this place have shown best how we should conduct that undertaking.

---

SNAPSHOT OF HISTORICAL EVENTS from St Patrick to 1994   (close this window)

AD432 St Patrick begins mission to Ireland
1014 Battle of Clontarf & victory of Irish over Vikings
1169 Strongbow invades Ireland, start of Anglo-Norman rule
1600 Battle of the Boyne
1603 Irish revolts supressed by Mountjoy
1611 Plantation of Ulster with English and Scottish colonists
1633 Thomas Wentworth becomes Lord Deputy of Ireland
1641 Massacre of Protestants in Ireland
1689 Derry relieved: James II fails to subdue Irish Protestants
1691 Capitulation of Limerick: Irish supporters of James II surrender on terms left unfulfilled
1800 Parliamentary Union of Gt Britain and Ireland
1803 Insurrection in Ireland under Robert Emmet
1842 Great Potato Famine
1870 Irish Land Act passed
1882 Lord Frederick Cavendish, Irish Secretary assassinated in Phoenix Park Dublin, May 6
1890 Irish politicians split
1893 Home Rule Bill passes 3rd reading by Commons Sept 1, rejected by Lords Sept 8
1921 Dec 6 Iish Free State set up by Peace Treaty with Britain after Michael Collins visit to Westminster
1922 July 2 Four Courts blown up, Dublin
1949 April 18 Republic of Ireland proclaimed
1957 July 8 State of emergency aagainst IRA proclaimed in Ireland
1968 Oct 6 Londonerry riots against sectarian discrimination
1969 Jan 3 Sectarian violence in N. Ireland
  Apr 17 more troops sent to N. Ireland
  Apr 18 Bernadette Devlin elected MP
  Apr 29 N Ireland PM Terence O'Neill resigns
  May 1 New N Ireland PM Maj James Chichester-Clark
  Aug 12 3 days of riots follow Apprentice Boys' march: 500 dead
  Aug 15 UK troops take over N Ireland security
  Sep 10 7000 troops in N Ireland
  Sep 28 Army erects Belfast "peace line": barricades dismantled: traffic curfew
  Oct 1 N Ireland "B Specials" disbanded
  Oct 12 Troops use tear gas in N Ireland
1970 Aug 2 1st use of rubber bullets in N Ireland
1971 Feb 9 1st UK soldier killed in N Ireland
  Mar 23 Brian Falkner new N Ireland PM
  Apr 10 Split between "official" and "provisional" IRA
  Aug 10 Internment without trial begins in N Ireland: riots ensue
  Sep 17 Chequers talks on N Ireland between 3 PMs
  Oct 31 IRA bomb at GPO Tower
1972 Jan 30 Bloody Sunday 27 Derry marchers shot by army: 13 dead
  Feb 2 UK Embassy in Dublin burned down
  Feb 22 IRA Aldershot bomb: 7 dead
  Mar 4 2 killed, 146 injured by Belfast bomb
  Mar 21 6 die in Belfast shops bombing
  Mar 30 Direct rule imposed in N Ireland
  May 30 Official IRA agree ceasefire
  Jun 22 Provisional IRA ceasefire
  Jul 14 N Ireland ceasefire 'failed'
  Jul 30 Army dismantles N Ireland barricades in "Operation Motorman"
1973 Feb 5 1st Loyalists detained without trial in N Ireland
  Mar 1 Fine Gael and Labour coalaition win Irish elections: new PM Liam Cosgrave
  Mar 8 2 bombs in central London
  Mar 9 N Ireland referendum: 591,820 in favour or retaining UK links
  May 31 Erskine Childers succeeds Pres de Valera of Eire
  July 31 1st sitting of N Ireland Assembly ends in chaos
  Sep 20 Chelsea barracks bombed
  Oct 31 3 Prov IRA leaders freed from Mountjoy jail by hijacked helicopter
1974 Jan 1 Direct rule ended: New N Ireland Executive takes office
   Jan 30 Loyalists expelled from Assembly
  May 28 N Ireland Executive collapses: direct rule resumed
  Jul 9 Bomb at Tower of London
  Oct 5 Guildford pub bombing: 2 dead, 70 hurt
  Oct 15 Riots at Maze prison
  Nov 7 Woolwich pub bomb: 2 dead
  Nov 22 Birmingham pub bomb: 21 dead, 120 hurt
  Nov 29 Anti-Terrorism Act proscribing IRA
  Dec 18 Wave of bombs across London
1975 Aug 27 Bombings in Caterham and London
  Dec 4 Detention without trial ended in N Ireland
  Dec 11 IRA Balcombe St seige in London
1976 Mar 5 Ulster Convention dissolved: direct rule resumed
  Jul 21 UK ambassador to Ireland assassinated
  Sep 2 Britain found guilty of torture in N Ireland by European Commission on Human Rights
1977 May 13 N Ireland strike collapsed
  Jun 16 Fianna Fail wins Ireland general election
1978 Jun 12 Prov IRA leader Seamus Twomey sentenced in Dublin
1979 Mar 30 Shadow NI Secretary Airey Neave assassinated
  Aug 27 Earl Mountbatten killed by bomb on boat in Sligo
  Dec 5 Charles Haughey news Irish PM
1980 Oct 27 Hunger strike at Maze jail
  Dec 8 Dublin summit between Charles Haughey and Mrs Thatcher
1981 Jan 21 Norman Stronge and son, former Stormont MPs, killed by IRA
  Jun 8 IRA prisoners escape from Crumlin Rd jail
  Jun 30 Dr Garrett Fitzgerald new Irish PM
  Jul 15 Red Cross to mediate at Maze hunger strike
  Oct 4 Maze hunger strike ends
  Oct 10 IRA bomb in Chelsea kills 2
  Oct 26 Oxford St IRA bomb kills bomb disposal expert
  Nov 6 Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council agreed
  Nov 14 Unionist MP Rev Robert Bradford shot dead
1982 Mar 9 Charles Haughey new Irish PM
  Jul 20 IRA bombs in Hyde Park and Regent's Park
  Oct 21 SDLP and Sinn Féin refuse to take seats won in Ulster Assembly election
  Nov 25 Fine Gael and Labour coalition form new Eire government
  Dec 6 Bomb at Ballykelly bar kills 16
1983 Jul 3 Home of former Ulster MP Gerry Fitt burned out by IRA
  Sep 24 38 IRA prisoners escape from Maze prison: prison officer stabbed to death
  Nov 12 Gerry Adams named as new irish republican movement leader
  Nov 21 Unionist Party withdraw from N Ireland Assembly in protest at Darkley Hall killings
  Dec 7 Official Unionist Edgar Graaaaaaaham shot dead at Queen's University, Belfast
  Dec 10 Bomb at Woolwich Barracks
  Dec 15 Bomb at Harrods kills 6, many injured
1984 Mar 6 Maze deputy prison officer shot dead
  May 18 IRA kills 4 members of security forces
  Jun 1 Pres Reagan visits Ireland
  Oct 12 IRA bomb at Grand Hotel, Brighton during Conservative conference: 5 dead including 1 MP
1985 Feb 28 IRA bomb Newry police station
  Nov 16 N Ireland agrement signed by Dr Garret Fitzgerald and Mrs Thatcher
1986 Jan 24 N Ireland elections due to mass resignation of MPs
  Jun 6 Chief Constable of W Yorkshire to replace John Stalker in N Ireland "shoot-to-kill" inquiry
  Aug 7 Ulster Loyalist mob crosses border into Eire
1987 Mar 10 Charles Haughey new Irish PM
  Apr 25 Lord Justice Gibson and Lady Gibson killed by N Ireland car bomb
  Nov 8 Enniskillen Remembrance Day IRA bomb kills 11
1988 Jan 11 Secret Belfast talks between SDP and Sinn Féin
  Mar 6 3 IRA members shot dead in Gibraltar after alleged bomb plot
  Mar 16 Loyalist gunman kills 3 at IRA funeral
  Mar 19 2 British soldiers lynched in vicinity of Republican funeral
  Mar 25 Government review of justice in N Ireland
  May 1 IRA kill 3 British soldiers in Holland
  Jun 15 UK soldiers killed by IRA bomb at Lisburn fun-run
  Jun 23 IRA shot down helicopter at Crossmaglen
  Jul 5 Former priest held in Brussels over IRA arms procurement
  Jul 23 3 killed by IRA bomb intended for Justice Higgins
  Aug 1 British soldier killed by bomb at N London barracks
  Oct 19 Ban on broadcast interviews with pro-violence groups in N Ireland
  Oct 20 Criminals' right to silence abolished in N Ireland
  Sep 22 IRA bomb at Royal Marines School of Music in Deal
  Oct 19 "Guildofrd 4" released
1990 Jun 25 IRA bomb at Carlton Club, London
  Jul 20 IRA bomb at London Stock Exchange
  Jul 30 Ian Gow MP killed by IRA bomb
  Aug 24 Irish hostage Brian Keenan released in Lebanon
  Nov 1 Mary Robinson Ireland's first female and youngest President
1991 Feb 7 IRA attack at Downing St
  Mar 14 "Birmingham 6" released
  Nov 25 "Tottenham 3" released
1992 Jan 30 Taoiseach Charles Haughey resigns
  Feb 6 IRA bomb at Whitehall as N Ireland talks open at 10 Downing St: Albert Reynolds new Taoiseach
  Apr 10 IRA bombs in London kill 3
  Jun 30 N Ireland Protestant leaders and Irish government meet in 1st talks in 70 years
  Aug 10 Ban on Protestant Ulster Defence Association
  Aug 28 Sectarian death toll in N Ireland reaches 3000
  Oct 5 IRA Covent Garden pub bomb
  Oct 30 IRA bomb in Whitehall
1993 Mar 20 IRA bombs in Warrington kill two children
  Apr 24 IRA bomb in Bishopsgate
  Oct 25 Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams banned from mainland Britain
  Oct 28 Irish government's 6-point statement of principles for peace welcomed by 10 Downing St
  Nov 27 UK government admits 9 months of clandestine talks with IRA
  Dec 15 Downing St Declaration by PM John Major and Taoiseach Albert Reynolds on future of N Ireland
1994 Mar 9 IRA mortar attack on Heathrow Airport
  Aug 28 IRA declares cease fire: UK gov demands evidence of permanence
  Sep 16 Broadcast ban on N Ireland extremists lifted
  Oct 13 N Ireland Loyalist paramilitary groups announce ceasefire
  Oct 21 PM John Major paves way for talks with Sinn Féin: ban on leaders lifted: border roads opened
  Nov 17 Albert Reynolds resigns as Taoiseach
  Dec 15 John Bruton new Irish Taoiseach
1995 Jan 12 Army to end daytime patrols in Belfast
   Feb 22 Joint Alglo-Irish document on N Ireland future published
  Mar 8 UK government agrees to direct meetings between ministers and Sinn Féin before surrender of arms or explosives
  Mar 17 Pres Clinton urges IRA to relinquish arms
  Aug 28 James Molyneaux resigns as UUP leader
  Sep 8 David Trimble elected UUP leader
  Sep 27 European Court of Human Rights condemns killing of 3 IRA terrorists by SAS in Gibraltar in 1988
  Nov 28 N Ireland peace process breakthrough as all-party talks set to go ahead
1996 Feb 9 IRA ceasefire expires as huge bomb explodes in South Quays London killing two
  Feb 18 IRA bomb in Aldwych
  Feb 28 UK & Irish govs agree all party talks on N Ireland to begin 10 June
  Mar 4 N Ireland proximity talks begin at Stormont withour Sinn Féin or Unionist parties
  May 30 Elections to Irish peace forum: UUP 30 seats, DUP 24, SDLP 21, Sinn Féin 17, Alliance 7, others 10
  Jun 10 All-party talks begin at Stormont Castle but Sinn Féin excluded
  Jun 14 Irish peace forum opens in Belfast
  Jun 15 IRA bomb causes extensive damage and 200 injuries in central Manchester
  Jul 7 Loyalist march through Portadown blocked by RUC and army
  Jul 11 Portadown march allowed: riots in Belfast and across N Ireland
  Sep 23 Suspected IRA terrorist shot dead by police in London
1997 June 6 Fianna Fail largest party after Irish elections: coalition formed with Progressive Democrats
  Jul 6 Orangemen parade in Drumcree leads to riotiung across N Ireland
  Jul 7 Rioting in Belfast
  Jul 20 IRA reinstates ceasfeire
  Oct 7 Irish foreign minister Ray Burke resigns as all-party N Ireland talks begin
  Oct 31 Mary McAleese new irish President
  Dec 11 Gerry Adams at Downing St for talks
  Dec 27 Loyalist terrorist leader Billy Wright murdered in Maze jail, former IRA prisoner Seamus Dillon killed in retaliation
  Dec 29 Inquiry into Maze killing launched
1998 Jan 9 Mo Mowlam meets Loyalist leaders in Maze prison
  Jan 12 New British-Irish proposals for N Ireland peace: cross-border council planned
  Jan 26 UDP quit N Ireland peace talks
  Jan 29 Judicial tribunal announced to investigate "Bloody Sunday" killings
  Feb 12 2nd N Ireland murder within 24 hours; peace talks threatened with collapse
  Feb 20 Sinn Féin suspended from N Ireland peace talks
  Feb 23 Bomb blast in Portadown
  Mar 3 2 killed in Poyntzpass, N Ireland
  Apr 6 Mitchell draft settlement on N Ireland published
  Apr 7 Unionists reject Mitchell blueprint: Blair visits Belfast for crisis talks
  Apr 10 Peace settlement sealed in N Ireland, directly elected assembly to be created

From to 1969—1994
3,169 people killed; 38,680 injured; 10,001 bombings

Despite the progress made in the last two years and the historic agreement by the IRA to decommission weapons, sectarian violence continues to plague Northern Ireland and the killings continue. There is still no indication of direct UN intervention in the troubles that have blighted Ireland.

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