Father Edward Daley leads a group of nationalists to safety during the events of Bloody Sunday in Derry, January 30 1972. He carries a blood stained handkerchief/white flag with the injured 17 year old Jackie Duddy, who later died of his injuries in hospital. (830×467)

On the 30 January 1972, a Civil rights march in Derry took place to protest discrimination against Irish catholics who had been interned without trial. Nationalists made up an overwhelming majority of those interned, most of whom were innocent.

The march started in the Creggan area of Derry and was to make its way to the city centre. However, the march was met with British Army and RUC barricades which stopped them getting into the city centre. Most marchers were redirected into the Free Derry corner of the Bogside, a nationalist stronghold.

Rioting eventually broke out around William street (aggro’s corner) with nationalist youths meeting British Army barricades. The 1st British Parachute regiment opened fire on these civilians and a total 26 civilians were shot, of which 13 were shot dead in the street, and 1 later died in hospital, making it 14 dead total (all Irish catholic). Many of those shot were fleeing, on the ground or attempting to assist the wounded.

The massacre would live on to be one of the most memorable and well known atrocities carried out during the Troubles. A report in 2010 found the soldiers actions “unjustifiable”. The massacre also served as one of the biggest recruitment drives for the PIRA ever seen, with many young nationalists seeing it necessary to join to defend their communities and families from Institutional attack.

Atrocities beget atrocities