Northern Ireland

Families call for candle-lit tribute to Bloody Sunday dead

A series of commemorative events will take place next week to mark the 49th anniversary of Bloody Sunday.
A series of commemorative events will take place next week to mark the 49th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. A series of commemorative events will take place next week to mark the 49th anniversary of Bloody Sunday.

Derry’s Bloody Sunday families have called for candles to be lit to mark next Saturday’s 49th anniversary of the 1972 killings.

A series of online events have been organised to mark the anniversary, including a virtual commemorative march which will take place next Sunday, January 31.

Thirteen anti-internment protesters were shot dead by British paratroopers in Derry’s Bogside on January 30 1972, with a fourteenth victim, John Johnston dying from his wounds later.

An inquiry headed by Lord Mark Saville exonerated all those killed and wounded and condemned the actions of the British soldiers.

One former paratrooper – known as Soldier F – is expected to be charged with the Bloody Sunday murders of victims, Jim Wray and William McKinney. He is also expected to be charged with the attempted murder of wounding victims, Patrick O’Donnell (deceased), Joe Mahon, Joseph Friel and Michael Quinn.

The families of the dead and wounded have called on people to place a lit candle in their windows at 4.10pm next Saturday, the anniversary of the moment the Parachute Regiment entered the Bogside and started shooting.

Two separate commemorative programmes have been organised, one by the majority of families who opted not to continue the annual Bloody Sunday march and one by smaller group which has continued the march since 2011.

The Bloody Sunday Trust programme, which is supported by the majority of families, starts on Monday and culminates with the annual Bloody Sunday Mass (St Mary’s church, Creggan 7.30pm) and a minute’s silence at 4.10pm on Saturday.

The parallel programme will also feature a series of online discussions throughout the week, culminating in an online march on Sunday, January 31.