Crime & Law

Bloody Sunday: ‘What I remember most is the whistling of bullets’

Derry recalls its dead – but for all the talk of reconciliation, much remains to be done

Several thousand people take part in a walk of remembrance to mark the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. The walk retraced the route of the original civil rights march from Creggan to the Bogside in Derry. Video: Freya McClements

Freya McClements's face
Freya McClements in Derry
Sun Jan 30 2022 - 21:39

On Sunday, the people of Derry remembered their dead.

They remembered the 14 brothers, fathers and husbands killed on Bloody Sunday as they ran away, or tried to go to the aid of others, or lay wounded on the ground.

They remembered the injured – many of whom died prematurely – and the many others who died as a consequence of the British army paratroopers’ actions.

They remembered the scars it left on the city, and the terrible death toll of the Troubles, and all those who campaigned – and who still campaign – on behalf of lost loved ones.

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“Thank you all for being here,” said Michael McKinney, whose brother William was one of the victims, at the Bogside memorial service. “We have travelled a long road from the horror of that day.”

In the morning, thousands came on foot from Creggan, retracing the steps of the original march 50 years ago.

“Even the weather is the same,” said McMenamin. He was on the march on January 30th, 1972, and on Sunday wore the black and white oakleaf badge on his lapel that is the symbol of the civil rights movement.

“When the Paras came in all hell broke loose. What I remember most is the whistling of the bullets as they came spinning past you. We ran like the blazes.”

He had been talking to Jackie Duddy in Chamberlain Street. “We split up . . . 40 minutes later he was shot dead.”

The 17-year-old was the first to die on Bloody Sunday – shot down as he ran away from the soldiers who had stormed into the Bogside. After 10 minutes of gunfire, 13 were dead and another mortally wounded.

His younger brother Gerry Duddy pointed out their former family home on Central Drive, right beside where everyone has gathered for the walk. He laughed as he described how his brother kept watch so that he could sneak out of the house to go on the march against his parents’ wishes.

“These are good memories to have today,” he said. “The anniversary is always difficult, but we have to remember them and I am honoured to walk on their behalf.”

Jackie’s photograph was carried with others at the head of the march as it set off towards the Bogside. Walking slightly ahead were 14 children, one from each family, each carrying a single white rose. These were laid at the memorial for the service, along with wreaths and floral tributes, until its entire base was covered in flowers.

“Our hearts are full of sadness and they are full of pride,” said Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown. “We can look back, we’re not trapped in the past; we’re able to look forward with hope,” he said, quoting Derry musician Phil Coulter, “for a great, bright brand new day in the town that we all love so well”.

Yet, inevitably, that hope was somewhat muted. For all the achievement of the Saville inquiry, with its vindication of the victims and the repudiation of Widgery, the case against a single soldier, Soldier F, has been halted, and if the UK government proceeds with its plans to introduce a statute of limitations – as it appears it will – it would mean a complete bar on prosecutions not only in relation to Bloody Sunday, but of many other killings.

When McKinney warned the UK government that if it continued with its plans the Bloody Sunday families “will be ready to meet them head on”, he was conscious of the many others in the crowd for whom this would have similar implications, not least the Ballymurphy families.

For all the talk of reconciliation, it was evident much remains to be done. Despite the multidenominational nature of the service – which included contributions from the Jewish and Muslim communities as well as the Protestant denominations – there were no unionist politicians obviously present.

Had they attended “it would have been helpful”, said Taoiseach Micheál Martin. While their absence was “sad”, said Foyle MP and SDLP leader Colum Eastwood, this had always been the case with such commemorations. “I don’t know why any politician couldn’t stand with these families, it just seems to me to be a fairly basic thing that families should be entitled to truth and justice.”

President Michael D Higgins – himself no stranger to controversy around commemorations – was there, virtually, to deliver an address at an event on Sunday afternoon timed to take place as the killings happened,a half-century ago. He acknowledged all the families who lost loved ones to violence during the Troubles.

At the event’s finale, 16 lights shone out – one each for all the victims, one for the injured, and one for all the other victims of the conflict.

Presided over by a clearly emotional Adrian Dunbar, there was a standing ovation for the families as they held aloft the photographs of their loved ones. Among the audience, tears could be seen glistening on cheeks.

On Sunday, the people of Derry remembered their dead, and found solace.