Anniversary: 40 years later, Irish Bloody Sunday still vivid

A Bloody Sunday mural in Bogshire, Ireland, near where the shootings took place. Photo in public domainMONDAY, JANUARY 30: The 40th anniversary of the infamous Bloody Sunday killings in Northern Ireland falls on a Monday year this. ReadTheSpirit reports in detail about why we all should remember this milestone, including a video from Derry.

On this day in 1972, unarmed Northern Catholic civil rights demonstrators marched in protest of Britain’s internment policy for suspected Irish nationalists, despite a British ban on the march. When the march took place, British Army paratroopers were sent to the scene; 13 demonstrators were soon shot dead, 17 wounded and a 14th man died later. (Wikipedia has details.) The killings garnered global attention to the “troubles of Northern Ireland,” with particular focus on the brutality of the British soldiers.

Several artists sounded off about the event: the band U2 wrote and sang “Sunday Bloody Sunday” in 1983, and John Lennon penned his own version of “Sunday Bloody Sunday” for the album “Sometime in New York City.” Paul McCartney’s single, “Give Ireland Back to the Irish,” was banned by the BBC.

An annual March for Justice has taken place for several years at Derry, Ireland—the site of the attacks—to honor the Bloody Sunday victims. Much has transpired over these decades to bring peace—read our ReadTheSpirit story for more details. However, emotions are running high in Derry over the 40th anniversary and plans for a march by friends and relatives of the victims. News organizations are following events in Derry, once again, as they unfold through Monday.

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