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January 30th, 1972 stands as one of the most deadly – and consequential – days during thirty years of unrest in this area.

Throughout the area where events unfolded – the memories of Bloody Sunday are visible on the structures and etched in public consciousness.

A public gathering was held on a cold but bright afternoon in Derry.

The demonstration was challenging the policy of detention without trial – detaining individuals without trial – which had been put in place after an extended period of unrest.

Soldiers from the elite army unit killed 13 people in the neighborhood – which was, and remains, a overwhelmingly nationalist population.

A particular photograph became particularly memorable.

Photographs showed a religious figure, the priest, waving a stained with blood cloth as he tried to shield a group moving a youth, the fatally wounded individual, who had been mortally injured.

News camera operators captured extensive video on the day.

Documented accounts includes Father Daly explaining to a journalist that military personnel "appeared to fire in all directions" and he was "completely sure" that there was no justification for the shooting.

The narrative of what happened wasn't accepted by the original examination.

The first investigation determined the Army had been fired upon initially.

Throughout the resolution efforts, the ruling party established a new investigation, in response to advocacy by surviving kin, who said the first investigation had been a whitewash.

During 2010, the report by the investigation said that on balance, the military personnel had initiated shooting and that zero among the casualties had presented danger.

At that time Prime Minister, the Prime Minister, apologised in the Parliament – declaring deaths were "improper and unjustifiable."

Law enforcement started to examine the matter.

An ex-soldier, referred to as the accused, was prosecuted for killing.

He was charged over the killings of one victim, twenty-two, and in his mid-twenties another victim.

Soldier F was additionally charged of trying to kill multiple individuals, Joseph Friel, further individuals, an additional individual, and an unnamed civilian.

Remains a judicial decision protecting the soldier's anonymity, which his legal team have maintained is required because he is at risk of attack.

He testified the examination that he had exclusively discharged his weapon at people who were possessing firearms.

This assertion was rejected in the concluding document.

Evidence from the examination could not be used immediately as evidence in the court case.

During the trial, the veteran was shielded from sight behind a blue curtain.

He made statements for the opening instance in the proceedings at a hearing in December 2024, to answer "not guilty" when the accusations were read.

Relatives of the deceased on Bloody Sunday travelled from the city to the courthouse every day of the case.

John Kelly, whose relative was fatally wounded, said they understood that listening to the proceedings would be difficult.

"I remember all details in my memory," the relative said, as we examined the main locations discussed in the trial – from the street, where the victim was fatally wounded, to the adjoining the area, where the individual and William McKinney were fatally wounded.

"It returns me to my position that day.

"I participated in moving Michael and lay him in the medical transport.

"I experienced again each detail during the evidence.

"Despite experiencing the process – it's still meaningful for me."