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January 30th, 1972 stands as arguably the deadliest – and momentous – days during thirty years of conflict in Northern Ireland.

Within the community of the incident – the memories of the tragic events are painted on the buildings and seared in collective memory.

A protest demonstration was conducted on a chilly yet clear period in Londonderry.

The protest was a protest against the policy of imprisonment without charges – detaining individuals without due process – which had been implemented after an extended period of unrest.

Troops from the Parachute Regiment shot dead multiple civilians in the Bogside area – which was, and remains, a predominantly republican population.

A specific visual became particularly iconic.

Photographs showed a Catholic priest, Father Daly, using a blood-stained cloth in his effort to protect a group transporting a youth, the injured teenager, who had been mortally injured.

Media personnel documented considerable film on the day.

The archive includes Fr Daly informing a journalist that troops "just seemed to fire in all directions" and he was "completely sure" that there was no provocation for the discharge of weapons.

That version of the incident was disputed by the initial investigation.

The Widgery Tribunal concluded the Army had been shot at first.

In the resolution efforts, the ruling party commissioned another inquiry, after campaigning by family members, who said the initial inquiry had been a whitewash.

In 2010, the report by the investigation said that generally, the soldiers had fired first and that not one of the victims had posed any threat.

At that time government leader, David Cameron, apologised in the government chamber – stating killings were "without justification and inexcusable."

Authorities began to look into the events.

One former paratrooper, known as the accused, was charged for homicide.

Accusations were made concerning the killings of one victim, 22, and 26-year-old the second individual.

The defendant was additionally charged of trying to kill Patrick O'Donnell, additional persons, further individuals, Michael Quinn, and an unnamed civilian.

Exists a judicial decision maintaining the soldier's identity protection, which his attorneys have claimed is essential because he is at danger.

He testified the investigation that he had solely shot at persons who were possessing firearms.

This assertion was disputed in the final report.

Evidence from the examination was unable to be used immediately as testimony in the legal proceedings.

In the dock, the veteran was hidden from public behind a protective barrier.

He addressed the court for the initial occasion in the proceedings at a hearing in December 2024, to answer "innocent" when the allegations were presented.

Relatives of the victims on Bloody Sunday made the trip from Derry to the courthouse each day of the case.

A family member, whose relative was died, said they understood that listening to the trial would be difficult.

"I remember everything in my recollection," the relative said, as we visited the main locations mentioned in the trial – from the street, where Michael was shot dead, to the adjoining the courtyard, where James Wray and the second person were killed.

"It returns me to my location that day.

"I participated in moving Michael and put him in the vehicle.

"I went through each detail during the testimony.

"Notwithstanding enduring all that – it's still meaningful for me."