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Bloody Sunday: A Fifty-Year Fight for Justice
30 January 1972, the day that became known as Bloody Sunday, is remembered as one of the darkest and bloodiest events of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. Thirteen people were killed when members of the British Army’s Parachute Regiment opened fire on civil rights demonstrators in the Bogside, a predominantly Catholic part of Londonderry.
The ongoing fight for justice has driven the long process towards prosecutions culminating in the murder charges brought against the paratrooper known as Soldier F. Author Ian Hernon, who worked as a reporter during The Troubles, draws upon eye-witness accounts and his own recollections from the period to create a compelling account of how the tragedy unfolded. He describes how, in the run-up to the massacre, passions were already boiling over, with the atrocities on both sides, and looks at the activities of 1 Para along with the tactics employed by the IRA.
Fifty years after the events of Bloody Sunday, this important book considers the immediate aftermath, including the Widgery ‘whitewash’, the protests and internments, the bombings and tit-for-tat violence, and the long decades of social unrest before an imperfect reconciliation.30 January 1972, the day that became known as Bloody Sunday, is remembered as one of the darkest and bloodiest events of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. Thirteen people were killed when members of the British Army’s Parachute Regiment opened fire on civil rights demonstrators in the Bogside, a predominantly Catholic part of Londonderry.
The ongoing fight for justice has driven the long process towards prosecutions culminating in the murder charges brought against the paratrooper known as Soldier F. Author Ian Hernon, who worked as a reporter during The Troubles, draws upon eye-witness accounts and his own recollections from the period to create a compelling account of how the tragedy unfolded. He describes how, in the run-up to the massacre, passions were already boiling over, with the atrocities on both sides, and looks at the activities of 1 Para along with the tactics employed by the IRA.
Fifty years after the events of Bloody Sunday, this important book considers the immediate aftermath, including the Widgery ‘whitewash’, the protests and internments, the bombings and tit-for-tat violence, and the long decades of social unrest before an imperfect reconciliation.
The ongoing fight for justice has driven the long process towards prosecutions culminating in the murder charges brought against the paratrooper known as Soldier F. Author Ian Hernon, who worked as a reporter during The Troubles, draws upon eye-witness accounts and his own recollections from the period to create a compelling account of how the tragedy unfolded. He describes how, in the run-up to the massacre, passions were already boiling over, with the atrocities on both sides, and looks at the activities of 1 Para along with the tactics employed by the IRA.
Fifty years after the events of Bloody Sunday, this important book considers the immediate aftermath, including the Widgery ‘whitewash’, the protests and internments, the bombings and tit-for-tat violence, and the long decades of social unrest before an imperfect reconciliation.30 January 1972, the day that became known as Bloody Sunday, is remembered as one of the darkest and bloodiest events of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. Thirteen people were killed when members of the British Army’s Parachute Regiment opened fire on civil rights demonstrators in the Bogside, a predominantly Catholic part of Londonderry.
The ongoing fight for justice has driven the long process towards prosecutions culminating in the murder charges brought against the paratrooper known as Soldier F. Author Ian Hernon, who worked as a reporter during The Troubles, draws upon eye-witness accounts and his own recollections from the period to create a compelling account of how the tragedy unfolded. He describes how, in the run-up to the massacre, passions were already boiling over, with the atrocities on both sides, and looks at the activities of 1 Para along with the tactics employed by the IRA.
Fifty years after the events of Bloody Sunday, this important book considers the immediate aftermath, including the Widgery ‘whitewash’, the protests and internments, the bombings and tit-for-tat violence, and the long decades of social unrest before an imperfect reconciliation.
- GenresNonfiction
407 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 14, 2021
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About the author
Ian Hernon
16 books2 followersA print journalist since 1969 and a lobby correspondent in the Commons since 1978. Ian Hernon covered the Troubles in Northern Ireland and more mayhem in the Middle East. He ran the oldest Parliamentary news agency (now defunct) for 15 years. For the last five years he has been deputy editor of Tribune. He is the author of a dozen books including the best-selling Britain's Forgotten Wars.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 26, 2024
"During the Troubles, around 3,650 Britons lost their lives, more than the UK death tolls in the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, Iraq and Afghanistan combined and more than the US suffered on 9/11."
On 30 January 1972, forever to be known as "Bloody Sunday", became one of the blackest marks in Northern Irish history during what was known as "the Troubles".
During a civil rights demonstration in the Bogside, a predominantly Catholic area within Derry, or Londonderry, members of the British Army's Parachute Regiment opened fire on the protesters, killing thirteen and injuring several others.
In what is still an ongoing fight for the victims and the families of the victims now 50 years on is a fight for justice. With two public inquiries, millions of pounds spent, an uneasy peace process in the works all before the government admitted that the victims were indeed victims, it seems that the fight for justice will continue to be one for the long haul. As of this review there has only ever been one soldier prosecuted - Soldier F - who failed to even go to trial.
It would seem a near impossible task to be impartial when covering such a topic as this, however Ian Hernon is admirable in his effort of covering all the bases with a forensic-like eye.
With, rightfully so, the victims at the forefront, Hernon is sympathetic to the devastation of the events of Bloody Sunday while still finding balance to the testimonies and sources so expertly analysed within this book.
As someone not living in Ireland and therefore being subjected to the government's version of what occurred on that horrific day, I felt as though I was gaining a truthful overview from the author. This was a truly important book that has left a deeply lasting impression on me.
Thank you to @philipjdean1989 and the @amberleypublishing team for sending me this copy to review.
On 30 January 1972, forever to be known as "Bloody Sunday", became one of the blackest marks in Northern Irish history during what was known as "the Troubles".
During a civil rights demonstration in the Bogside, a predominantly Catholic area within Derry, or Londonderry, members of the British Army's Parachute Regiment opened fire on the protesters, killing thirteen and injuring several others.
In what is still an ongoing fight for the victims and the families of the victims now 50 years on is a fight for justice. With two public inquiries, millions of pounds spent, an uneasy peace process in the works all before the government admitted that the victims were indeed victims, it seems that the fight for justice will continue to be one for the long haul. As of this review there has only ever been one soldier prosecuted - Soldier F - who failed to even go to trial.
It would seem a near impossible task to be impartial when covering such a topic as this, however Ian Hernon is admirable in his effort of covering all the bases with a forensic-like eye.
With, rightfully so, the victims at the forefront, Hernon is sympathetic to the devastation of the events of Bloody Sunday while still finding balance to the testimonies and sources so expertly analysed within this book.
As someone not living in Ireland and therefore being subjected to the government's version of what occurred on that horrific day, I felt as though I was gaining a truthful overview from the author. This was a truly important book that has left a deeply lasting impression on me.
Thank you to @philipjdean1989 and the @amberleypublishing team for sending me this copy to review.
July 9, 2024
May there souls rest In power x
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews