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January 30th, 1972 is remembered as one of the most deadly – and momentous – days in three decades of unrest in the region.

Throughout the area where events unfolded – the images of Bloody Sunday are visible on the walls and embedded in public consciousness.

A civil rights march was conducted on a chilly yet clear afternoon in Londonderry.

The demonstration was challenging the policy of internment – detaining individuals without legal proceedings – which had been implemented after three years of conflict.

Soldiers from the Parachute Regiment shot dead thirteen individuals in the district – which was, and remains, a predominantly nationalist community.

One image became particularly memorable.

Images showed a Catholic priest, Father Daly, using a blood-stained white handkerchief as he tried to shield a group transporting a young man, the fatally wounded individual, who had been mortally injured.

Journalists recorded extensive video on the day.

The archive features Father Daly informing a media representative that soldiers "appeared to discharge weapons randomly" and he was "totally convinced" that there was no reason for the shooting.

The narrative of the incident was rejected by the original examination.

The first investigation concluded the military had been shot at first.

During the negotiation period, the ruling party commissioned a fresh examination, in response to advocacy by bereaved relatives, who said Widgery had been a whitewash.

In 2010, the report by Lord Saville said that generally, the soldiers had initiated shooting and that not one of the casualties had posed any threat.

The then government leader, David Cameron, issued an apology in the government chamber – declaring fatalities were "without justification and unjustifiable."

The police started to examine the incident.

An ex-soldier, referred to as the defendant, was brought to trial for murder.

He was charged over the deaths of the first individual, twenty-two, and in his mid-twenties the second individual.

The accused was further implicated of trying to kill several people, additional persons, more people, another person, and an unidentified individual.

Exists a judicial decision protecting the veteran's privacy, which his attorneys have argued is necessary because he is at danger.

He stated to the investigation that he had only fired at persons who were carrying weapons.

The statement was rejected in the official findings.

Evidence from the inquiry could not be used directly as evidence in the court case.

In the dock, the veteran was screened from view using a privacy screen.

He made statements for the initial occasion in court at a hearing in late 2024, to answer "innocent" when the charges were put to him.

Family members of those who were killed on that day travelled from Derry to the judicial building daily of the proceedings.

John Kelly, whose sibling was killed, said they always knew that listening to the case would be painful.

"I remember all details in my recollection," the relative said, as we visited the main locations discussed in the trial – from the location, where the victim was shot dead, to the adjacent the area, where the individual and William McKinney were fatally wounded.

"It returns me to my location that day.

"I helped to carry my brother and put him in the ambulance.

"I went through every moment during the proceedings.

"Notwithstanding experiencing the process – it's still worthwhile for me."