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Sunday 30 January 1972 stands as one of the most deadly – and significant – days in multiple decades of violence in the region.

Within the community where events unfolded – the images of that fateful day are painted on the buildings and embedded in collective memory.

A civil rights march was conducted on a wintry, sunny afternoon in Derry.

The protest was a protest against the policy of imprisonment without charges – imprisoning people without trial – which had been implemented following three years of unrest.

Military personnel from the specialized division shot dead 13 people in the neighborhood – which was, and remains, a overwhelmingly republican community.

One image became particularly memorable.

Photographs showed a Catholic priest, Fr Edward Daly, waving a blood-stained fabric as he tried to shield a assembly moving a young man, Jackie Duddy, who had been mortally injured.

Media personnel recorded extensive video on the day.

Documented accounts contains Fr Daly telling a reporter that troops "just seemed to fire in all directions" and he was "totally convinced" that there was no justification for the discharge of weapons.

The narrative of what happened was disputed by the initial investigation.

The Widgery Tribunal found the Army had been fired upon initially.

During the negotiation period, Tony Blair's government established a fresh examination, following pressure by surviving kin, who said Widgery had been a cover-up.

That year, the report by Lord Saville said that on balance, the soldiers had initiated shooting and that none of the victims had posed any threat.

The contemporary head of state, the Prime Minister, issued an apology in the Parliament – stating deaths were "without justification and unjustifiable."

Law enforcement commenced examine the events.

An ex-soldier, known as the defendant, was brought to trial for killing.

Accusations were made over the deaths of the first individual, in his twenties, and 26-year-old another victim.

The defendant was also accused of attempting to murder multiple individuals, other civilians, Joe Mahon, Michael Quinn, and an unnamed civilian.

There is a judicial decision preserving the veteran's anonymity, which his lawyers have maintained is necessary because he is at threat.

He testified the investigation that he had exclusively discharged his weapon at people who were armed.

The statement was rejected in the official findings.

Information from the examination would not be used straightforwardly as testimony in the legal proceedings.

In court, the veteran was hidden from public behind a blue curtain.

He made statements for the opening instance in court at a session in late 2024, to respond "not guilty" when the accusations were read.

Relatives of the deceased on that day travelled from Derry to the judicial building every day of the trial.

John Kelly, whose relative was fatally wounded, said they were aware that listening to the trial would be painful.

"I can see all details in my recollection," he said, as we walked around the key areas discussed in the trial – from the street, where Michael was killed, to the nearby the area, where the individual and the second person were died.

"It reminds me to where I was that day.

"I helped to carry Michael and place him in the ambulance.

"I relived the entire event during the testimony.

"But even with having to go through everything – it's still meaningful for me."