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January 30th, 1972 is remembered as one of the deadliest – and consequential – dates in multiple decades of violence in Northern Ireland.

Within the community of the incident – the images of the tragic events are displayed on the walls and etched in public consciousness.

A protest demonstration was held on a chilly yet clear afternoon in the city.

The march was challenging the practice of internment – detaining individuals without trial – which had been established in response to multiple years of conflict.

Military personnel from the Parachute Regiment killed thirteen individuals in the district – which was, and still is, a overwhelmingly Irish nationalist community.

A specific visual became notably memorable.

Images showed a religious figure, Father Daly, using a bloodied white handkerchief as he tried to shield a group moving a teenager, the injured teenager, who had been mortally injured.

News camera operators documented extensive video on the day.

Historical records features the priest explaining to a reporter that military personnel "gave the impression they would discharge weapons randomly" and he was "absolutely certain" that there was no justification for the discharge of weapons.

That version of events was rejected by the original examination.

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

Throughout the peace process, the ruling party commissioned another inquiry, after campaigning by surviving kin, who said the initial inquiry had been a inadequate investigation.

That year, the report by Lord Saville said that on balance, the soldiers had fired first and that not one of the individuals had presented danger.

The then head of state, the leader, apologised in the Parliament – declaring fatalities were "improper and unacceptable."

The police began to investigate the events.

An ex-soldier, known as Soldier F, was prosecuted for homicide.

He was charged over the killings of one victim, in his twenties, and twenty-six-year-old William McKinney.

The defendant was also accused of trying to kill Patrick O'Donnell, additional persons, further individuals, another person, and an unknown person.

Remains a judicial decision preserving the veteran's identity protection, which his attorneys have claimed is necessary because he is at risk of attack.

He told the investigation that he had only fired at people who were possessing firearms.

This assertion was disputed in the official findings.

Material from the inquiry could not be used straightforwardly as proof in the legal proceedings.

During the trial, the accused was hidden from public with a privacy screen.

He made statements for the first time in court at a hearing in December 2024, to respond "not guilty" when the allegations were read.

Kin of the victims on the incident travelled from Derry to the judicial building every day of the proceedings.

John Kelly, whose relative was killed, said they always knew that hearing the proceedings would be difficult.

"I can see everything in my recollection," he said, as we walked around the key areas referenced in the case – from the location, where Michael was killed, to the adjacent Glenfada Park, where James Wray and the second person were died.

"It even takes me back to where I was that day.

"I participated in moving my brother and lay him in the vehicle.

"I relived the entire event during the evidence.

"But even with enduring everything – it's still meaningful for me."