‘We honour the men who died’ thousands walk in remembance of Bloody Sunday massacre
over 3 years in The Irish Times
Several thousand people have taken part in a walk of remembrance to mark the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday.
The walk retraced the route of the original civil rights march from Creggan to the Bogside, where a service is due to take place at the memorial to the victims at 11am.
Fourteen children, each holding a single white rose, led the walk on behalf of the families of the victims.
They were followed by other relatives holding placards bearing the names and photographs of those killed on the day.
Also taking part on the walk were relatives of other victims of the Troubles and a number of politicians, including the Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald and the North’s first minister Michelle O’Neill, and the SDLP leader and Foyle MP Colum Eastwood.
In a virtual address on Sunday afternoon, the President will pay tribute to the victims of Bloody Sunday and all those who lost their lives in the Troubles, as well as the example set by the people of Derry and those who campaigned for truth.
“Derry stands as a beacon of hope and justice, of battling and succeeding against the odds,” Michael D Higgins will say.
“The 30th of January, 1972, will live on in our collective memory, as will your efforts of vindication of the truth.
“We honour the morality of that memory today. We honour the men who died. And we continue to honour them into the future by our continued commitment to the rights that were won at such great cost.
“We do so best by protecting these rights won, and sustaining the principled and inclusive peace that we have built together,” the President is expected to say.
President Higgins is to deliver the address in a pre-recorded video message as he is due to attend a Holocaust memorial event at the Mansion House in Dublin.
Tánaiste and Fine Gael Leader Leo Varadkar said that the events of the day “cast a long shadow over the city and the country that many are still dealing with today”.
“We salute the courage and perseverance of the victims and their families who have campaigned tirelessly for justice and who continue to do so today,” he said.
“Their tenacity serves as an example to other Troubles-related victims to never give up the fight for justice.
“We pledge to honour the memory of those who died on Bloody Sunday by standing with all victims of the Troubles and continuing to work for permanent peace on our shared island.”
On Sunday morning, relatives of the victims will take part in a walk of remembrance which follows the route of the original march from Creggan to the Bloody Sunday memorial in the Bogside, where the traditional memorial service will take place at 11am.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin will lay a wreath, and political and church leaders from different denominations are expected to attend.
Those due to be present at the memorial service include Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney; Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald and vice-president Michelle O’Neill, the North’s Deputy First Minister; the SDLP leader and Foyle MP Colum Eastwood, and the Alliance deputy leader Stephen Farry and the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad, Senator Mark Daly.
It is not clear if any unionist politicians will attend.
A march organised by the Bloody Sunday March Committee in protest at the UK government’s plans to introduce a statute of limitations for Troubles-era crimes will also take place in the afternoon.
It will terminate at Free Derry Corner for speeches by Eamonn McCann, Bernadette McAliskey and MEP Clare Daly.
Beyond the Silence, a special commemorative event organised by the Bloody Sunday Trust, will begin from 4pm.
It has been moved from Guildhall Square to the Millennium Forum due to expected adverse weather.
The names of the victims will be read by the actor Adrian Dunbar, and the square will fall silent at the exact time the soldiers opened fire.
At 4.10pm the bells of St Eugene’s Cathedral will ring 14 times in memory of the 14 victims.