HISTORY – BLOODY SUNDAY – REACTION TO EVENTS

Consequences of Bloody Sunday

Coffins of the victims in Creggan Chapel.

National and international reaction to Bloody Sunday, which included worldwide protests led to a clash between the Stormont government and Westminster.

Brian Faulkner, a hardline Unionist who had become the Prime Minister of N.I. in March 1971, wanted even stronger security measures.

The British PM Edward Heath demanded complete British control of security, law and order and the judiciary.

Introduction of Direct Rule. The Stormont government was suspended on 24thMarch 1972 and responsibility for the running of NI now rested with Westminster.

Increase in violence. In the 3 years prior to Bloody Sunday 210 were killed in troubles. In the 11 months after Bloody Sunday 445 people lost their lives.

Widgery Inquiry launched. The English Lord Chief Justice, Lord Widgery, was appointed to investigate the events of Bloody Sunday.

Before announcing the inquiry the English PM, Edward Heath, met Lord Widgery and told him it must be quick and that a military and propaganda war was being fought in NI. The Nationalist community was unaware of this meeting and unaware of what Lord Widgery decided at this meeting.

Lord Widgery decided the inquiry should:

• Examine if the army shot indiscriminately at the crowd or only at certain identified targets, not if the people shot were unarmed.
• Look only at the events of a limited time span on the day itself, from the first shot to the last.
• Take as little time as possible.

Many people in Derry were angry that a British judge had been appointed to investigate the actions of the British Army. Some advised that the Inquiry should be boycotted but the majority of people decided to attend. As a result the people of Derry co-operated with the Inquiry but they were amazed at the results of the investigation.