Bloody Sunday

After getting nothing but excuses and curfews from the British government who had promised reform, a group headed by Ivan Cooper (Nesbitt) decided to hold a peaceful march in Derry, Northern Ireland. Claiming that Catholics in the north were suffering from discrimination and protesting the single most important issue that cut to the very core of their civil rights - mass internment without trial, the group began their march on January 30, 1972. When a group of British soldiers opened fire on the unarmed, peaceful civilian demonstrators, they killed 13 people and injured many others, and the day became known as "Bloody Sunday." Two days later an inquiry was held, and according to British officials the march was illegal and the soldiers were found not guilty of shooting the civilians in cold blood. None of them were ever disciplined. The events of that day continue to affect the peace process in Ireland today. (Tricia Littrell)