Derry as a Whole: Bloody Sunday and the Broader Context of the Troubles in Northern Ireland

On January 30 1972, fourteen Catholic civilians were killed and another fourteen were injured by British army soldiers in Derry City, Northern Ireland. Since then Bloody Sunday has become one of the most remembered and influential incidents of the Troubles. This paper will touch on the general themes of late 20th century Northern Irish politics by focusing on Bloody Sunday as a key event in the Troubles. This research looks at the thematic reasonings behind Bloody Sunday and the long-harboured tensions of the region without being caught up in the loyalties of the IRA, Unionists, or Britain. By analysing British, Catholic, and Protestant reactions to Bloody Sunday, this paper address Bloody Sunday in a broader context that is inclusive of the historical and political issues. Focusing on propaganda as a tactic, the history of sectarian tensions, the trend of low-level escalating violence, and the effects of Bloody Sunday as a state killing, this paper highlights the core themes of the Troubles. Bloody Sunday was one incident in a much larger 30 year conflict, but historically it provides a framework for analysing the Troubles as a complicated conflict that goes beyond the reunification of Ireland