Jude Collins Reflects on Bloody Sunday and John Hume’s Quote
Many people today are indifferent to the events of Bloody Sunday in 1972. This is not surprising, as they were either not born yet, do not live in Derry or the Bogside, or other concerns have since occupied their attention. However, the families and friends of the victims have not forgotten what happened.
This reality felt even more painful last week when Soldier F was acquitted of all murder charges related to Bloody Sunday. It took fifty-three years for a British soldier to be tried for the events of that day, and despite the trial, he was found not guilty.
John Hume’s Insight on Alienation
Immediately after Bloody Sunday, John Hume told an Irish Times journalist:
“Many people down there feel now it’s a united Ireland or nothing. Alienation is pretty total.”
Although Hume was mistaken about a united Ireland, as it still has not happened fifty-three years later, his observation about alienation was accurate. Relatives of the victims expressed deep disgust after the verdict. Reflecting their feelings, the Free Derry mural was altered to say, “There is no British justice.”
The Tragedy and Its Aftermath
It often seems unreal—the Parachute Regiment, having killed eight innocent people in Ballymurphy, Belfast, then entered the Bogside and shot dead thirteen individuals, with a fourteenth dying later from related injuries. At the time, Home Secretary Reginald Maudling stated the British army “came under fire...”
Family and Community Anguish
- The acquittal fuels ongoing pain and alienation among victims’ families.
- The tragedy remains a deeply emotional wound in the affected communities.
- Public monuments and murals serve as poignant reminders of perceived injustices.
“Many people down there feel now it’s a united Ireland or nothing.” — John Hume
Despite the passage of more than five decades, the echoes of Bloody Sunday continue to resonate profoundly, underscoring the lasting impact of historical wounds.
Author’s Summary
The acquittal of Soldier F reopens deep wounds from Bloody Sunday, highlighting ongoing alienation despite decades of hope for reconciliation and unity.