Bloody Sunday - Irish History

Question 1

When was Bloody Sunday?

Answer 1

30th January 1972

Question 2

Why was the British Army sent to Northern Ireland?

Answer 2

British army was sent to Northern Ireland to keep the peace from the peace treaty between Protestants and Catholics

Question 3

Why and how were Catholics marching on Bloody Sunday?

Answer 3

Catholics were peacefully marching for civil rights (mainly for equal voting rights to protestants) and to end internment (where police could arrest suspected terrorists and imprison them without a trial)

Question 4

What happened to the protests group on Bloody Sunday?

Answer 4

part of the protest group broke off and started rioting (throwing stones and bricks at the police)

Question 5

How did the British police react to the riots on Bloody Sunday?

Answer 5

British army (parachute regiment) sent in and instead of beating them up with batons and using shields they instead open fired killing 14 people (7 of whom were teenagers)

Question 6

What reasons did the British army provide for open firing on the rioters?

Answer 6

• British Army said they were fired on first - was the official story for 40 yrs

Question 7

What actually happened on Bloody Sunday?

Answer 7

• due to Good Friday Agreement, Tony Blair did a third inquiry into Bloody Sunday and the officers that open fired confessed to murder
• it was found out that IRA officers were shooting at soldiers but not the soldiers that killed 14 people
• soldiers didn’t go to prison as Good Friday Agreement said all political prisoners from ‘The Troubles’ would be released