IN THIS issue of the Morning Star you will find a historical reprint of the special edition of the Irish Democrat which was circulated throughout Britain following Bloody Sunday, January 30 1972.

It shows the extent of the reaction amongst the Irish in Britain and our allies in the wider democratic and trade union movements and the immediate call for meetings, messages of solidarity, demonstrations and lobbies of parliaments — work which is still needed today.

A snapshot of the activity saw events quickly organised in Cardiff, Manchester, Newcastle, London and elsewhere, along with statements from trade union organisations across Britain reaffirming the position of the then 10 million-strong British TUC for a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.

That Irish Democrat was printed and circulated prior to the death of the 14th victim from wounds sustained in the barbaric attack on peaceful marchers. The full extent of injuries was not yet known.

The following were murdered in the massacre. The majority were trade union members:

Patrick Doherty (31), a factory worker. Gerald Donaghey (17), unemployed, previously a delivery hand on a beer lorry. John Duddy (17), a factory worker. Hugh Gilmour (17), a trainee tyre fitter. Michael Kelly (17), a trainee sewing machine mechanic. Michael McDaid (20), a barman. Kevin McElhinney (17), a supermarket worker. Bernard McGuigan (41), a factory worker and handyman. Gerard McKinney (35), who managed rollerskating rink. William McKinney (27), a printer. William Nash (19), a dock worker. James Wray (22), previously working in England. John Young (17), a shop worker. John Johnston (59), a draper.

These people were killed for participating in what Lord Fenner Brockway, a founding member of War on Want and CND, described at the time as, “The most peaceful and serious demonstration that I saw in my life.”

Bloody Sunday was and must remain, a reminder to democrats everywhere of the barbarism of the Tory Party.

The Connolly Association in conjunction with the Greaves School, is hosting an online lecture to mark the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday.

Kevin McCorry will deliver the lecture. He was a full-timer for the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association and chief steward on the civil rights march on January 30 1972.

Connolly Association president Tony Donaghey will chair the meeting.

The meeting will be held on Zoom, at 3pm this Sunday, exactly fifty years after the march left the Creggan, Derry.

At the meeting a collection will be taken to support the work of the Museum of Free Derry and the Bloody Sunday Trust.

Please email [email protected] to join the meeting.