Bloody Sunday 1972
On 30th January 1972, despite street demonstrations being banned the Stormont government, an anti-internment (imprisonment without trial) demonstration broke out in Derry/ Londonderry. The demonstrators were attacked by the British parachute regiment and saw the deaths of 14 people. Despite their presence throughout the Troubles, the IRA denied involvement. This event saw Westminster lose faith in the Stormont government and despite attempts made by Brian Faulkner, Stormont was shuttered and direct rule was imposed on Northern Ireland.
If you think that this happened too far into the past, then let me tell you this:
Three days before this tragedy on 27 January 1972, a baby boy was born in Carmarthen, Wales to a hair dresser who would later campaign to Steven Spielberg to have his 1993 film Jurassic Park premier in the local Lyric Theatre from being bulldozed in preparation for a shopping centre to be built in its place. That boy would grow up to become an opera singer and radio disk jockey for BBC Wales and in 2009, a financial comparison services website based in Newport, Wales called Go Compare would have him take on the role as their in your face of an opera singer mascot named Gio Compario.
The boy who was born 3 days before Bloody Sunday 1972 was called Wynne Evans. His mother's successful efforts to save the local cinema were dramatised in the film Save the Cinema where he was played by Fflyn Edwards.
In 2019, the Portuguese branch of McDonald's stirred up controversy with a Halloween themed ice cream sundae topped with strawberry sauce which was promoted as Sundae Bloody Sundae. There have also been similar incidences at smaller bars and other eateries around the world. Yes, there is a U2 song called Sunday Bloody Sunday but that song was about the tragedy in Derry/Londonderry.
Click/ tap this blood stained football for our fact card on the 1920 Bloody Sunday during the Irish War of Independence