Bloody Sunday Memorial

We are standing on Rossville Street, at the site of the Bloody Sunday Memorial. This is perhaps the most solemn location in all of Derry. …

The centerpiece of this memorial is the granite obelisk, an ancient architectural form often used to mark significance and longevity. Its upward reach suggests a connection between the earthly tragedy that occurred here and a…

Surrounding the obelisk is a carefully maintained enclosure, defined by metal railings and low stone walls. This physical boundary is important; it creates a 'temenos,' or a sacred space, separated from the ordinary activities of…

If you stand at the edge of the memorial and look north up Rossville Street, you are looking along the final path of the nineteen seventy-two march. The protesters had come down from the Creggan estate, thousands strong, singing…

Let us move closer to the base of the obelisk to read the inscriptions. Each side of the plinth bears the names of the men who were killed: Jack Duddy, Patrick Doherty, Bernard McGuigan, Hugh Gilmour, Kevin McElhinney, Michael…

One of the most remarkable aspects of this memorial is that it was established and is maintained by the victims' families themselves. In many conflict zones, memorials are built by the state as part of an official reconciliation…

As we conclude this part of our journey, it is important to consider the contemporary significance of the Bloody Sunday Memorial. In the wake of recent political developments, such as Brexit, there has been a revived concern…

As you prepare to leave the Bloody Sunday Memorial, take one last moment of silence. The simplicity of this granite obelisk belies the immense weight of the history it carries. …