Sunday Bloody Sunday

"The Troubles" is a term used to refer to a period of violence in Northern Ireland involving several political factions. To greatly oversimplify the 30-year period, it was defined by a struggle between the predominantly Catholic nationalists, who sought unification with the Republic of Ireland, and the predominantly Protestant unionists, who wanted to remain part of the United Kingdom.

On 30 January 1972, 26 civil rights protesters in Derry were shot by members of the British Parachute Regimen. Thirteen of those protesters died immediately, with an additional casualty succumbing four months later from complications of injuries sustained that day. Six of the 14 slain were minors, and five of the 14 were shot from behind. Multiple eyewitnesses reported that the protesters were unarmed.

In the years following this event, several Irish military groups, including the provisional IRA, mounted an armed campaign against the British forces in Northern Ireland. This campaign formally ended with the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 (also known as "The Belfast Agreement" and "The Stormont Agreement").

John Lennon, who in addition to being the lead singer of the British rock group "The Beatles" was also the child of Irish parents, penned the song, "Sunday Bloody Sunday" to commemorate the tragic event.

Warning: Some offensive language in embedded video.



Sunday Bloody Sunday
Well it was Sunday bloody Sunday
When they shot the people there
The cries of thirteen martyrs
Filled the Free Derry air
Is there any one amongst you
Dare to blame it on the kids?
Not a soldier boy was bleeding
When they nailed the coffin lids!

Chorus:
Sunday bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday's the day!
Sunday bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday's the day!

You claim to be majority
Well you know that it's a lie
You're really a minority
On this sweet Emerald Isle
When Stormont bans our marches
They've got a lot to learn
Internment is no answer
It's those mothers' turn to burn!

Chorus

You Anglo pigs and Scotties
Sent to colonize the North
You wave your bloody Union Jack
And you know what it's worth!
How dare you hold to ransom
A people proud and free
Keep Ireland for the Irish
Put the English back to sea!

Chorus

Well, it's always bloody Sunday
In the concentration camps
Keep the Falls Road free forever
From the bloody English hands
Repatriate to Britain
All of you who call it home
Leave Ireland to the Irish
Not for London or for Rome!

Chorus