Bob Dylan has paid a special tribute to the victims of Bloody Sunday ahead of the 51st anniversary later this month.
The US folk and rock singer, 81, has recorded and released an audio tribute in support of the victims of Bloody Sunday.
Members of the Parachute Regiment shot dead 13 civil rights protesters on the streets of Derry on 30 January 1972.
Read more: Man arrested after police car rammed in 'despicable' incident
In the recording, Dylan said: “On January 30, 1972, 30,000 people marched into Derry in a march organised by the Civil Rights Association.
“Armoured cars appeared from behind barriers. British troops boxed in hundreds of people. All of the soldiers were fully armed with combat rifles. Suddenly shots rang out. At the end of the day, 13 people lay dead and 17 wounded.
“Let's take a moment and remember the names of the people that died that day - Jack Duddy, Paddy Doherty, Bernard McGuigan, Hugh Gilmour, Kevin McElhinney, Michael McDaid, William Nash, John Young, Michael Kelly, Jim Wray, Gerald Donaghey, Gerard McKinney, William McKinney and John Johnston.”
The Bloody Sunday Trust has thanked Dylan for "his kind words and support for the victims of Bloody Sunday".
An inquiry into Bloody Sunday led by Lord Chief Justice Lord Widgery supported the soldiers’ version of events, that they were returning fire, however, bereaved families dismissed the report as a whitewash.
In 2010, a new inquiry into the shooting, led by Lord Saville, found that there was no justification for shooting any of those killed or wounded.
Former prime minister David Cameron later issued a public apology, saying the killings were “unjustified and unjustifiable”.
READ NEXT:
Family pays tribute to fondly remembered High School teacher
Derry and Strabane had more shootings than any other NI area in 2022
The NI footballing legend now honouring future stars of sport
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here. To sign up to our FREE newsletters, see here.
