Widgery Tribunal

The Widgery Tribunal, officially known as the "Report of the Tribunal appointed to inquire into the events on Sunday, 30th January 1972, which led to loss of life in connection with the procession in Londonderry on that day," was established to investigate the tragic events of Bloody Sunday. On January 30, 1972, in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, British soldiers opened fire on a civil rights march, resulting in the deaths of thirteen unarmed civilians and wounding several others. The incident escalated tensions and violence in Northern Ireland, becoming a pivotal moment in the Troubles.

The inquiry, chaired by Lord Chief Justice John Widgery, was initiated by the British government to determine the circumstances surrounding the shootings. It was conducted swiftly, with Lord Widgery taking only two months to gather evidence and produce the report. The tribunal heard testimonies from soldiers, civilians, and experts, examining the events and decisions leading up to the shootings.

Published on April 19, 1972, the Widgery Report largely exonerated the actions of the British soldiers. The report suggested that the soldiers were responding to threats from armed individuals among the marchers, implying that some of the victims might have been handling firearms or bombs. However, the evidence supporting these claims was inconclusive, and the report did not provide specific recommendations for preventing similar incidents in the future.

The findings of the Widgery Tribunal were met with widespread criticism and rejection, particularly from the families of the victims and the wider Northern Irish community. Many perceived the inquiry as biased, arguing that it failed to hold the soldiers accountable and did not adequately address the use of excessive force. The report was seen as an attempt to protect the British Army's reputation rather than uncover the truth.

The dissatisfaction with the Widgery Tribunal's conclusions led to ongoing demands for a more thorough and impartial investigation. Decades later, in 1998, the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, also known as the Saville Inquiry, was established to re-examine the events of Bloody Sunday. Chaired by Lord Saville of Newdigate, this inquiry was far more extensive, taking twelve years to complete and costing around £195 million. The Saville Report, published in 2010, found that the killings were "unjustified and unjustifiable," directly contradicting the Widgery Tribunal's findings.

The Widgery Tribunal remains a controversial chapter in the history of Northern Ireland, illustrating the complexities and challenges of seeking justice and accountability in the aftermath of such a tragic and contentious event.