Bloody Sunday campaigner honoured at Guildhall

John Kelly, whose brother Michael was killed on Bloody Sunday, has campaigned with other families for decades

Campaigner John Kelly has been honoured with a civic reception after announcing his retirement from the Bloody Sunday Trust and Museum of Free Derry.

John Kelly's brother, Michael, was killed on Bloody Sunday in 1972.

Thirteen people were shot dead when the Army's Parachute Regiment opened fire on a civil rights march in Londonderry.

It is widely regarded as one of the darkest days of the Northern Ireland Troubles.

Top row, from left to right: Patrick 'Paddy' Doherty, Gerald Donaghey, John 'Jackie' Duddy, Hugh Gilmour, Michael Kelly, Michael McDaid, Kevin McElhinney. Bottom row, from left to right: Bernard McGuigan, Gerard McKinney, William McKinney, William Nash, James Wray, John Young

Monday's event in the Guildhall honouring Mr Kelly for his decades of campaigning was hosted by mayor of Derry City and Strabane, Lilian Seenoi-Barr.

Mr Kelly said he was privileged to attend the ceremony, but that the biggest honour for him was to fight for truth and justice alongside the other Bloody Sunday families.

Mr Kelly announced his retirement in July, having worked with the trust since its inception in 1997.

He said it was important the Bloody Sunday story continued to be told.

"What I take great comfort in is that we have a fantastic group of young people working in the museum, who are quite capable of carrying on the work that I leave behind," he said.

Monday's event in the Guildhall honouring Mr Kelly for his decades of campaigning was hosted by mayor of Derry City and Strabane, Lilian Seenoi-Barr.

Mr Kelly also said he took great comfort knowing that there are still Bloody Sunday relatives working within the museum and the trust to tell people from all over the world about what happened that day.

He said the chair of the Bloody Sunday Trust Tony Doherty, whose father Paddy was killed, and Jean Hegarty, whose 17-year-old brother Kevin McElhinney was killed, would continue their work in telling their stories and fighting for justice and truth.

"It has been a huge part of my life for all those years, it will be hard to walk away from it, I am may be walking away but I'm not going away."