Thursday, November 18, 2010

Special presentation to Bishop Daly

A special presentation was made this week to the former Bishop of Derry Dr Edward Daly by the families of those who died on Bloody Sunday.   

The presentation, of collector's coins, was made to the Mayor of Derry Cllr Colum Eastwood and Bishop Daly at the Museum of Free Derry in the city, by the museum's education officer John Kelly whose brother was killed on Bloody Sunday. 

Mr Kelly said that the presentations were made to both Bishop Daly and Mayor Eastwood in recognition of the support the city council has given the families, particularly leading up to the publication of the Bloody Sunday Report on June 15, and the support Bishop Daly has given the families over the years since that fateful day on Bloody Sunday. 

The coins depict Bishop Daly's hand waving of a white handkerchief, an iconic image that has become synonymous with Bloody Sunday itself when he held out a white bloodstained handkerchief in his attempt to get the mortally wounded teenager Jackie Duddy to safety in 1972. 

Bishop Daly was later to become Bishop of Derry, a role he served in from 1974 to 1993 and during that time he also served as an advisor on religious programming to RTÉ.

The coins also feature the words Truth, Justice, and Healing, with the names of those who were murdered on Bloody Sunday written on the back of a Celtic Cross. 

Speaking at the presentation, Bishop Daly said that he was both delighted and highly honoured to receive the accolade.

SIC: CIN/IE