Welcome back to This Day in Irish History. I'm your host, Raymond Welsh. Today, we turn our attention to a dramatic moment in modern Irish history—February 2, 1972. On this day, the British embassy in Dublin was burned to the ground by furious demonstrators protesting the killing of 13 unarmed civil rights marchers by British soldiers in Derry just days earlier, on what would come to be known as Bloody Sunday.
The events leading up to this day were set in motion on January 30, 1972, when members of the British Army’s Parachute Regiment opened fire on a civil rights march in the Bogside area of Derry. The demonstration, organized by the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association, was meant to protest the policy of internment without trial, which had been implemented the previous year and overwhelmingly targeted nationalists. Instead, the march turned into a massacre as soldiers shot and killed 13 unarmed civilians, with another dying later from his injuries. Many of the victims were teenagers, some shot in the back while fleeing. The killings sparked outrage across Ireland and beyond.
In the Republic, the response was immediate and intense. Large demonstrations were held in Dublin and other cities, and the Irish government condemned the killings, declaring a national day of mourning. On February 2, anger reached a breaking point as thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the British embassy on Merrion Square. The protest began peacefully, with chants and placards, but tensions escalated as the crowd grew. Some protesters began throwing stones, shattering windows, and then petrol bombs were hurled, setting the building ablaze. Despite efforts by the Dublin Fire Brigade, the embassy was completely destroyed.
The burning of the British embassy was one of the most striking acts of protest in the Republic of Ireland during the Troubles. While the Irish government regretted the destruction, the event underscored the depth of anger and solidarity with nationalists in the North. The impact of Bloody Sunday was profound—it fueled international criticism of Britain’s role in Northern Ireland and significantly boosted support for the Provisional IRA, as many who had previously supported peaceful activism turned to armed resistance.
The long shadow of Bloody Sunday remained over Irish history for decades. In 2010, British Prime Minister David Cameron finally issued an apology, acknowledging that the killings were "unjustified and unjustifiable." But for many, the wounds left by that day—and the fiery protests it ignited—have never fully healed.
Thank you for joining us on this journey through history. Please like, subscribe and tune in tomorrow for another enlightening episode of This Day in Irish History. I'm Raymond Welsh, Slán go fóill.
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