Paramedic recalls sheltering in terror

A woman who acted as a Knight of Malta volunteer paramedic on Bloody Sunday wept today as she recalled sheltering in terror from gunfire after one victim was shot in the head.

The Saville Inquiry adjourned briefly when Antoinette Coyle became overwhelmed in the witness box studying a picture featuring herself, aged 17, huddled with others beside a telephone kiosk, the body of Bernard McGuigan lying in a pool of blood in the foreground.

He was one of 13 men and youths shot dead on January 30 1972 after Army Paratroopers moved into Derry’s Bogside district in the aftermath of a civil rights demonstration.

Giving evidence to the Inquiry in the city’s Guildhall, she also described gunfire following her across an elevated ledge, sending chips of concrete flying, as she ran to the aid of the first to be killed that day.

Mrs Coyle said she did not realise what had happened until she was pulled behind a pillar for shelter by an older man who said: "My God, wee girl, that's live rounds they’re firing."

She said she made the dash across the balcony in uniform to go downstairs after spotting the dying Jack Duddy, 17, lying on the car park beneath her the first of the 13 men and youths to be shot dead in the city’s Bogside on January 30 1972.

"As I ran along the balcony, I was conscious of chips of concrete flying out of the concrete ledge by my feet," she said.

"I saw three or four pieces of concrete being chipped away in quick succession. The splintering concrete was about two feet away from my feet. The chips seemed to follow me as I went across the balcony.

"There seemed to be noise coming from everywhere but I do not know if it was gunfire or not. Suddenly a man grabbed me by my shoulders from behind a concrete pillar and pulled me in behind one of the pillars. As he grabbed me he told me live rounds were being fired."

Miss Coyle claimed she was later stopped, with another paramedic, Alice Long, by a group of Paras who told them their white coats "made great targets".

"Alice said to the soldiers that there were three people injured on the other side of the Rossville Flats who needed an ambulance urgently," she stated.

"The soldiers just laughed and jeered and I remember them celebrating and cheering at this news.

"Alice said 'For Christ's sake, there's three people dead'. They said, Hip, hip hooray'. I remember their English accents.

"They said 'There’ll be more tonight'."