2023: The Identification: A Poem Inspired by Tragedy
On Friday 21 July 1972, 19 IRA bombs exploded across Belfast in little over an hour. Nine people were killed and 130 others were seriously injured in what became known as Bloody Friday, one of the worst days of the Troubles.
14-year-old Stephen Parker was one of those who died that day.
Just days after the bombings, Reverend Joseph Parker spoke to Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ News about identifying his son's body. The interview was seen by millions of people across the UK.
Poet and writer Roger McGough watched the news that night. He was so moved by what he saw, it inspired him to write The Identification, one of his most celebrated poems.
In 2023, 50 years on from the publication of his reflection on those tragic events, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Archive spoke to Roger McGough.