A priest who gave the Last Rites to most of the 13 civilians shot dead by British paratroopers on Bloody Sunday said yesterday he was threatened by an officer as he tried to get to three victims lying in an army vehicle.
Father John Irwin, who was the curate on duty at St Eugene's Cathedral in Derry on the day, gave evidence that he was called out urgently to the Bogside after he heard gunfire.
In the Abbey Park area there was "total confusion, with people running and shouting and telling me that there were bodies that I had to see".
He anointed several people and then went to the Rossville Flats, having heard a priest was also needed there. "I decided to walk across the road towards the flats," he said. "I was absolutely terrified and was generally aware of soldiers to my left. The walk across the road was the longest stretch that I had ever walked."
He attended to more bodies, outside and inside the flats. Then a distressed woman approached him claiming there were three bodies in an army "Pig" (armoured personnel carrier). He ran out to the Saracen and told a young soldier standing guard with a rifle that he believed there were bodies inside. The soldier said "No".
Father Irwin said he then demanded: "Who is in charge here?" Another soldier, who he assumed was an officer, stepped forward and also answered to the effect there were no bodies in the vehicle.
Father Irwin said he returned to the woman to tell her she was wrong, but she was insistent there were bodies in the Saracen. He went to the vehicle again and said he intended to open the door. The same officer warned him that if he did so, he would be shot, "or words to that effect".
The witness said he noticed Father Anthony Mulvey nearby and shouted to him: "Tony, there are three bodies in this Saracen; I'm going to open the door and they say they'll shoot me."
He added: "My recollection is that he shouted back: 'They'll have to shoot us both'." The door was then opened and he saw "the horrible sight" of three bodies lying on top of each other. The two priests then anointed them.
Mr Peter Clarke QC, for a number of soldiers, suggested to Father Irwin that what in fact happened was an unidentified junior soldier said there was nothing in the Saracen, and on the second occasion the officer had confirmed there was at least one body in it. The witness stood over his statement.
Father Irwin also said that when he gave evidence to the Widgery Inquiry in 1972, his over-riding impression was that Lord Widgery was not interested in what he had to say.
"It appeared that he did not want to hear any more about the incident at the Saracen," said Father Irwin. "I can remember feeling annoyed at the dismissive attitude of Lord Widgery and considered it [that inquiry] to be a waste of time." The inquiry will resume next Tuesday.