Bloody Sunday (1972) withdrawn from the Shankill. At the end of 1972, Lt Col Wilford, who was directly in charge of the soldiers involved in Bloody Sunday, was awarded the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II. In 1992, John Major, writing to John Hume stated: "The Government made clear in 1974 that those who were killed on 'Bloody Sunday' should be regarded as innocent of any allegation that they were shot whilst handling firearms or explosives". In 2007, General (then Captain) Sir Mike Jackson, adjutant of 1 Para on Bloody Sunday, said: "I have no doubt that innocent people were
Sunday football in Northern Ireland football on Sundays was strictly enforced so that no club affiliated with the IFA could play football in Northern Ireland on Sundays. This included the Northern Ireland national team who also refused to play international matches on Sunday. Before the 1958 FIFA World Cup, it was noted that Northern Ireland would play Czechoslovakia on a Sunday. As a result, the IFA relaxed its Sunday football ban to permit the Northern Ireland national team to play football on Sundays outside of Northern Ireland. In 2001, Cliftonville attempted to play a friendly match against Derry City, who are based in County Londonderry