Career
In 1970, he obtained a job with Carlin"s Brewery as a delivery hand on a beer lorry. At the time of his death at age 17, Donaghy was unemployed. Thirteen people, six of whom were minors, died immediately.
Donaghy was shot in the stomach while running to safety between Glenfada Park and Abbey Park, and was brought to a nearby house by bystanders where he was examined by a doctor.
His pockets were turned out in an effort to identify him. A later Royal Ulster Constabulary photograph of Donaghy"s corpse showed nail bombs in his pockets.
Neither those who searched his pockets in the house immediately after the shooting nor the British army medical officer (Soldier 138) who pronounced his death shortly afterwards say they saw any bombs. Paddy Ward, who gave evidence at the Saville Inquiry, claimed that he had given two nail bombs to Donaghey several hours before he was shot dead.
Widgery Tribunal
The circumstances surrounding Donaghy"s death were among the most hotly contested following The British Army and the Royal Ulster Constabulary stated that nail bombs had been found beside him after he was shot.
The first inquiry into, the since discredited Widgery Tribunal, chaired by Lord Widgery, agreed with the military. Donaghy"s family and others claim the nail bombs were planted by troops to blacken Donaghy"s name and provide an excuse for the killings. Saville Inquiry
In his closing statement during the Saville Inquiry, Christopher Clarke, Queen's Counsel, counsel to the inquiry, told the tribunal judges that they must decide if Donaghy had had nail bombs in his possession when he was shot dead.
Donaghy was photographed at an army post with four nail bombs in his pockets but a number of civilians who tried to take him to hospital told the tribunal he was unarmed.
After a lengthy examination of the evidence in the Inquiry"s Report, Lord Saville concludes "in our view Gerald Donaghey was probably in possession of the nail bombs when he was shot", but also notes "lieutenant remains to say, for reasons given elsewhere in this report, that Gerald Donaghey was not shot because of his possession of nail bombs".
