‘Zombie is anti-violence song’ - Dolores O'Riordan's mother says amid rugby controversy

Eileen O’Riordan, mother of the late Dolores, has said that her daughter would be “proud” that her music is being sung at sporting events across the world.

Eileen made the comments this Tuesday following the controversy surrounding The Cranberries’ hit song Zombie being adopted as an unofficial celebratory anthem of the Irish rugby team.

A debate started on social media after Irish fans sang the song following Ireland’s win over South Africa at the Rugby World Cup in Paris.

Released in 1994, The Cranberries' lead singer Dolores was inspired to write the song after the death of two children in the 1993 Warrington bombings, which were carried out by the IRA.

Speaking to the Limerick Leader this Tuesday, Eileen, who lives in Ballybricken, said her daughter wrote the lyrics as an “anti-violence song”.

“Dolores was against violence of any kind and she was very upset by the deaths of those two children in Warrington," she commented.

People have been divided on the subject with some suggesting that the song, which has now been streamed over one billion times on Spotify, is a “partitionist anthem”.

The lyrics make reference to 1916 and weapons such as tanks and bombs.

The song has largely been interpreted as an anti-Troubles and anti-war song since its release nearly 30 years ago.

“It wasn’t written as a political song but as an anti-violence, an anti-war song," Eileen continued.

"I remember walking with Dolores outside Kilmallock near the studio and she was talking about it.

“Violence against children greatly upset her, I remember she was very upset by the death of Jamie Bulger also."

In terms of both Zombie and Dreams being sung at big sporting occasions including Limerick hurling matches and Munster and Ireland rugby games - Eileen said she is very proud, and Dolores would also be very proud, to see The Cranberries’ songs being sung in the right spirit on the local, national and international sporting stage.

Five-year-old Limerick boy guides ambulance to mother in medical emergency

“I was in Lourdes recently and my friends were showing me videos on TikTok of people singing the songs and I was very proud. They are Limerick songs. Dolores would be very proud as well. I see they were sung at The Ryder Cup at the weekend too and it was great to see,” she said.

Rory McIlroy was greeted with chants of 'Rory, Rory, Rory' to the tune of Zombie as he began his Ryder Cup round on Sunday.

Colin Parry, the father of twelve-year-old Tim who was killed in the Warrington bombings, said he was “surprised” about the controversy.

Mr Parry told Newstalk Breakfast that he believes the song is calling for people to turn away from violence.

“It came as a surprise that there was a suggestion that it was being used in some other sort of sectarian way, which I couldn't really understand.

“If it's a song they sing because they simply like the tune and they like the singing of it, then I don't see the song being controversial.”