The emergence of "Zombie" by The Cranberries as an Irish sporting anthem

Snooker Loopy

We all heard Zombie by The Cranberries being belted out around the Stade De France last night. Zombie was written in the wake of the 1993 PIRA bomb in Warrington which killed 3 year old Jonathan Ball and 12 year old Tim Parry.

What is absolutely hilarious is the reaction among some quarters to this emergence of the song as an Irish sporting anthem. Many of the same people who just a few weeks ago were taking great pleasure in the Up The Ra chant are now expressing grave offence at anti-violence song. Dolores O'Riordan and rugby supporters have been demonised as "partitionist", "West Brit", and all but branded as supporters of Loyalist terror groups and the British Army.

The message from these quarters is clear. They call for glorification of those who committed the murderous act that was the Warrington bomb. And they vilify the people who sing a song that called out those murderers.

This is the Disneyfication of Irish history in action, in plain sight. A Trump like cult mentality.

How do these people defend their barefaced hypocrisy?

https://twitter.com/TadhgHickey/status/1705695945474646232?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

https://twitter.com/ancamansoluis/status/1705691421062107403

https://twitter.com/DublinHistorian/status/1705862081247916468

Bobson Dugnutt

That Tadhg lad is about as funny as discovering a lump while taking a shower. Vein about to explode on the side of his head with rage.

That Zombie is absolutely riling up online outrage Shinners is great to see. First time in a while where they can’t control the narrative.

almostover

Seems like some people on twitter are fans of terrorists who blew up innocent children in Britian. Madness. The vast majority of decent Irish people both North and South found the murder of innocent British civilians abhorrent. Not to mention that Andy Farrell grew up not too far from Warrington and would have been about 18 at the time.

These people shouldn't be giving oxygen. Best of to leave them live in their black and white simplistic world where British = bad and Irish = good.

Snooker Loopy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121150450#Comment_121150450

I think because of the way the information environment works these people are going to get oxygen whatever happens. The best thing to do is expose how utterly stupid and intelligence insulting their "arguments" are.

I hope Zombie becomes as ubiquitous as The Fields Of Athenry. As well as being a great song, it would sicken their holes.

Hyperbollix

If ever there was an example of why social media is rotting society, this is it. I'm fairly sure Delores O'Riordan abhorred all violence committed by all sides.

The truth is Zombie and what it's about is as far removed and as alien to the 20 to 40 year old "craic merchants" singing it in the Stade de France as The Fields of Athenry and the famine have always been to match goers over the last 30 to 40 years.

It's a song that lends itself well to thousands of voices. It's older than most people singing it. It's passed into modern Irish music folklore. That's about it.

Bobson Dugnutt

Shinner attempts to rewrite the narrative about the IRA usually works these days. The brave young lads in the scratchy jumpers taking out the Brits. Trying to sweep under the carpet the kneecappings, the sectarian murders, the child abuse coverups, the young lad beaten to death in a shed, the touting, the smuggling.

Zombie was written partly about how these two young kids went shopping on a Saturday afternoon and were murdered by an IRA bomb left in a shopping centre.

growleaves

I didn't see any demonisation of Dolores O'Riordan as a "partitionist" or "West Brit", can you link to that?

Snooker Loopy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121150475#Comment_121150475

My original post already demonstrates how she is being demonised as a partitionist. Look harder.

A few examples of the latter here. I have one thing to say to these people - up fer feckin' bollix.

https://twitter.com/Newrygal1/status/1705686820367765674

https://twitter.com/politicalcaster/status/1705908768091918731

https://twitter.com/Uibhfhaili/status/1705708491984486550

growleaves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121150507#Comment_121150507

Criticising a song Dolores O'Riordain wrote as a "partitionist anthem" is not demonising DO'R as a "partitionist". People are attacking the song and what they think the lyrics represent (for good or ill). They are not engaging in personal demonisation or even mentioning O'Riordain as far as I can see, unless you can link to where they are.

You've shown time and time again across multiple threads that you are sloppy and careless with words and definitions.

Snooker Loopy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121150474#Comment_121150474

Robert Thompson and Jon Venables were 10 years old when they murdered James Bulger. The bastards who did the Warrington bomb and murdered a 3 year old and 12 year old were adults.

Bobson Dugnutt

Not completing your leaving cert means you are doomed to a life of not understanding history and making “bad” political choices. A lot of the SF fan base over on Twitter are angry malcontents. Thick as two short planks as well in a lot of cases. Anger and stupidity is a potent and dangerous combination.

growleaves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121150623#Comment_121150623

Okay well that is personal criticism of DOR, implying she was 'uneducated', not sure I'd call it demonisation though bit of a low blow.

Tork

The killing of those two children in Warrington doesn't fit into the narrative that the 'Ra had to defend nationalists in the north. That might be one reason why this is getting up the noses of some. I was a teenager when the Warrington bombing happened so I have some memory of what the reaction to it was like at the time. People had grown accustomed to hearing about shootings, bombings and punishment beatings on the news every other day but this atrocity was so awful, it stood out. Ordinary Irish people were appalled at the time and were troubled by atrocities like this being carried out in their name. You can tear the lyrics of Zombie apart if you want but they're broadly in line with what a lot of people were thinking 29 years ago. A lot has changed since and we shouldn't try to analyze this with 2023 eyes.

Snooker Loopy

Look at this total moron.

IN YOUR HEAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!

https://twitter.com/SamNoone45/status/1705692288817451441

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121150662#Comment_121150662

The movie about Colin and Wendy Parry and Warrington and the peace campaigner Susan McHugh (I forget the name of it but it was shown on the BBC and RTE) touches on the fact that northern nationalists were angry at McHugh for focussing in on only republican violence and ignoring what the British and loyalists were doing.

But that largely ignores the fact that the IRA were supposedly operating on behalf of the Irish nation and the Irish people, whereas the British weren't, and McHugh was arguably well within her rights to call for a halt to the IRA's activities.

Furze99

It's a great anthemic song, perfect for crowds. And more relevant to the modern history of Ireland than the maudlin Athenry.

Musicrules

I think it's widely accepted that the PIRA shouldn't have sunk to the levels of the British side in the war. But you have to remember the circumstances at the time. Loyalists, the ruc and the British armed forces were teaming up together to not only attack Nationalists, beat them in their homes and to discriminate against them but they murdered large numbers of innocents, over 1,000 between them.

There were thoughts from some that Britain deserved a taste of their own medicine. This was wrong, innocent British people didn't deserve to die because of the actions of their armed forces. It has to be said though, for the most part, the PIRA stuck with targeting active combatants. It was a nasty, dirty war, like all wars but the PIRA fought the cleaner war. It's easy for those in the south to criticise while knowing very little about what northern Nationalists had to go through.

Thankfully, the truth of the war is more widely known now, people have more access to the facts and the media lies and spin can easily be brushed aside.

Kermit.de.frog

The areas rugby is primarily played in Ireland are about as far flung from the lived experience of catholics in the north prior to and during a good chunk of the troubles as you can possibly get.

It's not surprising that ignorance gets exposed from time to time. Most of those rugby fans don't even care about the lyrics, they just think the song sounds good.

I wouldn't read too much in to it.

What will irk more people, in my opinion rightfully so, is that our national anthem will not be played once at the rugby world cup. If we get to the final it won't be played at the final.

We have the dreadful "Ireland's Call" foisted upon us to appease a tiny minority in the north. I have no problem with it being sung but the least they can do is also play our own anthem at the tournament.

Str8outtaWuhan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121151072#Comment_121151072

Who fears to speak of Easter week.

Snooker Loopy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121151072#Comment_121151072

Anhran na bhFiann is the national anthem of the 26 counties, not 32.

Zombie is an anti-violence song written in the wake of the Warrington bomb, which was a bomb planted by a murder gang who erroneously claimed to be doing it "our" (the Irish people's) name. That bomb killed a 3 year old and a 12 year old and sparked wide revulsion in Ireland and everywhere else.

The only possible reason anybody could have for objecting to people singing it is they support 3 year olds and 12 year olds being blown up by terrorist bombs.

Calahonda52

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121150662#Comment_121150662

Neither did this fit into the narrative.

Murder of Jean McConvilleWikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Murder_of_Jean_Mc...

Kermit.de.frog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121151103#Comment_121151103

It doesn't matter that it is the national anthem of 26 counties.

It is our national anthem.

They can easily play both at the tournament same as they do at the Aviva but the IRFU decided not to.

I have no issue with Zombie as I explained.

Bounty Hunter

Having grown up playing Rugby from under 8s to now being almost 40. Being a Munster man but having spent most of my rugby playing time in Dublin/Leinster. The vast vast majority of Rugby people I know like Irelands call, understand why it was introduced and have no issue with it. Yes we would prefer if our actual anthem was played but we moved on from that a long time ago (I was barely a teenager iirc when it was introduced).

The people turning things like Zombie into a political football aren't Rugby people like myself however. The rugby fans like myself (No I am not lucky enough to have been there) who were singing and had that great Irish song echoing around the Stade De France after an epic victory i'd wager don't give an F about the politicizing of this. All they care about is that we just beat the world champions and are ranked world no.1 and now will most likely play New Zealand in the next round, anything else is in your heeead, in your heead.

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121150475#Comment_121150475

that's because it never happened, just the op looking for an excuse to engage in fo/fake outrage over nothing by pretending something happened that didn't.

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121150696#Comment_121150696

the chap is simply expressing an opinion.

that doesn't make him a moron, even if he is incorrect.

TokTik

Zombie: Excellent song to listen to. Dolores sounds phenomenal singing it.

As a sporting anthem it’s an absolute dirge.

Don’t care what it’s about. Sounds awful being belted out by a crowd of drunks.

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121151103#Comment_121151103

Anhran na bhFiann is the national anthem of the 32 county republic, and upon reunification it will be the national anthem of said 32 county republic as intended.

your last sentence is a disgraceful allegation and you should do the decent thing and withdraw it as it's an abomination to make such a claim.

Snooker Loopy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121151344#Comment_121151344

There is no 32 county Republic.

The IRA were a murder gang. The people who did Warrington were worse than Robert Thompson and Jon Venables and the only objection one could have to a song written in anger in response to that bombing is if one supported killing 3 year olds.

Barstool nationalists hate having reality pointed out to them.

Snooker Loopy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121151135#Comment_121151135

The Ireland rugby team comprises two nations. I presume you're in favour of the Lions having God Save The King played and God Save The King only on the basis of to hell with the lesser nation involved in that team and to hell with respect?

downthemiddle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121150808#Comment_121150808

Lies and spin sums up your post.

Tell the people of Enniskillen the IRA fought cleaner. Perhaps you can explain what was clean about it.

Tell the family of Jean McConville they fought the cleaner fight. Perhaps you can explain what was clean about it.

Tell the people of Birmingham they fought the cleaner fight. Perhaps you can explain what was clean about it.

Tell the family of Robert McCartney they fought the cleaner fight. Perhaps you can explain what was clean about it.

Tell the families of the 644 innocent civilians they murdered they fought the cleaner fight. Perhaps you can explain what was clean about it.

Lies and spin.

Kermit.de.frog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121151393#Comment_121151393

I'm not sure what your argument is. I'm not arguing for the national anthem only to be played.

Both the national anthem and Ireland's Call are played at the Aviva.

It should be the same at the world cup.