A Song of Hope for Ireland

Zombie, by the Cranberries, highlights the trauma that Northern Ireland dealt during the

period 1970s through the 200s, mostly highlighting the 1990s. The song itself calls for peace in

Ireland as it shows how many children are getting hurt and dying because of the continuing

violence.

Ireland, in 1916, was owned by the British and many people felt in the country that it was

time to break apart and declare independence from Britain. The Irish Republican Army, a people

led militia, staged the Easter Uprising of 1926 in which southern Ireland successfully obtained

independence from Britain under the capital of Dublin. Northern Ireland sadly remained under

British control with the capital of Belfast (History of Northern Ireland).

During the 1970s through to the end of the 1990s, there was beginning violence between

two different groups that were beginning to take form in Northern Ireland: the Nationalists and

the Unionists. The Nationalists wanted to stay with Britain in control of Northern Ireland while

the Unionists wanted to unite with the southern Republic of Ireland and get independence from

Britain. The Unionists began to stage riots, draining the police of power. This led to the British

Army being called in which caused so much more harm then good (History of Northern Ireland).

Into this stage the Cranberries sing their song. They call for peace between these two

factions that continue to cause vast death in this region. They highlight the loss of children’s

lives through how a mother’s heart is breaking and gain emotional sympathy through this. They

main title “Zombie” is to not symbolize the dead people, but to symbolize how this violence

numbs your mind as you get used to it in a sad way. The music video is also highly charged with

pathos as it is focused around the death of the children of the region; i.e. in the middle the

children that have died earlier in the song are crying as angels (Zombie, Zombie Lyrics).
 The Cranberries are really trying to call out for peace in this region and this song greatly

appealed as it was on the top 100 list in Europe and especially appealed to the desolate souls in

Ireland. Violence was not stopped by this song, but the death begun to finally be seen by people

around the world. This led to calls for peace in the nation and focused more of the world’s hearts

unto those broken by the murder and pain.

Sources

Zombie (song). (2009, May 18). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 01:55, May 19,

2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zombie_(song)&oldid=290751783

Sean O’Neil. History of Northern Ireland. Emerald Books ©1999.

Zombie Lyrics. (2009 May 21). http://www.lyrics007.com/Cranberries%20Lyrics/Zombie%20L

yrics.html. The Cranberries.