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They were two boys whose murder by terrorists shocked the world and galvanised strangers to stand up to the IRA.
On Saturday, March 20, 1993, the day before Mother's Day, an IRA bomb exploded without warning in a rubbish bin in Warrington's Bridge Street shopping area.
Three-year-old Jonathan Ball was killed instantaneously.
Moments later a second bomb exploded, seriously injuring 50 people and claiming the life of another child, 12-year-old Tim Parry, who died in hospital five days later after his parents, Colin and Wendy, had to take the unimaginable step of turning off his life-support machine.
The reaction worldwide to what happened in Warrington was one of revulsion and locally anger was directed at the Irish community.
Across the Irish Sea, however, the anger manifested itself into something unexpected and uplifting and it forms the basis of a new BBC drama Mother's Day.
(Image: PA)
The killing of the two innocent boys was a step to far for many who by their silence had supported the armed struggle.
At the time Susan McHugh, then 37, was an ordinary wife and mother living in Clontarf, Dublin.
After hearing of the Warrington tragedy, she said she felt the impulse to pick up the phone to book a hall at Trinity College, Dublin and later announced on the radio phone-in Liveline the holding of a protest meeting.
She voiced her indignation as an Irish citizen about what had been committed "in her name"
She asked people to join her at a public meeting at TCD on March 24 - 1,000 attended.
(Image: PA)
Her rallying speech
At the time, the mum of two said: "The IRA did not kill Johnathan Ball in my name or in your name.
"I want to tell the world tonight they did not kill him in the name of Ireland.
"There's nothing wrong with being emotional about a little baby's death. I feel horror, revulsion and sadness. But that's not enough. Tonight I feel anger.
"I feel angry and frustrated because the political will is not there to end the violence. We've listened too long to rhetoric with no results.
"Sincere people will say everything has been tried. Maybe it's time it was looked at from a different angle.
(Image: Daily Mirror)
(Image: Daily Mirror)
"Maybe it's time we asked for UN troops and independent arbitrators from Europe or the outside world."
She appealed to politicians of all parties on both sides of the border. ''We demand an immediate peace plan . . . tonight is a night to remember,'' she said. ''We, the silent majority, say enough is enough.''
The peace rally
A peace rally in O'Connell Street followed, attended by 20,000 people.
It was a pivotal moment; the launch of "the Peace Consensus" and a demonstration of "people power", as journalist Bernie Ni Fhlatharta put it, that would do something the politicians had failed to do: kick-start the peace process and ultimately remake the political landscape of Northern Ireland.
Across the country scores of people signed books of condolence in churches around Ireland and thousands of bouquets of flowers were transported by the Irish Air Corps to the funeral of Jonathan Ball.
At one rally McHugh shouted: "Please, please, please, make it stop!"
She was cheered by grim-faced people standing near the post office in the rain, many wearing white ribbons for peace.
(Image: PA)
"Enough is enough"
In an interview before the demonstration she said: "I'm only saying what the majority of people in the country say. Enough is enough. We don't want any more deaths. We want a cease-fire."
At the time she was lionized by the media as the leader of a new peace movement, but she insisted: "I'm an ordinary mum, a housewife."
It was a dramatic time as the world searched for an end to violence and is seen by some as the moment peace seemed within reach. A year later the IRA announced a ceasefire, it was not to last, but it was the beginning of the end.
Is Mother's Day true?
Now a BBC drama Mother's Day will tell the story of McHugh, played by Vicky McClure (Line of Duty, The Replacement) and Wendy Parry, played by Anna Maxwell Martin (Motherland, Good Omens) the mother of 12 year old Tim Parry who lost his life in the attack.
(Image: Maxwell Picture Agency Limited)
Vicky McClure said: “Susan McHugh’s actions back in 1993 remain just as inspirational today as they were 25 years ago. I feel truly privileged to play her in this incredibly moving new film.”
The one-off episode drama –marking 25 years since the protest – will see the British and Irish mothers unite against the atrocities committed during the Troubles.
Mother’s Day is set to air on BBC2 in Autumn 2018
Room 101 returns with host Frank Skinner. Vicky McClure, Sandi Toksvig and Josh Widdicombe compete to have their pet hates and peeves consigned to Room 101. Topics include real ale, hotel leaflets and coat hangers.
Winston
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