When Dolores O’Riordan heard the news about bombings in Warrington while on the United Kingdom leg of The Cranberries’ tour, she sat down and wrote “Zombie”. The provisional Irish Republican Army or IRA set off a bomb in Warrington killing two young boys, which sparked the inspiration for the band’s song.  

 

Another Mother’s breaking

Heart is slowly taken over

When the violence causes silence

We must be mistaken

 

It’s the same old team  

since 1916

In your head, in your head

They’re still fighting  

 

O’Riordan’s lyrics shed light on the aftermath of what disasters like this do to people. The line “it’s the same old team, since 1916” is referring to the IRA’s terrorism on the United Kingdom due occupation in northern ireland. “Violence causes silence, we must be mistaken,” she is calling out the fact that violence is not the answer. It kills people silencing their voices and rendering healing almost impossible.