THE 16th anniversary of the IRA bombing of Warrington will be marked this year by the laying of daffodils close to the site in Bridge Street where two boys lost their lives.
Tim Parry, aged 12 and Johnathan Ball, aged three, were killed while shopping for Mother’s Day presents when two 
bombs were detonated in waste bins. Another 56 people were injured, some seriously.
The atrocity resulted in the setting up of a peace movement in Warrington which, in turn led to the building of the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Young People’s Peace Centre at Great Sankey and which has played a significant role in ending the “troubles” in Northern Ireland.
This year’s ceremony owes much to a young man who set up a Facebook page to remember the event.
Joe Tierney, from Sankey Bridges, Warrington, created the page after discovering there was nothing about the bombing on Facebook. In just two weeks, more than 5,000 people joined in the remembrance, with many posting their memories of the day.
He said: “I was surprised when I found there was nothing about the bombing on Facebook and felt that there should be. I have been amazed by the response and the number of people who have joined the page.”
Joe contacted the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace to see if they could help raise awareness of the event.
Clare White, of the Foundation, said: “Many of the people who posted called for an event which the community could get involved with at a time to suit them. Therefore although the actual anniversary is on tomorrow, Friday, we’ve agreed with the council that people can lay daffodils at the site of the plaque on Bridge Street throughout Saturday. We ask everyone to remember all those who were affected on that day.”
The Bridge Street bombing took place in 1993 and the Peace Centre, a living legacy and memorial to the two boys, was opened in March 2000. The Foundation is the only organization in the UK which works with victims and survivors of political violence to enable them to do something positive
Pictured: tragic Tim Parry and Johnathan Ball
Flowers – in memory of town's IRA victims
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About Author
Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
