The legacy of the Warrington IRA bomb 30 years on
It was the day before Mothering Sunday when the IRA planted two bombs in waste bins in Warrington Town Centre, exploding within a minute of each other.
Two boys were murdered in the attack; three-year-old Jonathan Ball died instantly, while 12-year-old Tim Parry died five days later in hospital. A total of 54 people were injured.
What happened?
Saturday, March 20, 1993 - 11.58am: The Samaritans received a coded warning about a bomb outside a Boots chemist shop in Liverpool, 16 miles from Warrington.
Merseyside Police responded to the warning and informed Cheshire Police, who patrolled Warrington town centre.
12.25pm: Two bombs, hidden in separate cast-iron litter bins, exploded on Bridge Street, the first outside a British Gas showroom and the second near Argos and Boots.
The first explosion drove panicking shoppers into the path of the next blast just seconds later, with police describing the bins and shrapnel as ‘huge hand grenades’.
Who were the victims?
Johnathan Ball, three, was in town with his babysitter buying a Mother's Day Card. He was killed at the scene.
Tim Parry was caught in the full force of the blast, and died in his father's arms five days later in hospital after his life support machine was switched off.
The Provisional IRA
The Provisional IRA issued a statement the day after the bombing, claiming the authorities failed to act on adequate warnings.
It said: "Responsibility for the tragic and deeply regrettable death and injuries caused in Warrington yesterday lies squarely at the door of those in the British authorities who deliberately failed to act on precise and adequate warnings."
Senior police disputed that clear warnings had been given and believed the attack was a reprisal for the police's success after the IRA's bombing of a gasworks in Warrington, just weeks before.
At 4:10am on 26 February 1993 the bombs exploded at the Winwick Road gasworks at 4.10am, causing a 1,000ft high fireball, but failed to destroy surrounding tanks averting a major disaster.
Páidric MacFhloinn, aged 40, and Denis Kinsella, age 25, were arrested during a high speed police chase and were jailed a year later. A third member, Michael Timmins escaped.
Its legacy
Shortly after the bombings, a group called "Peace '93" was set up and thousands held a peace rally in Dublin.
One of its organisers was a housewife and mother, Susan McHugh and a message of sorrow and apology was taken to Warrington for the boys' funeral.
The Peace Centre
On the fifth anniversary of the bombings a fundraising campaign was backed by the former Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam to build the town's Peace Centre.
It was the idea of Colin and Wendy Parry, Tim's parents, who wanted to know why Warrington had been targeted.
The centre opened on 20 March 2000, on the seventh anniversary, and remains a lasting memorial to their son Tim and three-year-old Jonathan.
Its aim was to help promote peace and understanding amongst all communities affected by conflict and violence.
Over more than two decades it has provided support and counselling for young people, including more than 1,000 people affected by the attack at the Manchester Arena.
Colin Parry developed what he described as a "positive relationship" with Sinn Fein's Martin McGuiness, a former IRA commander, inviting him to the Peace Centre and sharing a platform with him.
Reacting to Mr McGuinness's death in 2017, Mr Parry said: "Forgiveness never comes into it. I don't forgive Martin. I don't forgive the IRA - nor does my wife, nor do my children.
"But setting aside forgiveness, the simple fact is I found Martin McGuinness to be an easy and pleasant man to talk to - a man who I believe was sincere in his desire for peace and maintaining the peace process at all costs."
In reference to the 30th anniversary of the Warrington bombing, Wendy Parry tweeted: "It will be 30 years since we last saw Tim's happy smiling face.
"I wonder if the people who planted the bomb ever think about what they did to us as a family."
No one has ever been charged in connection with the Warrington bombing.