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Mexican newspaper under fire for Dolores O'Riordan 'It's A Zombie' headline

A Mexican newspaper has sparked backlash after it covered the sudden death of Cranberries’ front-woman Dolores O’Riordan alongside a headline that translates to: “It’s [a] Zombie”.

The shock headline was published in Metro, a Mexico City tabloid.

Dolores passed away earlier this week. Copyright: [Rex]
Dolores passed away earlier this week. Copyright: [Rex]

It appears that the controversial choice of words, ‘Ya Es Zombie’, was actually supposed to be an ill-advised reference to one of the Cranberries’ biggest hits, ‘Zombie’, which was about the IRA murder of two children.

Still, the “insensitive” headline was quickly blasted across social media, with one critic writing: “What a lack of professionalism!” another added: “Ridiculous, insensitive and ignorant”.

In addition, Spanish daily Publico branded the headline as “the most offensive of the year”.

Dolores, 46, was found dead in a London hotel room on Monday [15 January], with her death currently being described as unexplained, but not suspicious.

After news of her death broke, the father of the IRA victim who inspired ‘Zombie, Colin Parry, paid tribute to the star.

Speaking to RTE’s Morning Ireland, he said: “I didn’t know about the song until Monday when my wife told me.

The Cranberries in 1999. Copyright: [Rex]
The Cranberries in 1999. Copyright: [Rex]

“When I heard the song was about Warrington, I listened to it as carefully as I could to the words.

“I was very moved, certainly by the singing voice of Delores and the song itself but it was the sentiment behind it that was particularly captivating.

“For an Irish band to sing about the tragedy of my son and Johnathan dying is obviously very poignant.”

Mr. Parry’s son, Tim, 12, and three-year-old Jonathan Ball were killed during the Warrington bomb attacks in 1993, with the Cranberries paying tribute to the young boys in their 1994 hit single.

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