The father of a 12-year-old boy who was killed in the Warrington bombing has expressed surprise at the controversy surrounding fans singing The Cranberries song 'Zombie' at rugby matches.

Following Ireland's win over South Africa at the Rugby World Cup in Paris on Saturday, 'Zombie' was played over the loudspeakers at Stade de France, with crowds of Irish fans singing along to the song. Heated online debates over the popular protest song ensued, with many taking to social media to voice their opinions.

Colin Parry, father of Tim Parry - who died in the 1993 bombing, told Newstalk Breakfast that when the song was first released he thought it was a peace song calling for people to turn away from violence.

"It came as a surprise that there was a suggestion that it was being used in some other sort of sectarian way, which I couldn't really understand," Parry said.

"If it's a song they sing because they simply like the tune and they like the singing of it, then I don't see the song being controversial. I don't have a problem with that at all."

The late Cranberries frontwoman, Dolores O'Riardon, penned the hit about the Warrington bombing, which claimed the lives of two young boys, including Parry's son.

"Having read the words themselves, I was convinced it was a call for peace after the Warrington bombing. It’s as simple as that for me," he added.

Alluding to a recent controversy surrounding the Irish Women's football team, Parry said: "I think the other recent outburst of 'Up the RA' stuff that was going on is more of a concern because there's no ambiguity about what that's about."

"It's about time that when young people start to sing these things, that they try and realise just the historic significance of these sort of songs and how divisive they are," he concluded.