‘I revved up and sped off, to let her know I was angry’

ALAN McBride’s wife Sharon (right) was one of nine civilians killed in the IRA’s 1993 Shankill bomb which exploded in her father’s fish shop. She was 29 and had a two-year-old daughter, Zoe. Alan said:

“Zoe and Sharon were inseparable. It was lovely to just watch the two of them.

“I remember Zoe’s face lighting up when she heard her mummy’s car pulling up and she knew she was home. We had two years together as a family.

“That Saturday, it was her sister’s turn to work but Beth was going to a wedding and asked Sharon to swap with her. I dropped Sharon off.

“As she was getting out of the car, I asked, ‘Did you remember to tape the football?’ She had forgotten. I wasn’t happy. I closed the door and sped off — revved the engine up to let her know I wasn’t happy. Crazy like, looking back now that that was the last exchange I had with her.

“We were the last family to be told.

“The doctor and a nurse came over and showed me Sharon’s wedding and engagement rings.

“The next day was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do — to tell Zoe.

“I took her on my knee and looked up at the photograph of me and Sharon on our wedding day.

“I said, ‘Zoe who’s that in the picture?’

“She said ‘It’s mummy’.

“I said, ‘Well your mummy’s gone to be with Jesus for a bit’.

“To this day, Zoe has never asked me any questions. We’ve never talked about it.

“Zoe’s got blonde hair so you sort of think she looks like me. But if you look at her face, it’s Sharon’s face and beautiful eyes.”