httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c017Nprdteo&feature=player_embedded
But rather than speak of her own grief, the recently widowed nurse used the moment to issue a powerful message of defiance against terrorism.
Her day was meant to be very different. Her eldest son, Cathair, an IT security specialist for a bank in Australia, was flying back to be with her.
Ronan, 25, who passed out as a police constable three months ago, would be coming from just down the road from his new home in Omagh.
However, on the first Mothering Sunday since he moved out, this would be no less important.
To Mrs Kerr, her youngest son had been simply, her “rock”, according to friends. During her husband’s long battle with a brain tumour, which finally claimed his life in October 2008, she had given up her work as a nurse in the local hospital to care for him. Ronan, who worked in a series of hard manual jobs, remained at home supporting her.
With his mother back at work, he was himself struggling to find long-term employment and began to be attracted by the drive to recruit more Catholic officers into the Police Service of Northern Ireland — the replacement for the once Protestant-dominated RUC.
Ronan Kerr’s Death: A Mother’s Day Tragedy (Telegraph)
“Today in our land a small collection of people will be congratulating themselves, getting pats on the back, smirking that their demented “cause” is back at the top of news agendas.
“Ancient half-truths and myths will be voiced as justification for barbarous actions. They will be happy.”
Investigation Into Fatal Bombing Continues (Irish Times)