Park to remember child bomb victim

Michelle Baird was among the victims of the Shankill bomb

A children's park is to be renamed in honour of the youngest victim of an IRA bomb atrocity.

Seven-year-old Michelle Baird was killed along with eight other civilians and IRA man Thomas Begley when a bomb ripped through a fish shop on the Protestant Shankill Road in west Belfast in 1993.

Belfast's deputy lord mayor, Frank McCoubrey, is to unveil a plaque rededicating the park which has been extensively upgraded.

The decision to rename the park was taken five years ago but it was decided to await the modernisation of facilities before organising an official ceremony.

"This is going to be a very sad occasion for the Baird family and for the people of Glencairn estate," he said.

Ulster Unionist councillor Jim Rodgers said the park was a "fitting tribute for a girl who was full of life".

Earlier this week, a woman whose parents were killed in the explosion lost her appeal against the early release of the man who killed them.

Vociferous campaign

Sean Kelly was convicted of murder but under the early prisoner release scheme, dictated by the Good Friday Agreement, is expected to be freed later this month.

But Michelle Williamson, who lost her parents, George and Gillian, in the atrocity, has fought vociferously to keep him behind bars.

On Tuesday, Ms Williamson failed in an attempt to challenge a government ruling that the IRA ceasefire was still intact - which could ultimately have meant Kelly being refused early release.

Now she has said she is giving up her campaign on health grounds.