Easter Rising marked in commemorations across the island of Ireland

By Cate McCurry, PA

The 1916 Rising which prompted a series of events leading to the independence of Ireland has been marked in Dublin.

Irish President Michael D Higgins led the commemorations of the Easter Rising in a military ceremony outside the GPO on O’Connell Street in the capital, one of the main sites of the rebellion against British rule in 1916.

It was the first public event to mark the uprising since the beginning of the pandemic.

Mr Higgins laid a wreath during the ceremony, which began at midday on Sunday.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Minister for Defence Simon Coveney also attended the event as well as Defence Forces members, a brass band, and representatives of the Air Corps and the Naval Service.

The commemoration involved prayers of remembrance, and the Proclamation was read by Commandant Daire Roache, from Ballina, Co Mayo.

The Irish flag was lowered to half mast during the ceremony and Private Vincent Murray, of the 27th Infantry Battalion, played a lament outside the GPO.

Relatives of former Irish presidents and family members of the 1916 signatories were also in attendance.

The planned flypast by the Irish Air Corps was cancelled due to the weather.

The southern 26 counties in Ireland went on to become independent of British rule in 1922, and later became a republic in 1949 while the northern six counties remain part of the United Kingdom.

Meanwhile in Belfast, huge crowds took part in Easter commemorations to mark 106 years since the 1916 Rising.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald addressed those who gathered for the National Graves Association commemoration in Milltown Cemetery on Sunday afternoon.

(Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald addresses the National Graves Association commemoration to mark the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising, in Milltown Cemetery, Belfast - PA)