Sinn Féin's chief negotiator Martin McGuinness has said his party aims to be in government on both sides of the Border and claimed the countdown is now on to a united Ireland.
Speaking at an Easter commemoration in Drumboe, Co Donegal, the deputy first minister-designate echoed comments by party president Gerry Adams who said in Dublin that the Irish Government should work earnestly for unity.
Claiming that the republican struggle was now in its "end phase", Mr McGuinness said: "I truly believe that we have begun the countdown to a united Ireland". Addressing the Republic's main parties he said: "Sinn Féin is the only party with the courage to say it aloud, and encourage proper management of the transition. Denying the obvious will serve no purpose, other than to give false hope to those wishing it were not so." He called on the parties in the South to build what he called "an alliance for unity" and warned them off "rhetorical" republicanism in the forthcoming election campaign.
But he also called on nationalists to take into account the fears of unionists concerning unity.
"I believe that the story of this election will be the growth of the Sinn Féin vote, and the increased number of seats that we will win in Leinster House," he said.
"Our task in the weeks and months ahead is to reap what we have sown - to ensure that the support won by your hard work is mobilised on polling day.
"It is our task to ensure that we continue to work to bring the goals of Irish unity and independence to realisation."
Speaking at the Belfast commemoration, North Belfast Assembly member and incoming junior minister Gerry Kelly claimed that unionists had crossed a Rubicon by agreeing to share power with Sinn Féin.
Addressing a crowd in Milltown Cemetery in west Belfast, Mr Kelly praised the IRA. "They have played a central role in this phase of the struggle and I commend their initiatives, patience, discipline and tenacity," he said.
Republican Sinn Féin vice president Des Dalton addressed a commemoration in Derry during which he denounced what he called the "Provo sellout".