Easter Rising’s 106th anniversary marked at GPO in Dublin

The 106th anniversary of the Easter Rising was marked at the GPO on Dublin’s O’Connell Street on Sunday.

Defence Forces chaplain Fr Pascal Hanrahan said as those who died in the 1916 Rising “entered the uncertainty of their time, so we too are called to journey generously through these dark times towards an Ireland that celebrates diversity, welcomes the stranger, promotes peace, embraces the light of true freedom and inclusion” .

“May we show to one another and the world that beyond darkness there is hope, making real the dreams of new possibilities, new perspectives, a new dawn,” he said.

The commemoration was attended by President Michael D. Higgins and his wife, Sabina, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Minister for Defence Simon Coveney, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan, Cathaoirleach of the Seanad Senator Mark Daly and Lord Mayor of Dublin Alison Gilliland. Members of the Army, Navy and Air Corps took part as did the Army Band 2nd Brigade, based in Athlone.

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On his arrival, Mr Higgins inspected his guard of honour. The Tricolour on the GPO was lowered and Fr Hanrahan led a prayer of remembrance. The lament Wrap the Green Flag Round Me Boys was played by piper Pte Vincent Murray who, in 41 years with the Defence Forces, has served on 11 overseas missions .

The 1916 Proclamation was read by Cmdt Daire Roche from Ballina, Co Mayo. On the Taoiseach’s invitation, Mr Higgins then laid a wreath, after which a minute’s silence was observed. The Last Post was played and the Tricolour raised to full mast. Reville was sounded followed by the national anthem.

Unusually there was no Air Corps fly-past to end the ceremony this year, as in other years. Asked why, a Government spokesman responded: “Weather!” There was a low cloud cover but the rain held off.

Deeply personal

For TD Seán Haughey this annual event is a deeply personal experience. “It’s very poignant for me. My grandfather Seán Lemass was a 16-year-old in the GPO and his brother Noel was in the Imperial Hotel across the road.

“When the Rising started they went to go to their posts but they couldn’t get in where they were supposed to go and they, kind of, knocked on the door of the GPO and they were let in. They lived in Capel Street.”

His mother, Maureen, was Seán Lemass’s daughter.

He said attending the annual commemoration invariably made “the hairs on the back of my head rise”.

“It’s great to think what they did; that we have an independent, democratic, modern state when you think of everything going on in the world today.”

He was wearing two War of Independence medals, awarded to his Haughey grandparents, Cmdt John Haughey and Sarah McWilliams.

“My grandfather fought in the War of Independence in Derry and my grandmother was in Cumann na mBan. They were both from Swatragh.”

The medals “were locked in a safe.Nobody knew where they were and, when the last sibling Fr Eoin Haughey died, I was executor of the will. It was produced and the medals, there they were in the solicitor’s office all the time,” he said.

Mr Haughey’s father and grandfather were taoisigh, which he said was a source of great pride.

“They both did the State some service. It’s very nice for us to see Seán Lemass so celebrated now. History has really shown him to be one of the great taoisigh.”