President Higgins leads tributes at Commemoration Day

The Defence Forces, led by President Michael D Higgins, were joined by members of the Government, Council of State, military veterans and the public in a commemoration of Irish people who died in wars or serving with the United Nations.

The stirring, outdoor ceremony was in the quadrangle of the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham. It featured a wreath-laying by the President with prayers led by leaders of Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths, and a fly-past by the Air Corps.

From early morning a regimental colour party, made up of representatives of all ranks, guards of honour and the military band and pipers of the First Brigade, took up positions in the quadrangle under a Tricolour flown at half-mast.

After they were joined by leaders of the main faiths, former presidents Dr Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese took their seats as Council of State members, as did chief justice Mrs Justice Susan Denham.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny took his seat to the tune of the Taoiseach's Salute from the military band under the baton of Capt Brian Prendergast.

Members of the Government were led into the quadrangle by Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald. They included Ministers Leo Varadkar, Richard Bruton, Charlie Flanagan, Mary Mitchell O’Connor and Simon Harris. Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness represented the Northern Ireland Assembly.

After the President inspected a guard of honour and representatives of the main faiths contributed individual prayers and music, he laid a wreath.

This was followed by a minute's silence which was broken by a cannon firing, after which trumpeters and drummers sounded the Last Post. The national flag was hoisted to full mast, to a drum roll. This was followed by the Reveille and national anthem. The Air Corps fly-past in eagle formation was led by Capt Odran Murphy.