President will lay wreath at GPO to mark Easter Rising

The official commemoration of the 1916 Rising this year will involve a wreath-laying ceremony outside the GPO in Dublin on Sunday…

The official commemoration of the 1916 Rising this year will involve a wreath-laying ceremony outside the GPO in Dublin on Sunday and a march-past by 350 members of the Defence Forces.

The Army brass and pipe bands will take part, along with other representatives of the Army, the Naval Service and the Air Corps. At noon the national flag will be lowered and a wreath laid by President McAleese in honour of those who died.

The Proclamation will be read by an Army officer, a minute's silence observed and the tricolour raised.

A reception will be held in the GPO afterwards. Relatives of those who took part in 1916 will be guests of honour.

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Sinn Féin will hold more than 100 Easter Rising commemorations. Speaking outside Leinster House yesterday, the head of Sinn Féin's national commemoration committee Francie Molloy MLA, said: "I invite people to join in our commemorations, celebrate 1916 and help us achieve Irish unity. I call on people to wear an Easter lily. It is important to pay tribute to all of those brave men and women who gave their lives in the cause of Irish freedom but we also need to deliver on the promise of the Proclamation. I want to call on all those who are committed to Irish reunification, to work together for that worthy and achievable goal."

Deaglán  De Bréadún

Deaglán De Bréadún

Deaglán De Bréadún, a former Irish Times journalist, is a contributor to the newspaper