By Rebecca Black, PA
A seismic uprising which prompted a series of events leading to the independence of Ireland has been marked 105 years on.
President Michael D Higgins led the commemorations of the Easter Rising from his official residence, Áras an Uachtaráin.
A second non-public event was held at the GPO on O’Connell Street in Dublin, one of the main sites of the rebellion against British rule in 1916.
On Easter Sunday, 4 April, President Michael D. Higgins will lead a commemoration ceremony marking the 105th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising.https://t.co/fIKPnyzMPM pic.twitter.com/cXYLxt9nvN
— President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) April 1, 2021
For the second year in a row, events were adapted to abide by coronavirus regulations.
President Higgins rang the Peace Bell before laying a wreath at a group of 16 birch trees that were planted in 2019 in memory of the executed Rising leaders.
The laying of the wreath was followed by a minute’s silence, commemorating those who died in the Rising as well as the victims of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Privileged to be at the #GPO today for the reading of the Proclamation and Commemoration of the Easter Rising. #staysafe @defenceforces pic.twitter.com/KQ8DWityEu
— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) April 4, 2021
Taoiseach Micheál Martin attended the event at the GPO which featured a military ceremony, music, prayers and a performance of the National Anthem by soprano Claudia Boyle.
The proclamation was read by Captain Marie Carrigy from Co Longford.
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.
