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1 June 2015 Edition

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Public urged to get involved in centenary commemoration

Great grandsons of O’Donovan Rossa guests of honour at famous funeral to be re-enacted on Saturday 1 August

‘Come along and play your part in history this 1 August’

THE O’Donovan Rossa funeral on 1 August 1915 is widely recognised as the call to arms for the subsequent 1916 Rising. This public spectacle of strength and organisation by the Irish Volunteers and other groups brought over 100,000 onto the streets of Dublin to watch the funeral cortege pass by on its way to Glasnevin.

On 1 August 2015, Sinn Féin will re-enact this momentous occasion with a full funeral cortege procession from City Hall to Glasnevin, where an Irish Volunteers tribute and the famous Pearse graveside oration will take place at O’Donovan Rossa’s final resting place. 

A series of ancillary events including lectures, exhibitions, song and book launches will take part around the main event turning the August 2015 bank holiday weekend in Dublin into a ‘Fenian weekend’.

Bartle D’Arcy, National Programme Co-ordinator of the Sinn Feín Centenaries Commemorations Committee, says:

“This event marks the beginning of our 2016 programme and we want to provide a memorable occasion as a fitting tribute to the original.

“Using a period horse-drawn hearse with Irish Volunteers outriders, uniformed marching guard of honour, pipe bands and guests of honour – the great grandsons of O’Donovan Rossa himself – we also want to appeal to members of the public to join us in period dress for the procession.”

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• The Fenian Brotherhood – O'Donovan Rossa's great grandsons Rossa Williams Cole and Williams Rossa Cole with Sinn Féin National 1916 Co-ordinator Bartle D'Arcy (centre) in Dublin discussing plans for the re-enactment of the famous funeral cortege

Assembling at City Hall square at 1pm on Saturday 1 August this year, the funeral cortege will move down Dame Street, through College Green, up O’Connell Street and around Parnell Square on the way to Glasnevin. It will arrive just after 3pm when the graveside tribute will take place. 

The Cabra Historical Society and Claíomh re-enactors are practising drilling for the event and may be seen around the city leading up to the August Bank Holiday weekend. 

“Come along and play your part in history this 1 August,” Bartle D’Arcy says, encouraging people to take part.

Period dress can consist of straw boater, flat cap, ‘granddad shirt’ and jacket for the men and bonnets and long dresses for the women. 

For groups interested in taking part in this historical event, contact: [email protected]

For our full 2016 programme, go to: www.sinnfein.ie/1916

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An Phoblacht
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Ireland