15 April 2004 Edition

Resize: A A A Print

Dublin marks 1916

The front of the Dublin parade

The front of the Dublin parade

Over 3,000 people took part in the Easter Sunday parade in Dublin, a substantial increase on last year despite efforts by the City Council to disrupt attendance by removing posters advertising the march.

Dublin EU candidate Mary Lou McDonald chaired the proceedings and the crowd was entertained by music from Pat Savage and friends before moving off following the reading of the Proclamation by Ciarán Mac Annraoí and Sorcha Nic Cormaic. The march proceeded down O'Connell Street, where it paused for a minute's silence and the lowering of the flags in front of the GPO.

The parade was the culmination of a series of commemorative ceremonies and other events held right across Dublin.

At the end of March, the James Connolly Memorial Lecture commenced the Easter calendar and saw speakers from the broad left political parties, trade unions and the NGO sector debate the possibility of a future left alternative to the present right-wing administration.

The events of Easter Week were vividly recalled in the 1916 Walking Tour with local historians Lorcan Collins and Shane Mac Thomáis entertaining and educating a mixed groups of curious tourists and republicans on Good Friday.

The social aspect was well catered for and the 1983 Great Escape Night with Gerry Kelly, Bobby Storey and Bik McFarlane proved the best draw in a packed social calendar, which included traditional and rebel ballad nights and a film night with special guest Danny Morrison. The more energetic comrades competed for the 1981 Hunger Strike Perpetual Trophy in a five-a-side soccer tournament in Crumlin.

The commemorations proper commenced on Easter Saturday, with a wreath-laying ceremony at Arbour Hill, the first occasion in memory that republicans have marked the occasion there. For the second year, the Asgard landing, which supplied many of the rifles used in Easter Week, was remembered by Dublin Northeast Sinn Féin, with Mary Lou McDonald the main speaker.

Sinn Féin held Easter commemoration ceremonies in Ballyfermot and Crumlin on Easter Saturday. A crowd of 100 people led by a colour party and the Volunteer Hugh Hehir/Lisa Bell flute band marched from the Gala on Ballyfermot Road to Markievicz Park. Later the same day a larger crowd of around 200 people made its way from Drimnagh to Eamon Ceannt Park, led by two bands — the Vols Smith/Harford/Doherty Band and the Vol Hugh Hehir/Lisa Bell Band. Wreaths were laid at the monument to 1916 leader Eamon Ceannt.

Both ceremonies were addressed by Dublin South Central TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh, who informed those assembled of Sinn Féin's efforts to have a monument erected in Markievicz Park to the memory of Constance Markievicz, who was Minister for Labour in the First Dáil and TD for Dublin South in the early part of the century.

Ó Snodaigh responded to recent attacks on Sinn Féin by Justice Minister Michael McDowell. He said the similarities and connections with that turbulent period of 1916 and the 1920s and the last 35 years of conflict are many: "War between Irish republicans and British Army of its proxy paramilitary police forces, prison struggles, electoral contest and the rapid growth of republicanism. There was also the demonising by lackey Irish establishment politicians similar to Minister for injustice Michael McDowell's outpourings of late."

Around 150 people participated in the annual Easter Monday Dún Laoghaire commemoration from Baker's Corner to the Republican Plot in Deansgrange Cemetery. Taking its usual route through Rory O'Connor Park, the parade was led by the Tom Smith RFB and the Lisa Bell/Hugh Hehir RFB. The main address was delivered by Sinn Féin EU candidate for Dublin, Mary Lou McDonald.


An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland