The Rising belongs to the people

No one party or group owns these celebrations – the 1916 Rising belongs to the people of Ireland.

THE 1916 CENTENARY EVENTS have begun – and so have the Establishment attacks on Sinn Féin’s role in the Rising commemorations.

Unlike the other parties, Sinn Féin has commemorated the Rising every year and across the island, North and South. Republicans have been proud to do so and we make no apologies for continuing to commemorate the events of 1916 this centenary year.

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams said as far back as April of last year, when he launched Sinn Féin’s centenary programme, that the memory and ownership of 1916 does not exclusively belong to Sinn Féin, any other party, or the Government.

As a republican party, Sinn Féin encourages everyone to share in learning about, understanding, critically evaluating, celebrating and commemorating this momentous period in this island’s history.

No one party or group owns these celebrations – the 1916 Rising belongs to the people of Ireland.