Relatives of the men and women who took part in the Easter Rising attend a commemoration in Dublin.
Military bands and members of the Defence Forces took part in the ceremony in O'Connell Street in Dublin to commemorate those who fought and died in the Easter Rising in 1916. During the Rising the GPO (General Post Office) was the headquarters of the Volunteers who were lead by Padraig Pearse.
President Mary McAleese was present, as was Taoiseach Brian Cowen, government ministers and opposition leaders.
After prayers and a piper’s lament, a Naval officer read the Proclamation. The President McAleese laid a wreath at the GPO and the Last Post was sounded, followed by a minute’s silence.
Relatives of those who fought and died during the Rising are very satisfied with the ceremony,
Beautifully done.
We’d be still under foreign rule only for them.
It should never be forgotten.
The celebration today was so dignified.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 12 April 2009. The reporter is Joe O’Brien.
