Throughout 2016, events will commemorate the people & buildings that set the stage for the Easter Rising 1916, an armed rebellion that shaped Ireland’s future. 100 years on, a diverse calendar of events tells the stories of the Easter Rising & gives an opportunity for reflection.
It’s an incredibly important moment for the people of Ireland to share. A series of events will commemorate the people and buildings that set the stage for Easter 1916, and here’s just a small taste of what to expect in the weeks surrounding the centenary celebrations.
What: International Women’s Day
When: March 8th
Where: Royal Hospital Kilmainham
A ceremony to commemorate the role of women in the events of 1916. The programme includes a keynote address by President Michael D Higgins and a performance by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra of music and song on the subject of Women in 1916.
Meanwhile at Glasnevin Cemetery Museum, you can join a tour celebrating the women of Cumann na mBan with visits to the final resting places of Constance Markievicz and Elizabeth O’Farrell, two key figures in the Rising.
What: Remembrance Ceremony
When: Easter Sunday, March 27th
Where: Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Sq.
Transmitted live by RTÉ. Later that day there will be a State event in the RDS for relatives of those who participated in the Rising, which will also be attended by the President.
What: Remembrance Ceremony
When: Easter Sunday, March 27th
Where: Kilmainham Gaol
The flagship 2016 commemoration will begin with a solemn wreath-laying in the Stonebreakers’ Yard at Kilmainham Gaol for 30 guests.
Once a prison that held some of the most famous political and military leaders in Irish history, the now unoccupied Kilmainham Gaol and its adjoining courthouse will be a central point in the 2016 commemorations.
What: Ceremony & Parade:
When: Easter Sunday, March 27th
Where: GPO
The Easter Sunday events begin at 11.30am on March 27th with the reading of the 1916 Proclamation under the GPO portico by a Defence Forces officer. The President will then lay a wreath on behalf of the people of Ireland, followed by a minute’s silence for all those who died. The national flag above the GPO will be raised to full mast and the national anthem played. The parade, led by the Defence Forces in full military display, will begin at St Stephen’s Green, pass the GPO and continue to Parnell Square. It will conclude with an Air Corps flypast and a 21-gun salute. That evening there will be a State reception at Dublin Castle for 3,000 guests, at the Taoiseach’s invitation.
What: Ceremony
When: March 29th
Where: Liberty Hall
A State ceremony at Liberty Hall, Dublin, to commemorate the role of the Irish Citizen Army and James Connolly. This building has played an important role in Irish history, and was very much at the centre of planning for the Rising. Indeed, it was used for storage of guns, ammunition, homemade bombs, and grenades during Easter Week. Outside you’ll see a statue of James Connolly, a socialist leader who was one of the seven signatories of the Proclamation. Ireland’s national broadcaster, will cover this event online and on TV.
What: Exhibition
When: March 3rd
Where: Collins Barracks
A major 1916 exhibition examining the events of Easter Week in detail. Called Proclaiming a Republic: The 1916 Rising , the exhibition will “explore the ideas, movements and personalities of early 20th-century Ireland, the dramatic events of Easter Week, the impact it had on the city and its citizens and the Irish nation as a whole”.
An impressive 15,000 piece collection, including the original Proclamation, a document issued by the Irish volunteers that marked the beginning of the Rising. Alongside this, there’ll also be the flag of the Irish Republic that flew above the General Post Office, as well as many personal objects including guns, uniforms and diaries.
What: Exhibition
When: March 10th
Where: Glasnevin Cemetery
Glasnevin Cemetery Museum’s 1916 exhibition. Both civilians and those who participated in the fight for independence were laid to rest at Glasnevin Cemetery, approximately 3km from the city centre. As part of their exhibition opening 10 March, the Glasnevin Trust is collating information on the 485 people who lost their lives during the Rising. Join the Revolutionary Tour and visit the graves of those who strove for Irish independence over the years, including politician Charles Stewart Parnell, Maude Gonne MacBride, Daniel O’Connell, Éamon DeValera and Michael Collins. Don’t miss the re-enactment of Padraig Pearse’s rousing graveside oration which occurred in the lead up to Easter Week 1916, at the grave of Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa every day from March through to December.
What: Plough and the Stars
When: March 29th to April 23rd
Where: Abbey Theatre
The Plough and the Stars is a play by the Irish writer Seán O’Casey first performed on February 8, 1926 by the Abbey Theatre in the writer’s native Dublin. The first two acts take place in November 1915, looking forward to the liberation of Ireland. The last two acts are set during the Easter Rising, in April 1916.
What: Family Day
When: April 24th
Where: Swords Castle
A “family day” to mark the 1916 events including re-enactments, live performances and the unveiling of a public art commission.
What: Exhibition
When:May 2nd
Where: Richmond Barracks
Built in 1810 during the Napoleonic Wars, this British-built barracks took many forms over its 200 years. Many Irishmen were stationed at Richmond Barracks before being sent to the front lines of WWI and after the Rising, 3,000 suspected rebels were held there before being sent to prison camps overseas, or sentenced to death. At its multimedia exhibition centre – opening on 2 May – visitors will learn how the barracks was inextricably woven into the city’s history. They’ll also discover lost stories from the building, which later functioned as a housing estate and school.
What: Concert
When: March 27th
Where: Collins Barracks
The Nation’s Voice concert on March 27th gathers dozens of the country’s best choirs for a free, televised concert featuring a specially commissioned piece by Shaun Davey and Paul Muldoon. This partnership with RTÉ, the Arts Council, Music Generation and the Association of Irish Choirs takes place at Collins Barracks, National Museum of Ireland, Dublin. artscouncil.ie
What: Irish Language
When: March 14th
Where: GPO
Rith, a 32-county relay race begins in Kildare and finishes on March 14th at the GPO in Dublin.
What: Documentary
When: March 16th
Where: National Concert Hall
The Irish Rebellion, a documentary narrated by Liam Neeson, will be screened at the NCH.
What: Street Feast
When: Sunday June 12th
Where: Nationwide
Street Feast is an annual initiative that aims to bring back life to Irish streets and build community spirit. The idea is to get people across Ireland to sit down to a lunch with their neighbours. An opportunity for people to mark the centenary in their own place.
What: Culture
When: September
Where: North Fingal
A programme of events, including a 1916 song project, themed screenings of period films supplied by the IFI, and An Céilí Mhór, a major outdoor traditional music event.
What: Culture
When: April to June
Where: Blanchardstown
The Draíocht Arts Centre in Blanchardstown is creating a programme which includes the One Book, One Fingal project, based on the children’s book Friend or Foe by Brian Gallagher. The project culminates in a three-month exhibition from April to June.
For details of these and many more events taking place in 2016 see the official Ireland 2016 website at www.Ireland.ie
