Press release
Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin hosts annual State Ceremony at Arbour Hill to commemorate the Easter Rising
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Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin today hosted the annual State Ceremony at Arbour Hill to commemorate the Easter Rising, and the executed leaders of 1916 who are buried in the grounds of the Church of the Sacred Heart.
The President Michael D. Higgins and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, paid a solemn and respectful tribute to those who died for Irish freedom at Arbour Hill today. In addition to the President and the Taoiseach, attendance at the ceremony includes the Lord Mayor of Dublin; members of the government; members of the Oireachtas; the Council of State; the Judiciary; relatives of the leaders and relatives of others who fought in 1916.
The ceremony was hosted by the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin and consisted of a Requiem Mass and a ceremony at the Grave for the 1916 Leaders.
Speaking after the event, the Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin said:
"Today, we remember those who died for Ireland in 1916 and in particular those 14 executed leaders of 1916 who are buried here at Arbour Hill.
"I am delighted to host this traditional commemorative event in the company of relatives of the executed leaders."
The President laid a wreath to commemorate those who died in 1916.
The annual commemoration at Arbour Hill is the longest-running State ceremony to commemorate the Easter Rising. It is one hundred years since the commemoration at Arbour Hill began in 1923, shortly after the end of the Civil War, and the first State commemoration event took place in 1924.
A commemoration event has been held each year since, including two years of scaled back ceremonies at Arbour Hill due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The commemorations resumed in full last year, and over 400 people are expected to attend this year’s ceremony.
The Annual 1916 Commemoration Ceremony takes place at the Church of the Sacred Heart, the church for the Defence Forces, the site of burial of the executed leaders of 1916 on the first Wednesday on or after 3 May of each year.