President Connolly lays wreath at 1916 Easter Rising commemoration

PRESIDENT CATHERINE CONNOLLY has laid a wreath to commemorate those who died during the 1916 Easter Rising, for the first time since taking office.

Thousands of people lined Dublin’s O’Connell Street for an event marking the 110th anniversary of the armed rebellion against British rule in Ireland.

The commemoration was also attended by Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Tanaiste Simon Harris, Defence Minister Helen McEntee, Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam, Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald.

Crowds began to gather before 11am for the ceremony which saw a parade of Defence Forces personnel and music from a military brass band.

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A Defence Forces chaplain led a prayer and the national flag above the General Post Office (GPO) was lowered to half-mast at noon.

Following a reading of the Proclaimation of the Irish Republic, the flag was raised again after Connolly laid a wreath to commemorate those who had died in the Rising and the national anthem was played before an Air Corps flyover.

The reading was by Captain Eva Houlihan, the fourth woman to do so in the annual commemorations.

A minute’s silence was also observed, breaking almost exactly as a hail shower fell on O’Connell Street after the otherwise sunny event.