Easter Rising marked by President and Taoiseach with military ceremony at the GPO

The Taoiseach was among those present as the 1916 Rising was marked in Dublin today.

President Michael D Higgins led the commemorations of the Easter Rising in a military ceremony outside the GPO on O’Connell Street in the capital, one of the main sites of the rebellion against British rule in 1916.

It was the first public event to mark the uprising since the beginning of the pandemic.

Mr Higgins laid a wreath during the ceremony, which began at midday on Sunday.

Minister for Defence Simon Coveney also attended the event as well as Defence Forces members, a brass band, and representatives of the Air Corps and the Naval Service.

The commemoration involved prayers of remembrance, and the Proclamation was read by Commandant Daire Roache, from Ballina, Co Mayo.

The Irish flag was lowered to half mast during the ceremony and Private Vincent Murray, of the 27th Infantry Battalion, played a lament outside the GPO.

Relatives of former Irish presidents and family members of the 1916 signatories were also in attendance.

The planned flypast by the Irish Air Corps was cancelled due to the weather.

Meanwhile, in Belfast, huge crowds are expected to take part in Easter commemorations to mark 106 years since the 1916 Rising.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald is to address the National Graves Association commemoration in Milltown Cemetery on Sunday afternoon.