Number of events to commemorate Easter Rising taking place in Cork this weekend 

A NUMBER of events to commemorate the Easter Rising will take place in Cork this weekend.

Sinn Féin’s Ireland South candidate in June’s European Parliament elections, senator Paul Gavan, is to give the main address at an event in the city tomorrow.

Attendees will assemble at the National Monument on the Grand Parade at 2.30pm, before marching to the republican plot at St Finbarr’s Cemetery.

The commemoration will be chaired by Sinn Féin councillor Orla O’Leary, and the Proclamation of the Irish Republic will be read by the party’s local election candidate for Cork City North East, Christa Daley.

The senator said that Cork was “steeped in the history of tradition of Ireland’s struggle for freedom” and described the republican plot as “the final resting place of so many heroes”.

“Easter is a time of the year when we remember those from every generation who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom and unity of Ireland,” said Mr Gavan.

“Those who took part in the 1916 Rising were ordinary men and women who believed passionately in a better future for all the people of this country.”

A commemoration is also scheduled to take place today. Those attending are asked to assemble at 5pm at Gaol Cross for a parade to the republican plot that is on the grounds of University College Cork.

The event will be addressed by Sinn Féin’s candidate in Cork City South Central, Luke McGrath, and the Proclamation will be read by Michelle Gould, who is standing for the party in Cork City North West.

A State event to mark the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising will take place outside the GPO in Dublin on Easter Sunday at 12pm.

It it scheduled to be attended by President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, and Tánaiste Micheál Martin.