Yesterday, 8th May, President Michael D. Higgins, Taoiseach Simon Harris and Tánaiste Micheál Martin hosted the 100th 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. This year will mark the 100th State Commemoration of the Arbour Hill Ceremony.

The President Michael D. Higgins and Taoiseach Simon Harris paid a solemn and respectful tribute to those who died for Irish freedom at Arbour Hill. 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, during which the President laid a wreath on behalf of the people of Ireland.

Speaking after the event, the Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin said, “Today, marks the 100th State Commemoration of the Arbour Hill Ceremony as 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. It is a privilege for me, as Minister for Defence, to host this traditional commemorative event in the company of relatives of the executed leaders.”

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 in 2022 and over 800 invitations were issued for 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 burial site of the executed leaders of 1916 on the first Wednesday on or after 3 May of each year.

(Source: Department of Defence)