Major State 1916 commemoration ceremony in Ashbourne

Ashbourne is one of the four main venues for an Easter Rising Commemoration outside of the capital city this weekend when the Battle of Ashbourne is re-enacted at Rath Cross on Monday next. The commemoration will include a State Ceremonial event which will include the reading of the Proclamation by a member of the Defence Forces, a wreath laying ceremony, the raising of the National Flag and the playing of the National Anthem.
As part of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme, synchronised wreath-laying ceremonies are being held at a number of locations across the State at 1.15 pm, on Easter Monday to commemorate all those who gave their lives in the Easter 1916 Rising, in the cause of Irish Freedom.
These include seven events across Dublin City and four regional events, which will take place in Ashbourne, Athenry, Cork and Enniscorthy.
The events will be an inclusive, reflective, inspiring and dignified commemoration of the Easter Rising of 100 years ago.
The event includes a re-enactment of the Battle of Ashbourne which commences at 10.45am and a State Ceremonial event commencing at 12.15pm to commemorate the centenary of the Battle. Two wreaths, presented by the Defence Forces, will be laid at the monument at Rath Cross at 1.15pm. The event also includes the unveiling of a memorial plaque.
Meath County Council invited expressions of interest from members of the public who wished to attend the State Ceremonial event. The re-enactment event is by ticket only and this is now fully booked.
Due to the layout of the location at Rath Cross, numbers are limited, with standing room only. The total expected duration of the event is three hours.

Drumree

On Easter Sunday, Dunshaughlin and District Historical Society will remember James Fox from Drumree, who was shot while taking part in the Easter Rising.
His father, Pat, owned the Spencer Arms in Drumree, now Gilsenan’s Public House, and James attended primary school in Culmullen and Dunshaughlin. In 1912 the family moved to Dublin where James joined Na Fianna and the Irish Citizens’ Army. He fought in St Stephen’s Green under Michael Mallin and Countess Markievicz and died early on Easter Tuesday when hit by gunfire from British troops. James was only 16 years at the time of his death and is buried in Knockmark Cemetery.
At 10.30am on Sunday, there will be Mass in memory of James Fox in St Martin’s Church, Culmullen Church, followed by refreshments, a presentation on the life of James Fox and the launch of souvenir booklet by Jim Gilligan, in Culmullen Hall.
At 12.30, the unveiling of dedication stone to name James Fox Bridge over the M3 motorway at Readsland will take place, with a selection of Irish music by local musicans and Ashbourne Re-enactment Group.
A parade will then take place from Gilsenan’s Public House to Knockmark Cemetery, where Fox is buried, ed by the National Flag, the Forrester’s Marching Band, a guard of honour with colourful display of symbolic flags and representatives of community and voluntary sectors, followed by the laying of a wreath, and the reading of Francis Ledwidge’s ‘Lament of Thomas McDonagh’ with the Last Post played by Sean Lynch, finishing with the National Anthem.

Fairyhouse

Easter Monday will also see Fairyhouse Racecoruse and the Ward Union Hunt re-enact the Irish Grand National of 100 years ago, when most of the British military personnel from Dublin were at the races, oblivious to the events in the city centre.

Weddings Project

Ballivor Community Library is bringing the Meath Wedding Photograph Project  exhibition to the RTE Easter Monday Dublin event 'Reflecting the Rising'. It will be entitled 'Irish destinies - Meath Wedding' photographs and  the event will see the launch of the project website.

Anyone who is in Dublin on Monday is invited to drop in and and say 'hello' at Buswells Hotel on Molesworth Street, especially those who contributed photos to the project.

Co-ordinator Jean Walker will be giving a talk on 'Wedding Days and Wedding Ways' at  'An afternoon at the Shelbourne' event in the Shelbourne Hotel ballroom from 2-6pm.