Ireland

1916 commemorations: Events and traffic at a glance

Wet weather forecast for Easter weekend as large crowds expected in Dublin for centenary

People flocked to the streets of Dublin to pay their respects and see a military parade the scale of which has never been seen in the city before. Video Paula Geraghty
Sat Mar 26 2016 - 09:26

Severe traffic restrictions will be in place in Dublin city centre over the Easter weekend to accommodate the centenary commemorations.

Those planning to travel for the events have been urged to use public transport where possible.

O’Connell Street, at the centre of the weekend’s events, will be closed until 11pm on Easter Monday except for access to Princes Street on Saturday and Monday. There will be very limited access to the street during the ceremonies.

A number of private car parks in the city centre will be closed on Easter Sunday and some Dublin Bikes stations will be unavailable from Saturday until next Tuesday.

READ SOME MORE

The National Transport Authority is working with all the providers to put in place a significant network of public transport. Although the Luas service will be unavailable due to strike action by drivers on Sunday and Monday, all other public transport providers, and some private operators, are putting on extra services.

Met Éireann forecast that Saturday would be wet, particularly in the east of the country, with thundery showers potentially causing spot flooding in some areas. Temperatures are to reach highs of 11 degrees.

Sunday is expected to be a cold and breezy day with bright or sunny conditions in the early part of the day turning showery with the risk of hail or thunder. The rain is forecast to die out on Sunday night but to return on Monday.

There will be a ceremony at the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square on Saturday with Parnell Square North and Parnell Square East closed from 6am to 4pm.

Huge crowds are expected in the city on Sunday for the main events of the weekend – the reading of the Proclamation at the GPO and the parade. Gardaí said those attending should choose the area where they wish to view the parade in advance of travelling.

Westmoreland Street, Dame Street, College Green, Parnell Square East, Frederick Street North, Upper Dorset Street, Bolton Street, King Street, Capel Street, Mary's Lane, Little Britain Street, Anglesea Row and Little Mary Street are among the roads that will be closed between 3am and 8pm.

Large sections of the city around Leeson Street, Patrick Street and St Stephen’s Green will also be closed to traffic.

On Monday, the city centre plays host to the Reflecting the Rising event between 11am and 6pm. Cathal Brugha Street will be closed between Marlborough Street and O’Connell Street from midnight on Sunday until 11pm on Monday. Merrion Square South and East, Lower Fitzwilliam Street and Upper Mount Street will be closed from 8am to 8pm. St Stephen’s Green and Earlsfort Terrace will also be closed to traffic for most of the day.

Main events at a glance

Saturday

Noon: Remembrance ceremony for all those who died during the events of 1916. President Michael D Higgins will attend the event, which will feature music and poetry. Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Square, Dublin.

Sunday

10am: Easter Sunday State Commemoration Ceremony and Parade. The parade, led by the Defence Forces, will commence at St Stephen's Green. The Proclamation will be read under the portico of the GPO by an officer of the Defence Forces at midday. 10.30am: A formal State wreath-laying ceremony at Kilmainham Gaol where the 1916 leaders were executed. This will be followed by a minute's silence, the sounding of the last post and the raising of the national flag to full mast.

6.30pm: State reception at Dublin Castle. About 2,000 relatives of those who took part in the Rising will be guests of acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny. A thousand other guests, including elected representatives, public servants, and members of cultural organisations are also invited.

Monday

11am-6pm: RTÉ Reflecting the Rising. Public events on both sides of the River Liffey and on the river itself will explore the Rising and our relationship with it. Includes "talks, walking tours, music, dance, street art, street theatre, and moments of reflection and celebration".

12.45pm: Wreath-laying ceremonies at six iconic sites associated with the Rising. Wreaths will be laid at Boland’s Mill, the Jacob’s Biscuit Factory (now the National Archives), Dublin Castle/City Hall, the Four Courts, the Royal College of Surgeons, Moore Street and St James’s Hospital. Two wreaths will be laid at each location at precisely 1.15pm, the time when the first shots of the Rising were fired.

Tuesday

10am: A State ceremony will take place at Liberty Hall to commemorate the role of the Irish Citizen Army and James Connolly in the events of 1916. President Michael D Higgins will attend.