Sinn Féin will hold commemorations for the 103rd anniversary of the 1916 Rising this Easter weekend at various locations throughout Galway city, Connemara, and east Galway.
County Galway was one of the few areas nationally to rally behind the Republic in 1916, and had the largest mobilisation of Volunteers outside of Dublin - Liam Mellows commanded, what has been estimated to be between 500 and 700 men against British rule.
Commemorations begin on Easter Saturday at 12 noon with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Joe Howley Statue, Oranmore, followed at 3pm with the main Easter commemoration at the Liam Mellows Statue, Eyre Square. There will be a piper and colour party, and the main speaker, Cllr Mícheál Mac Donncha, the former lord mayor of Dublin.
Events on Easter Sunday will see a commemoration in New Cemetery, Athenry (12 noon ), addressed by Sinn Féin Oranmore-Athenry candidate Louis O'Hara; commemoration in Ballinasloe (2pm ), assembling in St Michael's Square for a march to Creagh Cemetery; SF Connemara candidate will speak at the event at Teach an Phiarsaigh, Ros Muc (12 noon ); wreath laying at Ardbear Cemetery, Clifden (2pm ); commemorations at Thomas Whelan Statue, Clifden (3pm ) and Tooreena Cemetery, Tullycross (5pm ). Both these events will be addressed by Cllr Tom Healy.
