The Galway City Council has agreed to display copies of the 1916 Proclamation in all its public buildings as part of its commemoration of the Easter Rising.
The move is on foot of a motion put forward by Cllr Cathal Ó Conchúir at a council meeting on Monday. Cllr Ó Conchúir said the Proclamation had been widely displayed during the 50th anniversary of the Rising in 1966.
“It’s not owned by anybody or any party, it’s a mission statement for this country,” he said. “It covers everything that a nation should be, with equality, fairness, and justice for all.”
The suggestion was broadly supported by councillors across all political parties represented in the council, apart from Cllr Padraig Conneely who dismissed the suggestion at “nothing more than a Sinn Féin stunt”.
“I want commend the Government and the Taoiseach for delivering the Proclamation to every school in the country, and to my mind that’s enough,” Cllr Conneely said. “We’re over egging it now for political reasons.”
Mayor of Galway Frank Fahy said it would be a good idea to display the document in City Hall and other buildings. “The Proclamation, today, is as relevant as it was then,” the mayor said. “It was a very forward thinking piece of writing in 1916. I must also compliment the Irish Army on giving a copy of the Proclamation and the Irish flag to all the schools.”
