National Day of Commemoration

The commemoration of Irish soldiers and wars has been fragmented within Ireland for historical and political reasons.{{Citation needed|date = July 2015}}

Ceremonies to honour Irish soldiers who fought in the First World War have been held in Ireland in November on Remembrance Sunday and Remembrance Day since the war's end. These are mainly organised by the Royal British Legion and observed by Unionists{{citation needed|date=October 2013}} and ex-servicemen and relatives. The focal points were St Patrick's Cathedral and the Irish National War Memorial Gardens, both in Dublin. Though many Irish nationalists served in Irish regiments of the British Army prior to independence, this was not generally held in high esteem by later generations.{{citation needed|date=July 2014}} Independent Ireland remained neutral in World War II, and although thousands of its citizens served in the allied armies, the state did not at first mark this.{{#tag:ref|In the 1990s the Office of Public Works renovated the Memorial Gardens and the state has supported subsequent Battle of the Somme commemorations held there by the British Legion.Dáil debates [http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/2006/07/05/00004.asp 5 July 2006 p.4], [http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/2008/05/22/00102.asp 22 May 2008 p.102], [http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/2011/05/10/00003.asp 10 May 2011 p.3]|group="fn"}}

Commemoration of the Irish War of Independence was muted by the bitterness of the Irish Civil War that followed from it. The preceding 1916 Easter Rising against British rule in Ireland was the focus, with Easter Day considered the "National Day of Commemoration".

{{cite book |title=Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. |date=13 April 1972 |series=Dáil Éireann Debates |chapter-url=http://www.oireachtas-debates.gov.ie/D/0260/D.0260.197204130077.html |volume=260 |pages=col 316 |chapter=National Day of Commemoration. |access-date=11 November 2008 |no-pp=true |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609195612/http://www.oireachtas-debates.gov.ie/D/0260/D.0260.197204130077.html |archive-date=9 June 2011 }}

There was a major parade{{where|date=July 2015}} each Easter until 1971, when the Troubles in Northern Ireland made the commemoration of the earlier Irish Republican rebels more problematic in symbolism.{{#tag:ref|The Easter parade was revived in 2006, after the Northern Ireland peace process.|group="fn"}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/17/world/europe/17ireland.html|title=Irish Revive Rites for Easter Revolt, and Debate Its Merits|last=Lavery|first=Brian|date=17 April 2006|work=The New York Times|page=3|access-date=8 April 2011}} Smaller official commemorations persisted at Arbour Hill Prison.

{{cite book |title=Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. |date=21 June 1984 |series=Dáil Éireann Debates |chapter-url=http://www.oireachtas-debates.gov.ie/D/0352/D.0352.198406210020.html |volume=352 |pages=cols 75–77 |chapter=Army Day. |access-date=11 November 2008 |no-pp=true |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609195634/http://www.oireachtas-debates.gov.ie/D/0352/D.0352.198406210020.html |archive-date=9 June 2011 }}

{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/taoiseach-takes-time-out-to-join-dwindling-crowd-at-1916-ceremony-344875.html|title= Taoiseach takes time out to join dwindling crowd at 1916 ceremony|last=Lord|first=Miriam |date=10 May 2001|work=Irish Independent|access-date=11 November 2008}}

Within the Defence Forces, a Commemoration Day for deceased former members is held on All Souls' Day, 2 November.{{cite web |url=http://www.defence.ie/WebSite.nsf/Speech+ID/F0A552A45318C65D802572A60056E564?OpenDocument |title=O'Dea Unveils design of First Ever National Memorial to Defence Forces Members who died in Service |date=22 March 2007 |publisher=Department of Defence |access-date=11 November 2008}}

11 July, the anniversary of the 1921 truce, had already been a special Army holiday before being the base date for the National Day of Commemoration.

In 1974, the coalition government proposed Saint Patrick's Day as a day for commemorating all Irish people who had given their lives in wars, marked with a message from the President, prayer and a moment of silence. The Fianna Fáil opposition objected.

{{cite book |title=Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. |date=22 November 1983 |series=Dáil Éireann Debates |chapter-url=http://www.oireachtas-debates.gov.ie/D/0346/D.0346.198311220002.html |volume=346 |pages=cols 1–5 |chapter=National Commemoration Day. |access-date=11 November 2008 |no-pp=true |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609195654/http://www.oireachtas-debates.gov.ie/D/0346/D.0346.198311220002.html |archive-date=9 June 2011 }};

{{Cite web |url=http://mspcsearch.militaryarchives.ie/docs/files//PDF_Admin/2/W3_66397.pdf |work=Military Archives |title=DOD/3/66397 : Ceremonial. Proposal to set aside Saint Patrick's day as a day of reconciliation |access-date=11 May 2018}}

In the early 1980s, in response to the Northern Ireland Troubles, the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation in County Wicklow was organising "Walks of Remembrance" around sites in Dublin significant to all historical combatants. In 1983, the Irish Defence Forces were represented in the British Legion's Remembrance Sunday service in Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, under the flag of the United Nations. This was controversial and the Fianna Fáil opposition suggested a separate day of commemoration would be more inclusive.

An informal Oireachtas all-party committee was established in late 1984 to examine the question of a single National Day of Commemoration.

{{cite book |title=Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. |date=10 October 1984 |series=Dáil Éireann Debates |chapter-url=http://www.oireachtas-debates.gov.ie/D/0352/D.0352.198410100002.html |volume=352 |pages=cols 1839–1841 |chapter=National Commemoration Day. |access-date=11 November 2008 |no-pp=true |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609195715/http://www.oireachtas-debates.gov.ie/D/0352/D.0352.198410100002.html |archive-date=9 June 2011 }}

It held four meetings and reported to the government in October 1985.

{{cite book |title=Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. |date=30 October 1985 |series=Dáil Éireann Debates |chapter-url=http://www.oireachtas-debates.gov.ie/D/0361/D.0361.198510300014.html |volume=361 |pages=cols 652–654 |chapter=National Day of Commemoration. |access-date=11 November 2008 |no-pp=true |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609195722/http://www.oireachtas-debates.gov.ie/D/0361/D.0361.198510300014.html |archive-date=9 June 2011 }}

The view of this committee was that there should be a religious service and a military ceremony. This has been the tradition since, although Noel Treacy complained that the military presence was "on a small scale compared with that visualised by the all party committee".

{{cite book |title=Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. |date=2 July 1986 |series=Dáil Éireann Debates |chapter-url=http://www.oireachtas-debates.gov.ie/D/0368/D.0368.198607020008.html |volume=368 |pages=cols 1966–1970 |chapter=National Day of Commemoration. |access-date=11 November 2008 |no-pp=true |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609195735/http://www.oireachtas-debates.gov.ie/D/0368/D.0368.198607020008.html |archive-date=9 June 2011 }}

The first National Day of Commemoration was held on 13 July 1986 in the Garden of Remembrance. Old IRA veterans objected to the venue, which commemorates those who died in "the cause of Irish freedom", being used to honour British Army veterans. The absence was noted of Leader of the Opposition, Charles Haughey, and Lord Mayor of Dublin, Bertie Ahern, both represented by subordinates. This was ascribed to discontent within Fianna Fáil about the event.

{{cite news |title=Playing the green card of begrudgery |last=Walsh |first=Dick |date=17 July 1986 |newspaper=The Irish Times |pages=8 }}

Haughey became Taoiseach after the February 1987 election. He announced the commemoration ceremony would be replaced by separate church services by the various denominations, with no military or government presence.

{{cite news |title=Lenihan to take over memorial day talks |last=Coughlan |first=Denis |date=19 June 1987 |newspaper=The Irish Times |pages=9 col.1 }}

The opposition parties objected, and both sides negotiated a compromise, whereby the ceremony, and the commemorative plaque which had been unveiled in 1986 by President Patrick Hillery, were moved to the Royal Hospital. This, originally a British Army hospital, is now the Irish Museum of Modern Art. However Irish Republicans and some IRA veterans of the Irish War of Independence objected to the presence of the British Legion at the ceremony. Subsequent ceremonies have not proved controversial.

One of the main recommendations made by the All-Party Oireachtas Committee was that the National Day of Commemoration should be organised in a way which would reflect its national importance, which would encourage people of different traditions to participate and which would attract the interest and support of the public. The current service and ceremonies closely follow these recommendations.

The military and religious ceremonies are held in the presence of the President, the Taoiseach and other members of the Government of Ireland, members of the Oireachtas, the Council of State, the Diplomatic Corps, the Judiciary, relatives of 1916 leaders, next-of-kin of those who died on service with the UN, Northern Ireland representatives and a wide cross-section of the community, including ex-servicemen and ex-servicewomen.

Representatives of the three divisions of the Defence Forces parade and render military honours.

Since its inception, music has been provided by the combined bands of the several Army Commands and Dr. Bernadette Greevy until her death in September 2008.

The ceremonies begin with an interfaith service, comprising prayers, hymns and readings by senior representatives of the main Christian denominations and of the Jewish and (since 1994

{{cite news |title=National Day of Commemoration honours Irish who died in wars and serving with UN |last=Cusack |first=Jim |date=11 July 1994 |newspaper=The Irish Times |page=3 }}

) Islamic faiths.

The military ceremonies include an honour guard of the Cadet School, the laying of a wreath by the President on behalf of the people of Ireland, Reveille, the raising of the national flag and the playing of the National Anthem.

The National Day of Commemoration is, along with Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, and Saint Patrick's Day, one of the days on which the Department of the Taoiseach's protocol section has advised all government buildings to fly the national flag.Dáil debates [http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/2004/07/06/00080.asp 26 July 2004] [http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/2006/11/07/00090.asp 7 July 2006]

The main 2012 ceremony moved from the Royal Hospital Kilmainham to the Collins Barracks campus of the National Museum of Ireland, as the Kilmainham site closed for renovation.{{cite web |url=http://www.merrionstreet.ie/index.php/2012/07/2012-national-day-of-commemoration-ceremony-to-be-held-in-collins-barracks/ |title=2012 National Day of Commemoration Ceremony to be held in Collins Barracks| date=3 July 2012 |work=MerrionStreet.ie |publisher=Government of Ireland |access-date=3 July 2012}} Regional ceremonies are planned for Sligo City Hall; Kilkenny Castle; NUI Galway; Fitzgerald's Park, Cork; Limerick City Hall; and Bishops Palace Museum, Waterford.

The ceremony returned to the Royal Hospital in 2013.

{{reflist|group="fn"}}

• National Famine Commemoration Day

{{reflist}}

• RTÉ News reports on past ceremonies:
• [http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0712/714244-national-day-of-commemoration/ 2015], [http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0713/630427-national-day-of-commemoration/ 2014], [http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0714/462356-commemoration/ 2013], [http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0708/328273-national-day-of-commemoration/ 2012], [http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0710/unitednations.html 2011], [http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0711/commemoration.html 2010], [http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0712/commemoration.html 2009], [http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0713/commemoration.html 2008], [http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0708/commemoration.html 2007], [http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0709/commemoration.html 2006], [http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0710/commemoration.html 2005], [http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0711/commemoration.html 2004], [http://www.rte.ie/news/2002/0714/memorial.html 2002], [http://www.rte.ie/news/2001/0708/commemoration.html 2001], [http://www.rte.ie/news/2000/0709/commemorate.html 2000], [http://www.rte.ie/news/1999/0711/kilmainham.html 1999]

Category:Observances honoring victims of war

Category:Politics of the Republic of Ireland

Category:Annual events in Ireland

Category:Wars involving Ireland

Category:July observances

Category:Sunday observances

Category:Summer events in the Republic of Ireland