Easter Sunday Morning ceremony in Clonmel - Volunteers of 1916 poignantly remembered

Clonmel’s annual Easter Rising Commemoration took place this morning (Easter Sunday at 11.30) at the site of the Clonmel Volunteers monument at the Borstal Gate in Emmet Street.

Despite the damp and blustery conditions, a crowd of 50+ attended which included a party from the United Nations Veterans Association and also Cllr Michael Murphy.

The short oration was delivered by Coiste chairman, Con Hogan, who paid tribute to the Clonmel Volunteers of 107 years previously who stood ready in 1916 for the Easter Rising. Mr Hogan said that while from a military perspective the Rising was not successful, it did  ultimately lead to Irish Freedom. For this, he said, our nation owes a great deal to those brave men and women, and it was only right that their honour should be remembered each year.

The Proclamation was then eloquently read, as Gaeilge, by Naoise Forristal, a great-granddaughter of one of the 43 Clonmel Volunteers, James Forristal.

A wreath laying ceremony followed in which Seamus Leahy and his grandson Ruairí laid a wreath at the foot of the monument.

The raising of the tricolour followed as UN Veteran Seanie Cosgrove played the Last Post, once more as he has done each year since 2016.

The brief ceremony concluded with the singing of the national anthem, Amhrán na bhFiann, led once more by Naoise Forristal’s playing of the box concertina.

Before dispersing from the annual event organised by the local Coiste Spiorad 1916 Commemoration Committee, chairman Con Hogan once again thanked everyone for their attendance and paid a special tribute to the UN Veterans whose presence each Easter “adds dignity and solemnity” to the occasion, he said.