Pearse O’Hanrahan
A local descendant of one of those involved in the 1916 Easter Rising has hit out at the “diluted” role of relatives in the annual Arbour Hill Commemoration Ceremony.
President Michael D Higgins and Taoiseach Enda Kenny both attended the ceremony yesterday to honour the men and women of the Rising 99 years on.
However, Pearse O’Hanrahan, a grand-nephew of Micheal O’Hanrahan who was second-in-command at Boland’s Mill, said the role of relatives had been “diluted” at this year’s ceremony, with more prominence given to politicians.
This year 16 people were selected by lottery to represent the families who led the procession out of the church; then the politicians, the President, the Taoiseach and the Cabinet and then the rest of the families.
“Before last year, all the families went out first. It was a family Mass and a family occasion and then the politicians came after.
“But it’s been politicised now by diluting the role of the families,” Pearse told The Herald.
The former Dundalk Town Councillor has been attending the commemoration each year for the past 50 years and it has now become a family occasion.
Damien O’Callaghan, a great grand-nephew of Micheal O’Hanrahan, attended yesterday’s ceremony with his daughters Hazel (2) and Lily (6), who laid a flower in memory of her ancestor.
“We come here every year,” explained Damien, from Blackrock. “Lily is coming since she was two.”
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