Sinn Fein calls for national holiday to commemorate Ireland's independence

I don't know what Ó Snodaigh means by "our Irish Republic" (last sentence). Does he mean the 26-Ciounty state that has surrendered much of its sovereignty to the E.U. or the Republic for which the brave men and women of 1916 fought for, a republic that would include the "whole nations and all its parts" (and náisiún uile agus gach roinn de)?

What a wonderful idea. I am surprised no one has thought of this before. The reading of the Proclamation is comparable to the releasing of the American Declaration. Of course, April 24 should be the date, although it is traditional to remember the rising on Easter Monday.

its unthinkable that thee is NOT a national holiday to commemorate the men and women who sacrificed and died to bring about a partial reclamation of the country of ireland,after centuries of brutal military occupation,attempted genocide,and eradication of all things irish,religion,language,stolen land,fiscal penury,,forced emigration,etc etc etc,the destruction of these evils by the sacrifice of 1916,must not and will not be forgotten.SHAME on the voices of dissention.were there ever nations that were given their freedom by the oppressor willingly and without blood?very few if any,so ireland has nothing to apologise for in that direction.

“Will this celebration honor those who perpetrated the atrocity in Omagh in 1998? Will Detective Jerry McCabe's killers be honored for sacrificing their liberty in their blow for Irish freedom when they knocked over a post office van in that honorable act?” Get over yourself. Does the british terror state celebrate the torture and sexual mutilations of kenyans in its displays of disgusting self-righteous triumphalism? How about bombing unarmed civilians with chemical weapons? Half hangings? Pitch and cape?

You're right to pick up O'Shea on that egregious error, odonogc Inexcusable. On the wider issue, I am surprised to find myself agreeing with Sinn fein. St Patrick's Day has long ceased representing Irishness. 3/17 is now Immigrants Day to judge by the Dublin Parade, which has nothing Irish in it except the flag at the start. I say toss St Patricks Day and establish a new holiday.

"April 24th is the anniversary of when Padraig Pearse read the Proclamation of the Irish Republic on the steps of the General Post Office in Dublin in 1916, effectively ending the Easter Rising." There are no steps, and he read it at the beginning of the rebellion, not at the end.

Will this celebration honor those who perpetrated the atrocity in Omagh in 1998? Will Detective Jerry McCabe's killers be honored for sacrificing their liberty in their blow for Irish freedom when they knocked over a post office van in that honorable act? I assume TD Martin Ferret will be accorded honors on this hypothetical day for also sacrificing his liberty for ten years when he was caught running guns for the provos? Just trying to ascertain how inclusive this holiday celebration might be.

WHY WOULD SEINN FEIN ASK FOR THAT .. THEY'RE NOT EVEN IN GOVERMENT AND GOING BY LAST WEEKS STATISTICS THEY'RE POPULAITY IS FALLEN EVEN MORE, SO DONT SPEAK ON MY BEHALF ILL BE WORKING ON THAT DAY... SO DONT FORSE US ALL INTO NOT WORKING GIVE US THE OPTION.. CHEERS