1916 Relatives To Visit Northern Ireland Assembly

Relatives of the leaders of the Easter Rising are due to visit Stormont today.

The visit comes as a campaign gets under way to save Dublin buildings involved in the Rising from demolition and redevelopment.

Some members of the campaign who will be visiting the Belfast Parliament buildings today include relatives of Padraig Pearse who led the rebellion and a great grandson of James Connolly.

The Easter Rising is the name given to the violent 1916 rebellion in Dublin against British rule in Ireland.

The families of those involved in the Rising argue that certain buildings in the city, namely in Moore Street and O’Connell Street, should be preserved due to their historical and cultural importance.

They are currently fighting plans to redevelop one of the sites as a shopping centre.

The delegation is arriving at the invitation of Sinn Féin and will be welcomed by deputy first minister Martin McGuinness and culture minister Carál Ní Chuilín.

Relatives Séan MacDiarmada, Joseph Plunkett, Eamonn Ceannt and Michael O'Rahilly will also be attending.

Martin McGuinness met the families during his Irish presidential election campaign in Dublin last year.

While there, Mr McGuinness visited Moore Street, where the final headquarters of the rising were stationed after the destruction of the General Post Office in Sackville Street, now O'Connell Street.

The Easter Rising is considered a major turning point in Irish history. Although the rebellion was defeated by British forces after only a few days, it is seen as a catalyst for the events which caused the partition of Ireland and the establishment of the free state.

(IT/GK)