1916 centenary: Commemoration draws huge crowds to capital as thousands join dignitaries for historic ceremony

Political leaders, Rising relatives, the Defence Forces, and public servants joined together yesterday in an historic 1916 commemoration that repeatedly sought to include all parts of Irish society.

Hundreds of thousands of people travelled to the capital to witness the two-hour once-in-a-lifetime event as emotionally charged remembrances of what happened outside the GPO a century ago took centre stage.

From just before 11am beside St Stephen’s Green until after 2pm outside Capel Street, the historic 3,722-strong commemoration parade snaked through 4.5km of a closed-off Dublin city centre to honour those who fought and died in 1916.