Oireachtas to mark 90th anniversary of first Dáil

The two houses of the Oireachtas are due to hold a joint sitting at the Mansion House in Dublin today to mark the 90th anniversary of the first Dáil.

The first meeting of Dáil Éireann took place at the same building in January 1919 following the general election held the previous month, while Ireland was still under British rule.

The election was one of the key steps on the road to Irish independence.

Sinn Féin candidates won 73 of the 105 seats in the vote, but only 28 of those candidates were able to attend the Mansion House meeting as 40 were either in prison or on the run.

The imprisoned candidates included Eamon de Valera, Arthur Griffith and Constance Markiewicz.

Among those scheduled to attend today's commemoration are a number of former Taoisigh and descendents of those elected to the first independent Irish Parliament.