Pictured above with the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins is Louise Costello (Left, representing Roscommon Comhairle na nÓg) and Melissa O’Reilly (Right, representing Kildare Comhairle na nÓg) at a state ceremony held in Áras an Uachtaráin to remember the children who died during the 1916 Rising.
Louise was one of hundreds of children and young people representing Comhairle na nÓg, 32 primary schools, Irish Wheelchair Association and EPIC who attended and participated in the special event.
Children Seen and Heard 1916 – 2016
As part of Ireland 2016, and in partnership with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, a series of consultations took place with children and young people, between the ages of 8 and 18, in Ireland and Northern Ireland, to find out what things they liked about Ireland and Northern Ireland and what things they would like to change. The results of the consultations are contained in a special report Children Seen and Heard 1916 – 2016, which was presented to Minister Katherine Zappone as part of the event.
Hosted by President Michael D. Higgins, the grounds of Áras an Uachtaráin were transformed for the occasion so that children were able to enjoy playing popular games from 1916. The formal ceremony included a lantern procession, one for each of the 40 children who died in the Rising, a presentation by some of the children on their vision for the future, the burying of a time capsule and a special tree-planting ceremony. Broadcaster and author of Children of the Rising, Joe Duffy was the MC for the event.
A summary of the Children Seen and Heard 1916 – 2016 report can be downloaded here.