1916 Celebrations in A.S.M.

During the weeks leading up to Easter, the school was very busy preparing for the celebrations for the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising.

The Irish Department organised the entire school into a 1916 formation to perform the “Cup” song as gaeilge .Portraits of the seven signatories were painted in the central area, names of the key figures of the Rising were put on the doors of the classrooms and daily announcements about the events of Easter week were read over the intercom by our students.

Proclamation Day, Tuesday 15th March, began with a ceremony in the hall. Events began with a reading of the Yeats poem ‘Easter 1916’ and a short account on the life of each signatory given by seven Leaving Certs in full 1916 costume.

The 1916 Proclamation was read by Megan Devlin Larson, dressed as Padraig Pearse, followed by the reading of three ’Proclamations for a New Generation’ by Saoirse Ní Thuairisg, Shannon Dolan and Hannah Finn. The three girls had travelled to Croke park earlier in the month for the official receiving of the flag and the Proclamation presided over by Ryan Tubridy and attended by the president Michael D. Higgins.

Music was provided throughout by Ms Jackson and her music students. The entire school then proceeded outdoors to see the Irish flag being raised outside the school. It was a great day for the school, and it will remain in the memories of those who attended.