All across the nation, we are all getting ready to mark the Centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising. There will be hundreds of events over the next year commemorating The Rising and the men and women who were involved in the fight for freedom, that ultimately lead to Irish independence.

Children in schools all around Ireland will play their own part in marking the 100 Year Commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising. The Irish Army will present each school with the Irish flag and also with a copy of the 1916 Proclamation.

I was very privileged to attend this special ceremony in my little grand-daughter’s school. Two army officers came along to meet all the children and tell them about the importance of the Irish flag and the meaning of the 1916 Proclamation. I found it a powerful and moving event, as I could not help but think of Padraig Pearse’s small school ‘Scoil Eanna’ – where it all started over a hundred years ago. It was there that he and some of his fellow teachers had a dream of an independent, free Ireland.

As the army officer stood up and read the Proclamation aloud, with the help from one of the girls, I could not help but feel emotional as I sat there watching, knowing that Thomas MacDonagh, Padraig Pearse, James Connolly, Joe Plunkett, Tom Clarke, Sean MacDiarmada and Eamonn Ceannt would most certainly approve and be pleased that their words and actions were not forgotten.

On 15th March 2016, these flags will all be raised in schools across the countryside and flown to mark and remember the 1916 Easter Rising. The children will also write their own modern day Proclamation.