Semicentennial of the Easter Rising

The Semi-centennial of the Easter Rising occurred in 1966. Many events took place to mark the Golden Jubilee of the 1916 Easter Rising.

Easter Sunday

Celebrations began on Easter Sunday on April 10, 1966 when a Military parade took place in Dublin. An estimated 200,000 people attended the march as it paraded down O'Connell Street before stopped outside the General Post Office, the headquarters of the 1916 Easter Rising leaders. The then Irish president Éamon de Valera took the salute with an estimated 900 veterans of the Easter Rising by his side. [1][2][3][4]

Later in the day, the president laid a wreath at Kilmainham Gaol, the execution site of the leaders. The museum was officially opened.

Easter Monday

Religious services were held across the country on Easter Monday in remembrance of the veterans of the Rising. The Garden of Remembrance in Parnell Square was opened by the President and later in the day Raidio Éireann presented a live commemorative concert that was held live at the Gaiety Theatre. [5]

Commemorative coin

During Semi-centennial celebrations, the first Commemorative coins of Ireland known simply as the Ten shilling coin was issued. The coin was designed by Thomas Humphrey Paget and was valued at 10 shillings, therefore having the highest value coin in the pre-decimal system.[6]

References
  1. "1966 and all that: the 50th anniversary commemorations". February 20, 2013.
  2. JSTOR j.ctt14jxtnx
  3. Mawe, Shane. "The Golden Jubilee in 1966 – Changed Utterly".
  4. McDonald, Henry (January 3, 2016). "Ireland prepares to mark Easter Rising centenary amid fears old tensions may resurface" – via www.theguardian.com.
  5. Linehan, Hugh. "Remembering the Rising: how they did it in 1966". The Irish Times.
  6. "1966, 50 years from the end of The Easter Rising, newspapers and postcards". www.theeasterrising.eu.
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