1916 centenary will do more than reflect on the past

A parade past the GPO in Dublin, scene of the 1916 Rising and headquarters of An Post, which will be the focus of the centenary celebrations in Easter 2016. Getty Images

Heather Humphreys

November 12 2014 11:50 PM

The year 2016 presents an important opportunity for this country, not only to commemorate the people and events of 100 years earlier, but also to reflect on where Ireland is today and to imagine where we might be tomorrow.

I want the 2016 Commemorations to be inclusive, in their spirit and in their activity. The Proclamation itself was a deliberate and carefully crafted statement of inclusion – speaking as it did of men and women, and promising “religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities”.

An inclusive approach doesn’t mean that we should overlook differences of historical allegiance, perspective or memory. What it does mean is that we should explore difference honestly, and endeavour to arrive at a shared understanding of the human stories that underpin the historical events. It also means that the commemorations should not be claimed by any one group or sector of society; rather they should belong to everyone.

Ireland 2016 will be a national and international initiative to commemorate the events of 100 years ago, based on five intersecting themes: Remember – recalling our shared history on the island of Ireland; Reconcile – honouring all who have built peace and brought people together; Imagine – releasing the creativity of our people, in particular our young people, as we anticipate a better future for all; Present – creatively showing our achievements to the world; Celebrate – our commitment to the Proclamation ideals of liberty and equality.

Ireland 2016 is born from a conviction that, as the Taoiseach said in the historic setting of the GPO last night, remembrance on its own is insufficient to honour the ideals and achievements of the men and women who proclaimed our Republic. We can best honour the past by reflecting also on the present, by exploring and celebrating our achievements, and by re-imagining our future.

There will be a series of formal state events over the weekend of Easter 2016. This will include a formal military parade outside the GPO on Easter Sunday, which will be led by relatives of those who fought and those who died in the 1916 Rising.

The previous evening, there will be a special State reception for relatives, which will follow a remembrance ceremony at the GPO. An inter-faith service will be among further events taking place over the weekend.

As this outline makes clear, the relatives of those who fought and gave their lives for this country are being given a central role in the State ceremonies. And rightly so. But I also want to reach out far beyond that, to encourage every town and community across the country to get involved.

A team from my Department will hold a series of local meetings and workshops to actively engage with a wide range of groups including local communities, relatives, schools, colleges, business and voluntary organisations, and historical societies to encourage a diversity of events and programmes driven, to the greatest extent possible, by local and community initiative. We will also be reaching out to the Diaspora.

I will also work with our National Cultural Institutions and the Arts Council to develop a rich cultural programme embracing creativity and inspiration.

I have long believed that the arts can reach out and make us reflect on our past and look towards our future in a different way. A series of events and exhibitions will be developed at our galleries, museums and the National Concert Hall.

I want schools and young people to be centrally involved. I will be working with my colleague, the Minister for Education, Jan O’Sullivan, to develop a special commemorative education programme, so we can stimulate debate and creativity and encourage children to deepen their knowledge of the past and actively imagine the future.

Seven flagship projects are being developed in time for Easter 2016. This includes an interpretive centre and visitor facility at the GPO, which will bring to life the events of the Rising for an expected 300,000 visitors a year. Some €22m will be spent on this projects in 2015.

Ireland 2016 is an ambitious initiative. It has the potential to bring us together and instil a real sense of pride about where we have come from and where we are going. And it starts now, with a period of extensive planning and widespread consultation.

The aim is to have a rich diversity of programmes and events throughout 2016, both large and small – inspired by communities, businesses, individuals – by young and old, by our people here and abroad, by our new citizens and our new communities – by all who would like to contribute.

Together, we can make 2016 something we can all be proud of.

Heather Humphreys is Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht