Citizen’s initiative says Ireland can be reinvigorated by tenets of 1916

A citizen’s initiative which has the backing of artists, union members and academics says modern Ireland can be revitalised by the tenets of the 1916 Rising.

The initiative, Reclaim the Vision of 1916, is planning three national events to mark the centenary of the Rising next year, including a ‘National Parade of Celebration’ to mark the anniversary and a national seminar due to take place in spring 2016.

The group is chaired by artist Robert Ballagh and has the backing of playwright Brian Friel and the great grandson of James Connolly, Jim Connolly-Heron.

Eugene McCartan, a member of the organising committee, said it was important to the group that Irish people took ownership of the celebration.

“It is important to us that people take ownership, become involved and celebrate 1916 in the most fitting way they see possible at a local level...and to look more deeply at the proclamation of 1916 and to find a way forward,” he said.

“We are not going got fossilize the commemoration – we want the country to be re-inspired by the events of 1916 and see that as a way we can galvanise, revitalise and reinvigorate the three kernel demands of 1916 – democracy, independence and sovereignty,” he said.

Mr McCartan said the initiative, which he described as a “bottom-up, grassroots movement”, had been in development over the last number of months with the initial goal of examining how the centenary should be celebrated.

“Flowing from that we developed a new proclamation for 2016 and a political statement,” he said.

“We want to encourage people to discuss, debate and look back on the proclamation of 1916...to reengage and to find a new way forward out of this morass that he nation has been dragged into,” he said.

“We want to harness the positive energy, harness the anger of the people in a positive, creative way to take ownership of the vision of 1916 and to carry it forward into tomorrow”.

The initiative is due to be launched officially at a public rally in Dublin this Easter.