State seeks suitable venue for 1916 relatives’ event

The Government is seeking to rent a large venue capable of holding thousands of people for an event next year for relatives of those who took part in the 1916 rising.

The venue must be capable of holding up to 5,500 people and sources said a venue in Dublin is the favoured option, which would point to the RDS or the 3 Arena.

The event will take place on Easter Saturday evening, March 26th, the night before the main State centenary commemoration, which includes a military ceremony at the GPO in O’Connell Street.

The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht said the Saturday night event would be a "respectful evening for families to reflect on the involvement of their ancestors and to mark the events of 1916".

It is expected to include cultural and historical elements and music. Any relatives wishing to attend must register with the Department of Defence.

Minister for Arts Heather Humphreys, whose department is also processing requests from relatives, said about 1,500 people had registered to date, but she expected the number to rise in the coming months.

“We’ve been working closely with the 1916 relatives association on this event,” she said.