Shropshire Star

Irish president pays tribute to servicemen and women killed in conflict

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and other government ministers joined Michael D Higgins at the National Day of Commemoration in Dublin.

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National Day of Commemoration Ceremony

Ireland’s president has led tributes to Irish men and women killed in conflict, during a commemorative ceremony in Dublin.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and other government ministers joined Michael D Higgins at the National Day of Commemoration event at Collins Barracks in the Irish capital.

National Day of Commemoration Ceremony
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the National Day of Commemoration Ceremony at Collins Barracks in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

Similar ceremonies were held in Cork, Limerick, Galway, Sligo, Kilkenny and Waterford as the nation honoured those men and women killed in wars or on United Nations service.

National Day of Commemoration Ceremony
The National Day of Commemoration Ceremony honoured all Irishmen and women who died in past wars or on service with the UN (Brian Lawless/PA)

Relatives of those who lost their lives were invited to the main ceremony in Dublin, which was also attended by a number of veterans.

National Day of Commemoration Ceremony
Members of the defence forces honour Irishmen an women who died in past wars or on service with the United Nations (Brian Lawless/PA)

Descendants of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising against British rule were also invited.

During the ceremony, President Higgins laid a wreath on behalf of the people of Ireland.

National Day of Commemoration Ceremony
President Michael D Higgins lays a wreath (Brian Lawless/PA)

He also inspected a guard of honour formed by members of the Irish Defence Forces.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney, Defence Minister Paul Kehoe, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan and Culture Minister Josepha Madigan were among the senior politicians in attendance.

Several religious leaders, including Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin, delivered readings during the ceremony.

National Day of Commemoration Ceremony
The Irish Air Corps perform a flypast during the National Day of Commemoration Ceremony (Brian Lawless/PA)

The event ended with a flypast by three aircraft from the Air Corps.

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