12 July 2015: National Day of Commemoration, Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin 8
The National Day of Commemoration commemorates all Irishmen and Irishwomen who died in past wars or on service with the United Nations. It occurs on the Sunday nearest July 11, the anniversary of the date in 1921 on which the truce ending the Irish War of Independence was signed. The principal ceremony is normally held at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin, and the 2015 event took place on Sunday 12 July.
The military and religious ceremonies were held in the presence of the President, the Taoiseach and other members of the Government of Ireland, members of the Oireachtas, the Council of State, the Diplomatic Corps, the judiciary, relatives of 1916 leaders, next-of-kin of those who died on service with the UN, Northern Ireland representatives and a wide cross-section of the community, including religious leaders, ex-servicemen and ex-servicewomen.
Learn more about the National Day of Commemoration from the Irish Defence Forces and watch RTÉ’s report on the 2015 ceremony.