Number of Easter commemorations taking place in Derry this weekend
Republicans set to gather in Derry's city cemetery this weekend to commemorate the 108th anniversary of the 1916 rising
A number of Easter commemorations will be taking place in Derry over the weekend.
Sinn Féin National Chairperson Declan Kearney will be the keynote speaker at the party's Easter Sunday Commemoration, the party has confirmed.
Encouraging people to take part, local Sinn Féin councillor Pat Murphy said: "Easter is a special and poignant time for republicans as we gather to remember and pay tribute to all those who have lost their lives in the pursuit of Irish freedom.
“The main address this year will be delivered by our National Chairperson Declan Kearney who I am sure will be reflecting on the positive change that the party is driving right across Ireland and which is bringing us closer than ever to achieving the kind of Ireland that was envisaged by the men and women of 1916.
"Therefore, I would urge local republicans to make a special effort to attend both the main and local area commemorations in Derry and to wear the Easter Lily with pride over the Easter period in honour of the sacrifices of all of our patriot dead.”
The main commemoration will assemble at Westland Street at 2.00pm before marching to the republican plot in the city cemetery.
Sinn Féin have also organised a number of localised ceremonies taking place on Easter Sunday at 1.00pm. These are: Shantallow Monument (Racecourse Road) Waterside (Rose Court) and 1.30pm at Creggan (Central Drive), Bogside Brandywell (Lecky Road).
Meanwhile, the Irish Republican Socialist Party will be staging their commemoration on Easter Saturday at 2.30pm in the city cemetery.
Republican Sinn Féin have organised a commemoration at 12pm on Easter Sunday in the city cemetery.
A commemoration organised by the Derry 1916 Commemoration Committee, which is supported by Saoradh, will hold a commemoration on Easter Monday. The commemoration will assemble at Creggan Shops at 2.00pm before marching to the republican plot in the city cemetery.
Last year's commemoration ended in violence as petrol bombs and other missiles were thrown at PSNI vehicles as the unnotified parade, led by a masked colour party, made its way through the Creggan area to the city cemetery for a short commemoration.