Grants scheme to help fund Rising commemorations

DUBLIN City Council has announced a new grants scheme to encourage public participation in the commemorations of the 1916 Rising.

It is now accepting applications from community groups and organisations in Dublin city who want to organise events and projects to mark the 100th anniversary next year.

The city council has made

?¬150,000 available in funding, distributed equally across the five local areas in its administrative district.

Grants are available for community-based activities focusing on the 1916 Rising and seeking to raise awareness in local areas of the history of the Rising such as seminars, lectures, walking tours, publications, exhibitions and theatre events. Funds will be made available this year to facilitate planning of events to take place in 2016.

Lord Mayor of Dublin Christy Burke welcomed the funding initiative.

“Dublin city was at the heart of the 1916 Rising with the capital’s streets being the location of most of the fighting,

? he said.

“Indeed, Dublin’s citizens, and its buildings, bore the scars of the momentous events for many years.

?

Brendan Kenny, assistant chief executive at Dublin City Council, said:

“The city council is aware of the huge interest in history, particularly in local history, in the city and has allocated funding to promote local involvement in projects remembering and inspired by the 1916 Rising.

“This is part of the city council’s commitment to participating in the national Ireland 2016 programme and the Decade of Commemorations.

?

Cllr Nial Ring (Ind), who represents the north inner city Local Electoral Area (LEA), said he was delighted with the funding allocation.

“The grant scheme is a direct result of our (councillors) insistence that the 2015 budget should have this fund,

? he stated.

“In Ballybough and East Wall for example, local history groups are already putting programmes together and now they can go forward with the comfort that funding will be available.

?

“Ideas for the commemoration/celebration of the 1916 Rising were always going to come from community rather than official level.

“With the announcement of the availability of grants, I am sure that there will now be a surge of projects, programmes, walks, talks, lectures, battle reconstructions and exhibitions.

?

Cllr Ring added:

“All Dublin city councillors will be ensuring that their communities become involved.

?

Cllr Mícheál Mac Donncha (SF), who represents the Beaumont-Donaghmede Local Electoral Area (LEA), also welcomed the announcement.

“The centenary of the 1916 Rising is a very significant occasion for the Irish people at home and abroad,

? he said.

“While the grants are modest, they are there to encourage and assist, and I would urge people to avail of them in 2015 in preparation for the centenary. A further scheme will, I hope, be put in place for 2016 itself.

?

The grants application form is available to download at www.dublincity.ie/decadeofcommemorations and also from the city council’s public libraries. The closing date for completed applications is April 30.