The National Day of Commemoration Ceremony was held at Sligo City Hall on Sunday afternoon. The ceremony commemorates Irishmen and Irishwomen who died in past wars or on service with the United Nations.
National Day of Commemoration Ceremony
The programme for the ceremony included an ecumenical service led by Rev. Alan Mitchell, Fr. Pat Lombard, Canon Patrick Bamber, Rev. David Clarke and Pastor Funke Egberongbe, participation of the Defence Forces under Comdt. Ledwith, and musical performances by Sligo Concert Band, Soloist Olivia O’Hanlon and accompanist Donal Gray and Mallows, Ukrainian Peace Choir.
The ceremony included prayers to be recited by representatives from the various church leaders in Sligo, the laying of a wreath by the Mayor of the Borough District of Sligo, observance of a minute’s silence and raising of the National Flag.
The annual event is hosted on the Sunday nearest July 11th, the anniversary of the date in 1921 that a truce was signed ending the Irish War of Independence.
The Mayor of Sligo County Council Councillor Tom MacSharry said ‘Our National Day of Commemoration is one of the most important of our annual Ceremonies. It provides an opportunity for our community to come together to pay a public tribute to the many brave people who have served with distinction in our Defence Forces.’
