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Easter Monday

Days left:
Easter Monday falls on 28.03.2024 (Thursday)
The date of Easter Monday in other years:

Easter Monday

In the Republic of Ireland, Easter Monday is more than a deserved post-holiday rest. The day is symbolic of blood and sacrifice that not Christ, but Irish rebels made for their country in 1916. The Irish Republican Brotherhood organized an insurrection on April 24, 1916 Easter Monday, in order to take advantage of the British preoccupation with World War I and seize the opportunity to create the Irish Republic. The rebellion was brutally defeated by the Royal forces and all its leaders were subsequently executed. Although the Irish public did not support the insurrection at the time, the rebels’ legend has grown and they have become national martyrs. Every year on Easter Monday, apart from practicing Christian customs, citizens of Ireland participate in memorials of these brave rebellious fighters.

Ever since the Act of Union 1800 had been proclaimed, the Irish opposed the established order of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Their main reason for rebellious attitudes was the continuous discrimination of Catholics in the country; their rights were very limited in comparison to Protestants’. These negative moods culminated in the proclamation of home rule in Ireland in 1914, but it proved to be insufficient. That is why, while Great Britain was at war with Germany, the Irish decided to seize vital locations in Dublin and establish the Republic of Ireland, which they did on April 24, 1916. The rebellion lasted until Easter Saturday, April 29, and the royalists defeated the republicans. Prior to 1916, Ireland used to celebrate Easter Monday as a half-religious, half-folkloristic festivity, which it was in other Anglophone countries. Since the rebellion, however, a new tradition came to life: the military memorial parade, which became observed yearly around Easter. After the Republic of Ireland was finally established on Easter Monday April 18, 1949, the biggest rebellion commemoration was held on its fiftieth anniversary in 1966. Since then, the date of annual military events was set to Easter Monday, which became a day symbolic for new hope and persistence.

Prior to 1966, the military parade had been organized by Irish rebellion veterans; since then, many of them have passed away, and their children and grandchildren have taken their place. The march passes by all the strategic points in Dublin, such as the General Post Office, the Garden of Remembrance, and the Arbour Hill prison. Apart from these prominent commemorations, Ireland also celebrates Easter Monday, with many towns and cities organizing egg rolling competitions and non-military parades.

The holiday is public in Ireland, though many pubs and shops might be open. In this country, Easter Monday bears multiple meanings, from religious traditions through folkloristic customs and political memorials. It is an important day for the assertion of national identity, both because of the rebellion and because of the Catholic observance.

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