Following the Re-enactment of the iconic graveside oration by Padraig Pearse, Jim Roche walks past the grave of Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa in Glasnevin Cemetery, as part of the State Commemoration of the funeral of O'Donovan Rossa. Picture; GERRY MOONEY.

President Michael D. Higgins places a wreath on behalf of the people of Ireland on the grave of Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa in Glasnevin Cemetery, as part of the State Commemoration of the funeral of O'Donovan Rossa

President Michael D. Higgins is presented with a wreath on behalf of the people of Ireland for the grave of Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa in Glasnevin Cemetery, as part of the State Commemoration of the funeral of O'Donovan Rossa. Picture; GERRY MOONEY

An Army officer salutes as the Last Post is sounded at the grave of Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa in Glasnevin Cemetery, as part of the State Commemoration of the funeral of O'Donovan Rossa. Picture; GERRY MOONEY

A minutes silence is observed at the grave of Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa in Glasnevin Cemetery, as part of the State Commemoration of the funeral of O'Donovan Rossa. Picture; GERRY MOONEY

Defence forces chaplain, Fr. Robert McCabe blesses the grave of Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa in Glasnevin Cemetery, as part of the State Commemoration of the funeral of O'Donovan Rossa. Picture; GERRY MOONEY.

An Army officer salutes as the Last Post is sounded at the grave of Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa in Glasnevin Cemetery, as part of the State Commemoration of the funeral of O'Donovan Rossa. Picture; GERRY MOONEY

The inscription on a wreath on behalf of the people of Ireland on the grave of Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa in Glasnevin Cemetery, as part of the State Commemoration of the funeral of O'Donovan Rossa. Picture; GERRY MOONEY

President Michael D. Higgins places a wreath on behalf of the people of Ireland on the grave of Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa in Glasnevin Cemetery, as part of the State Commemoration of the funeral of O'Donovan Rossa. Picture by Gerry Mooney

The iconic oration delivered by Padraig Pearse at the graveside is re-enacted by Jim Roche at the grave of Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa in Glasnevin Cemetery, as part of the State Commemoration of the funeral of O'Donovan Rossa. Picture; GERRY MOONEY

Bernadette Hickey of the Cabra Historical Society who took part in the Reenactment of the O'Donovan Rossa funeral at Dublin Castle. Photo: Tony Gavin

Cllr Cathertine Carney Boyd who took part in the Reenactment of the O'Donovan Rossa funeral at Dublin Castle with Siobhan Guyart, Anne Sullivan and Lilly Doherty Down Photo: Tony Gavin

Bernadette Hickey of the Cabra Historical Society who took part in the Reenactment of the O'Donovan Rossa funeral at Dublin Castle. Photo: Tony Gavin

Paul Treacy and Denise Loftus of the Cabra Historical Society who took part in the Reenactment of the O'Donovan Rossa funeral at Dublin Castle. Photo: Tony Gavin

The horse drawn hearse which took part in the Reenactment of the O'Donovan Rossa funeral at Dublin Castle. Photo: Tony Gavin

Sin Fein Leader Gerry Adams who was at the Reenactment of the O'Donovan Rossa funeral at Dublin Castle. Photo: Tony Gavin

Northern Ireland Minister for Agriculture, Michelle O'Neill who was at in the Reenactment of the O'Donovan Rossa funeral at Dublin Castle. Photo: Tony Gavin

Proinsias O'Rathaille, grandson of the organiser of the original funeral, 3rd from left, who took part in the Reenactment of the O'Donovan Rossa funeral at Dublin Castle. Photo: Tony Gavin 1/8/2015

Brothers Dave, Nev and Justin Swift from the Claiomh Living History Group who took part in the Reenactment of the O'Donovan Rossa funeral at Dublin Castle, with Rick Sinclaire from Birmingham. Photo: Tony Gavin

Mary Lou McDonald,TD. Sin Fein Leader Gerry Adams who were at the Reenactment of the O'Donovan Rossa funeral at Dublin Castle. Photo: Tony Gavin

Historical groups in period uniforms from all over Ireland carry a coffin out of City Hall, Dublin during the Reenactment of the O'Donovan Rossa funeral. Photo: Tony Gavin

A horse drawn hearse leads historical groups in period uniforms from all over Ireland across O'Connell Bridgeduring the Reenactment of the O'Donovan Rossa funeral. Photo: Tony Gavin

THE State’s centenary celebrations of 1916 Easter Rising officially began today with the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Fenian leader Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa’s funeral.

President Michael D Higgins led the official State commemoration in Glasnevin Cemetery, and was joined by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Art Minister Heather Humphreys.

The O’Donovan Rossa funeral in June 1915 was the scene of the famous graveside oration by Pádraig Pearse, which unified the republican movement and ultimately led to the Easter Rising less than a year later.

On arriving to the cemetery, President Higgins inspected an armed guard provided by the Defence Force’s 6th Infantry Battalion as the Army No 1. Band played Sarsfield Men.

This was followed by a speech by Glasnevin Trust chairman John Green, who detailed the events leading up to O’Donovan’s Rossa’s death and the impact it had on the Irish republican movement of the time.

Defence Forces Chaplain Fr Robert McCabe then recited a prayer and blessed the grave, before President Higgins laid a wreath on Mr O’Donovan Rossa’s resting place.

An actor gave a powerful re-enactment of Pádraig Pearse’s graveside oration, which was followed by a gun salute by a Defence Forces firing party.

Crowds gathered to hear the re-enactment of Pearse's immortal words: "The fools, the fools, they have left us our Fenian dead and while Ireland holds these graves, Ireland unfree shall never be at peace".

Some of the descendants of O'Donovan Rossa's family were also there.

The Taoiseach described O'Donovan Rossa, nicknamed Dynamite for orchestrating the first-ever republican bombings in British cities, as a figure in Irish history.

"Even 100 years after his death his name is synonymous with the Fenians and with Irish Nationalism. The liberation of his country became his life's ambition. His funeral remains one of the pivotal moments in Irish history and was an occasion that would be hugely instrumental in shaping the future of our nation," he said.

Mr Higgins led the commemorations by laying a wreath while a volley of shots rang out and the Tricolour was raised and Amhran na bhFiann played.

The event included prayer by Defence Forces chaplain Fr Robert McCabe, a minute's silence, a piper's lament and an actor reciting Pearse's oration.

Ms Humphreys, whose office is overseeing the 40 plus events marking the Easter Rising, said the re-enactment was the official start of the centenary celebrations which she said will be "appropriate and respectful".

"The funeral of Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa, which took place here in Glasnevin Cemetery 100 years ago today, acted as a catalyst in the lead up to the Rising. The now famous graveside oration, given by Padraig Pearse, left a lasting impact and travelled far beyond the confines of this cemetery," she said.

"Over the coming year, we will hold more than 40 state events as we commemorate the events of 1916, consider our achievements over the last 100 years, and look ambitiously to the future."

O'Donovan Rossa died in New York on June 29 1915 aged 83.

Among the first wave of activists to join the ranks of the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) in 1858, the Skibbereen shopkeeper was jailed for life for high treason after plotting a Fenian rising in 1865.

Four years later he was elected a British MP in a by-election in Tipperary while incarcerated although the result was declared invalid.

His release was only secured in the so-called Fenian amnesty after he agreed to live in exile in New York from where he espoused the theory of terrorism and launched the dynamite bombing campaign to attack strategic and economic targets in Britain.

Following his death on Staten Island the IRB set about stage managing his repatriation and burial for maximum effect and publicity.

"Send his body home at once," Tom Clarke, one of the masterminds of the 1916 Rising, cabled to John Devoy who had been exiled with O'Donovan Rossa.

The funeral was a huge occasion in Dublin with an estimated 5,000 people following a guard of honour made up of veterans of the Fenian movement and the Irish Volunteers, Irish Citizen Army and Fianna Eireann.

Reports say it took just under an hour for the cortege to pass a fixed point as it wound its way from Stephen's Green to Parnell Square and out to Glasnevin past 50,000 people who had lined the streets.

Pearse's oration was deliberately provocative and the silence which followed it was only broken by the baying crowds and the defiant firing of three volleys of shots over the grave which some historians describe as the first shots of the 1916 Rising.

John Green, chair of Glasnevin Trust, said O'Donovan Rossa's funeral was the most significant of all those of Irish republicans.

"The selection of Padraig Pearse was Clarke's, having groomed him for the task at Bodenstown in 1913. His oration at the graveside was a masterpiece which invoked the passions of the past and laid bare the task ahead," he said.

The centenary has also been marked with a commemorative stamp of a picture of the burial in Glasnevin and events in Cork including a torch-lit parade in Skibbereen.

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