Mary White (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate the Minister and look forward to working with her in my capacity as a member of the 2016 commemoration committee, which was appointed by the Taoiseach. Last night's event in the GPO, the main site of the Rising, was a very moving experience and it was a great privilege to participate in it. I was born in Dundalk and we Border people are acutely sensitive to this issue. I am not arguing that people born elsewhere are not similarly sensitive. My grandmother was from west Belfast, and as a child I used to travel by train from Dundalk to Belfast. I was reared on stories of Pádraig Pearse. It was a great feeling to be present at last night's event. I thought of my father who used to bring us to the GPO to view the beautiful statue of Cú Chulainn with an eagle on his shoulder. It was fantastic to attend last night in an official capacity.
I agree with the comments made on raising awareness of women's participation in the Rising. A book entitled Women of the Irish Revolutionwill be launched tonight in Richmond Barracks, which is an extraordinary place to visit. Visiting the barracks, where the trials of those who took part in the Rising were held, sent a shiver down my spine. Members of the commemoration committee visited in an official capacity and it was very moving to think that the leaders were placed on trial there.
I was also privileged to attend an event to mark the 94th anniversary of Kevin Barry's execution on 1 November last. I found the event very emotional because, as a child, I used to play the song "Kevin Barry" on the piano.
Like Senator Bacik, I remember watching tanks roll along O'Connell Street and asking why we were flaunting weapons of war. While I was aware that our troops were participating in peacekeeping operations, I could not understand the point of the tanks and found it upsetting that they should be used.
Members of the Oireachtas and local authorities must ensure that more women are involved in the commemorations. Women and men have different opinions, and we need diversity and a woman's voice. The Minister spoke about commemorating the women of Cumann na mBán in Ballina and the events planned to commemorate that organisation. Countess Markievicz trained members of Cumann na mBán in a small wood in Sandyford near where I live in Dundrum.
When I attended Bolton Street college of technology in the early 1960s after completing the leaving certificate, I did not want to be an actor as I hated acting. However, I worked on the sets of plays, and at one time the theatre group was desperate to find someone to play a minor role in "The Plough and the Stars". I obliged and found it a great experience to play a part in that play in Bolton Street, which was so close to where the events depicted in it took place.
The 1916 commemorations must inspire people to be idealistic about their country. We lived through a bad period of excessive materialism, with everyone wanting bigger houses and so on. While I am fully in favour of people having a good standard of living, we should also acknowledge that public service is a beautiful way to live.

We should be inspired by Pádraig Pearse and Kevin Barry, who was only 18 when he was executed. We should become familiar with the songs, poetry and so on. We must get more women involved with politics and have more diverse institutions. Senator Mooney knows it is very hard for me sometimes, as I may be the only woman attending a political party meeting.