Over 6,000 secondary school students have received the Tricolour national flag at special State Ceremonial event in Croke Park.
It is the first of a series of official State events taking place over the next four weeks, as part of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme.
Today saw the culmination of the 'Flags for Schools' programme, when representative groups of students and teachers from every secondary school in the country received a national flag and a copy of the Proclamation.
The initiative, a partnership with the Defence Forces and the Department of Education, began in September 2015.
People arriving at Croke Park this morning - Girls from Loreto College in Crumlin | Image via @ireland2016 on Twitter
The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht says it was a "hugely popular and successful initiative", with over 3,200 schools receiving their own handmade Tricolour and special pack - which included a copy of the Proclamation and booklet on care of the flag.
Today's ceremony included a keynote address by President Michael D Higgins, and was the first of its kind in the history of the State.
Presentations underway in Croke Park | Image via @ireland2016 on Twitter
President Higgins inspected a Guard of Honour on his arrival.
President Michael D Higgins has arrived & is inspecting the Guard of Honour@defenceforces @PresidentIRL #Ireland2016 pic.twitter.com/TSLSU8sIqb
— Ireland 2016 (@ireland2016) March 7, 2016
The national flag was first raised in Waterford in 1848 by Thomas Francis Meagher, and was brought to Dublin prior to 1916 by Irish Volunteers from Waterford city.
Director of Ireland 2016, John Concannon, says the significance of the flag is central.
