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O'Neill attends republican Easter commemoration

BBC Three woman stand in a graveyard. The woman to left is holding a microphone and reading from a page. To her right is a tall black speaker, the woman wears a black coat, has blonde hair and wears glasses. The woman in the centre is holding a electronic tablet, whilst wearing a grey rain jacket, blue jeans and white trainers. The woman on the right is holding a black file, she wears a long black coat, green trousers and white shoes. In front of the woman who is speaking is memorial poster for the Easter rising. Behind the woman are tree's, below which are some graves. BBC
Michelle O'Neill addressed the crowd at the republican plot in Coalisland graveyard

Michelle O'Neill has attended her first republican Easter commemoration in Northern Ireland since taking up office as first minister.

She addressed a crowd of about 50 at the republican plot in Coalisland graveyard in County Tyrone.

She said they had come together to remember "all of those who have struggled for our freedom".

"We honour the sacrifices that were made by those during Easter week of 1916, but also in every generation before and since," she said.

Seven people stand in a graveyard. A woman to the far left of the group is holding a microphone and reading from a page. To her right is a tall black speaker, the woman wears a black coat, has blonde hair and wears glasses. The woman in the centre is holding a electronic tablet, whilst wearing a grey rain jacket, blue jeans and white trainers. The woman on the right is holding a black file, she wears a long black coat, green trousers and white shoes. In front of the woman who is speaking is memorial poster for the Easter rising. Behind the woman are tree's, below which are some graves. To the right of these three woman are the four remaining people standing perpendicular to them, behind a black bench which has the letters 'TNG' on it in gold writing. In the foreground of the picture is a plot with three graves. In between this plot and the group is a large grey headstone.
The first minster is expected to attend an Irish state event in Dublin on Easter Sunday

'Pivotal moment in history'

"Ordinary people born in extraordinary times, and today we're very mindful and thoughtful of all the families of those that have lost and we're particularly thinking of you all today. Everybody has a right to respectfully remember their dead."

The Sinn Féin vice president attended a formal Irish state event in Dublin last year marking the 1916 rebellion, which was an attempt to overthrow British rule in Ireland.

She is expected to attend it again on Easter Sunday.

O'Neill also told those gathered in Coalisland that "we stand at a pivotal moment in history", adding "we are in the end days of partition".

She said a united Ireland was no longer merely a dream and reiterated a call for a border poll by 2030.