Pride of Knockmore honour soldiers killed during Easter Rising

However, unlike many Easter Rising events, this parade, which also included a wreath laying ceremony at the Lisburn War Memorial, was planned to honour the soldiers and police officers who died during the Dublin uprising in 1916.

Pride of Knockmore Band Master Ian Gilbert explained the reasons behind the decision to hold the parade.

“In recent years Pride of Knockmore have taken a keen interest in military history and particularly the history of the Irish regiments,” explained Ian. “We felt it was important to mark the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising to remember the British soldiers and members of the Royal Irish Constabulary who were killed as we feel they have been forgotten over the years.

“A lot of the Sherwood Foresters were only out of training and had never even fired their guns. Some even thought they had landed in France. Many Irishmen who were in the British army, mostly in Irish regiments, were killed by their fellow Irishmen, and we felt that it was important that their sacrifice was remembered.”