Irishmen and Irishwomen on this day, March 15th 2016, we declare our Republic to be a free country. We the students of Monageer National School are proud to celebrate the Irish Republic, 100 years since the reading of the first Proclamation in 1916.

We remember the role played by the men and women of the Rising with respect. They fought bravely and sacrificed their lives for the sake of Irish independence, so that we who have come after them have the power to choose what kind of country we live in.  We thank them for that wonderful gift and hope we can use it wisely.

The citizens of Ireland  are entitled to the rights and have the responsibilities listed beneath.

            All citizens have the right and equal opportunity to receive an education. They also have the responsibility to pay attention and try to learn. Everybody should be entitled to a free education. Schools should be refurbished and have modern facilities.

            All citizens have equality no matter what race or religion they belong to. All differences shall be recognised and celebrated. All the different beliefs, cultures and languages shall be respected by everyone. We the citizens of Ireland are proud to call Ireland our home. Ireland is a country full of hopes, dreams and equality.

We declare the rights of everyone to have a place called home. It is our duty as Irish citizens to support the less fortunate. In Ireland, we should stand shoulder to shoulder and stay together. All citizens are entitled to a home and place in the economy, to the right living standards and to have space to care for your family.

We proclaim that everybody in our country has a right to a peaceful and safe life. We also have a responsibility to behave peacefully in our communities and in our schools. We should all behave respectfully towards others. We believe that nobody should suffer from bullying, intimidation or violence.

Ireland is a democratic country. We are proud of the fact that we can vote for and elect our government. We believe that Ireland should be a fair and just country for all citizens. We state that everybody who lives in Ireland should be treated equally and have the same human rights.

We hope that the Irish language gains popularity and flourishes in all our schools and communities. Gaeltacht areas should be protected and celebrated. More funding should be provided to promote the teaching and learning of Gaeilge.

The Irish Republic as a sovereign state should look after its sick and elderly. We believe that everyone living on this island should be entitled to free health care. The ability to pay should not determine the quality of the health care we receive.

Ireland is a very beautiful country with many fantastic natural resources. It is up to us all to protect our country by caring for our environment, not polluting it and looking after our animals and flowers.

We, the children of 2016, pledge to uphold these principles so that our generation, and future generations can live happy, healthy and prosperous lives.

Our founding fathers built this country so that we would unite to create a better tomorrow. People of Ireland, this is your message to live by.