Men, Women and Children of Ireland, We the pupils from Arles National School, in the beautiful county of Laois, are proud citizens of Ireland and are very happy to have Ireland as our country and home.  As it is the centenary of the 1916 Proclamation, we remember our ancestors who risked their lives for our freedom. Now in 2016, we proclaim the following for the people of Ireland:

Ireland should continue to welcome all people to it’s land.  Everybody should be treated with respect and equality regardless of colour, nationality or religion.

All citizens deserve a home and food and nobody should feel alone. People who are homeless should be given a home or shelter to live in and be given a good chance in life.

We acknowledge the people who fought for our right to vote and we encourage all people to use their vote and have their say.  People should have free speech and their opinions respected.

We want all 32 Counties of Ireland to continue living in peace where each person feels safe in their own homes.  We want to live in a  crime, drug and gang free country.  We also need to have a better healthcare system with more doctors and nurses.

We are thankful for our free education system and hope that all children will continue to have the opportunity to be educated and to develop their talents.

We are proud of our Irish heritage and Culture and these should not be forgotten.  The Irish Language, GAA Sports, Irish Music and Irish Dancing are very important to us. All schools should be an Active School and continue to promote our Irish Language and Culture.

Ireland is one of the greenest countries in the world and we hope to continue to look after our environment. We should protect all the wildlife, animals and plants all around us. We encourage all schools to take part in the Green Schools Programme.

We ask for God’s Blessing as we look forward to the future, where all people in Ireland are living together in peace.