[caption id="attachment_70861" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Marchers on the road to Milltown Cemetary."]
Thousands of republicans have marked the 96th anniversary of the Easter Rising.
In Belfast, six different groups marched to Milltown Cemetery in the west of the city in separate parades on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday,
illustrating the extent to which republicanism has fragmented in recent years.
At the largest event, the chairman of Sinn Féin, Declan Kearney, said increased dialogue and engagement with the wider unionist community was needed.
"That presents a huge challenge for us. Unionists continue to harbor suspicions about republicans," he said.
"Unionists have been hurt by the war; and so too have republicans. We need to keep moving the peace process into new phases, and onto new ground. National reconciliation is integral to our strategic project."
Kearney also hit out at smaller dissident republican groups.
"Make no mistake, there is no other IRA, here in Belfast, or anywhere else," he said.
"Many of us have been involved in helping to take risks for peace. We have all benefited from those risks being taken."
And the leading Sinn Féin man added: "Some republicans oppose the peace process by militarist and political means. There is a political imperative upon us to attempt purposeful engagement with all republicans and that includes those who oppose Sinn Féin.
Other parades also took place throughout Ireland while other Sinn Féin leaders spoke at commemorations including ones in Dublin and Cork.
Speaking in Drumboe, County Donegal, Stormont Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said: "We seek a united Ireland in which the unionist section of our people feel comfortable and play a full part in the life of the nation.
"I believe that it is possible for unionists and republicans to stand together without dilution of our beliefs. As was stated to me very clearly by a unionist leader, 'Martin we can rule ourselves. We don't need direct rulers coming over from London telling us what to do.'
"That statement provided common ground on which we can all stand. We must be open to practical ways of giving expression to the unionist sense of Britishness within a united Ireland."
