Both sides who fought in the Civil War will be commemorated on a neutral date.
The Government has come up with a sensitive way to avoid division over the anniversary of the war that divided the nation 100 years ago this year.
Instead of marking any particular event or date, a date unconnected with either side specifically will be chosen to mark the centenary.
Families were bitterly divided on the Treaty of 1921 and war soon broke out between the sides for the Treaty, the party that would become Fine Gael, and those opposed to it, many of whom would join together to form Fianna Fáil in 1926.
A programme of events to coincide with the anniversary has been unveiled by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Minister for Culture, Catherine Martin.
They include the launch of Beyond 2022|Ireland’s Virtual Record Treasury – a major legacy project for the Decade of Centenaries; large-scale investment to support RTÉ in curating new cultural and historical content, including Widows of the Revolution and Civil War multi-platform programming and ongoing investment in Mná 100, with new, original content planned for 2022, including podcasts, webinars, articles and more.
Speaking ahead of the formal launch later this month, the Taoiseach said: “2022 will be an important, and sensitive year for commemorations as we remember the centenary of the onset of the Civil War in June.
"The objective of the Decade of Centenaries Programme is to provide opportunities for respectful and meaningful engagement from everyone who has an interest in this period, and to provide ways in which citizens of all ages can engage in our shared history.
"The State's approach to commemorating this final period of centenaries will, at all times, be grounded in the guiding principles laid down by the Expert Advisory Group on Centenary Commemorations and the respectful and authentic ethos, which is core to the Decade of Centenaries Programme.”
Minister Martin added: “This remarkable programme announced today is a collaborative effort right across Government, comprising national and local partnerships, and contributions from so many arts and cultural groups and institutions of learning. 2022 presents a timely opportunity for us as a mature people to reflect on some of the challenging centenaries and themes associated with 1922 including a still painful civil war.
"We can look at these events with fresh eyes, supported by a wealth of scholarship and a rich tapestry of resources - one of the great legacies of the Decade of Centenaries Programme.”
