The Easter Parade

The Easter Parade, which marks the uprising of 1916 against British rule, was revived this year. I didn't attend but I became aware during the course of the morning of three single-engined military aircraft (above) and five light helicopters in military colours flying round in circles from the city to where I live in west Dublin. Was this a display of force, I wondered. If so, it wasn't very impressive. If it wasn't a display of force, what exactly was the point of it? Ireland has contributed much to UN missions over the years and expended huge effort on securing the boarder during the Troubles, but it is not a serious military power, so what exactly was the presence of these eight aircraft, a large part of the Irish air force, all about?