Armistice Day marked across Northern Ireland

Tracy Kelly is wearing the mayoral chain of Belfast. She has shoulder length blonde hair and is dressed in black with a red and black scarf. One either side of her are two men dressed in black overcoats decorated with poppies and military medals. There are two other men also dressed in black, one of whom is wearing a military beret. In the background there are several rows of poppy wreathes.Image source, PA Media
Image caption,

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tracy Kelly, attended the service in the Garden of Remembrance at Belfast City Hall

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Events and services have taken place across Northern Ireland to mark Armistice Day.

At Stormont, members of the Northern Ireland Assembly held a memorial service led by the speaker Edwin Poots, who laid a poppy wreath in tribute to the fallen.

In Belfast, DUP Lord Mayor Tracy Kelly led a two-minute silence at the Garden of Remembrance at Belfast City Hall. A two-minute silence was also held at the Cenotaph in Londonderry.

The ceremonies are held on 11 November to mark the signing of the Armistice which ended World War One on the same date in 1918.

People are standing solemnly- outside in coats and formal attire at an armistice ceremony. Poppy wreaths can be seen on the steps up to the memorial. Buildings can be seen in the background.
Image caption,

Armistice Day ceremonies are held on 11 November to mark the end of World War One

Armistice Day was originally held in memory of all the British Empire's soldiers who died in World War One.

However, it now commemorates all British and Commonwealth service personnel who have died in conflicts across the world since 1914.

An elderly man wearing a shirt, jumper and navy coat looks at the camera. A cenotaph with poppy wreaths can be seen behind him as can other people in the background.
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William Allen, from the Royal British Legion, said he gets emotional when thinking of the sacrifices servicemen have made

William Allen, from the Royal British Legion, attended the ceremony in Londonderry at the Diamond War Memorial.

He said it is important to honour the sacrifice of all those killed in the world wars as their efforts have ensured society is able to enjoy the freedoms it has today.

He paid tribute to the many young men who were sons, brothers and husbands who left for the war effort but who never came home.

"I'm quite emotional when I think of that and their sacrifice which we should always remember," he said.

A man in formal attire with grey hair, glasses and a poppy walks through an official looking building. A woman to his right with black, also wearing formal attire and a poppy is holding a wreath. A blonde haired woman, also in formal attire and wearing a poppy is walking to his right. On lookers in formal attire can be seen in the background.
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DUP leader Gavin Robinson and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly were among those to take part in the ceremony at Stormont

The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Gavin Robinson, and the Deputy First Minister, Emma Little-Pengelly, both attended the ceremony at Stormont.

Their party received criticism for not sending a representative to Catherine Connolly's inauguration as Irish president, which Robinson insisted was "not a snub".

At the ceremony, before the silence was observed, Poots recited part of Laurence Binyon's poem For The Fallen.

After the service, Robinson said it was a solemn and fitting act of remembrance.

"As the nation fell silent together at 11:00, it is right that at Stormont we were part of that shared moment of personal and national gratitude and solemnity," he said.

Alliance party leader Naomi Long and Ulster Unionist party leader Mike Nesbitt were also among those at Stormont.

"I was honoured to pay my respects to those who lost their lives in the line of duty," Long said on social media.

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On Sunday, Michelle O'Neill attended an event and laid a laurel wreath at the Cenotaph at Belfast City Hall in her role as first minister for the second year in a row.

Events marking Armistice Day have taken place across the world, with the Queen and the Princess of Wales among those taking part.

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