Enda Kenny in Enniskillen Remembrance tribute

Eamon Gilmore laid a wreath at the Cenotaph in Belfast

The prime minister of the Republic of Ireland and his deputy have taken part in Remembrance Sunday services in Northern Ireland.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny was in Enniskillen and Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore was in Belfast.

Mr Kenny laid a wreath at the town's war memorial.

It was the first time Ireland's two most senior cabinet ministers have taken part in Remembrance Day services outside the Republic.

The traditional laying of wreaths took place at 11:00 GMT at Belfast's City Hall.

Mr Gilmore joined the First Minister Peter Robinson and Secretary of State Theresa Villiers who led the wreathlaying.

Afterwards he told the BBC that remembrance was part of our "shared history".

"I don't think there's a family or community or a parish anywhere in Ireland that wasn't touched by the great wars that didn't have family members, members of the community who lost lives or who suffered in those wars.

"This is part of our shared history and I wanted, and the Irish government wanted to be part of sharing that remembrance."

Ms Villiers said the freedoms we enjoy came "at a high price".

"This is a particularly poignant service today as we not only remember all past service personnel who gave up their lives in two world wars to defend our freedoms but also soldiers from Northern Ireland who were killed or injured in more recent conflicts," she said.

"Today the memory of Cpl Channing Day from Comber will be in the forefront of all our minds. My thoughts are also with the family and friends of Prisoner Officer David Black who have suffered such a terrible loss."

In Londonderry, hundreds of people attended a ceremony at the war memorial in the Diamond.

Several SDLP councillors were there, but the council was represented by the deputy mayor, the UUP's Mary Hamilton, rather than the Sinn Fein mayor Kevin Campbell.

In London, the Queen and members of parliament have paid their respects to the UK's fallen soldiers.

They were joined at the Cenotaph by religious leaders and war veterans for a wreath-laying ceremony.

This year Remembrance Sunday falls on 11 November itself, the date of the armistice which brought World War I to an end.

There was a two-minute silence at the eleventh hour.