Video: Dawn services are held across Northern Ireland to mark Easter Sunday

The religious ceremonies were held from 6am, around the time of the first sunrises in Northern Ireland.

Some of the services to mark the resurrection of Christ got under way at six exactly, just before dawn, some at almost exactly dawn, some just after.

On Helen’s Bay beach, the worship began at 6.10am, minutes before sun rose over that part of the Co Down coast at 6.16am (albeit the rays filtered by cloud).

Many of the services being held are Presbyterian, but at Helen’s Bay it was conducted jointly with Church of Ireland ministers.

A congregation huddled on the sand, amid the sound of the tide rolling in from Belfast Lough, before the ceremony began with the hymn Thine Be The Glory.

The service, lasted about 20 minutes. was conducted by Rev Colin Megaw of Helen’s Bay Presbyterian, Rev Craig Jackson of Ballygilbert Presbyterian, Rev Tim Kinahan of Helen’s Bay Church of Ireland, and Rev Catherine Simpson of Glencraig Church of Ireland.

Elsewhere on the beach, swimmers gathered to mark the sunrise in a different way, with a dip in the sea. There have long been swimmers at Crawfordsburn and Helen’ Bay beach but it became a particularly popular practice during the Covid lockdowns, even in winter.

Below is the full list of Presbyterian Church in Ireland dawn services that have been being held this morning.

Meanwhile, members of the royal family are due to attend the Easter Sunday service in Windsor, but the Queen is not expected to join them for the church event.

The service is a staple in the royal calendar but the monarch, who has been experiencing mobility issues, will not be joining other family members at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, who represented the Queen at Thursday’s Royal Maundy service at the same chapel, are also understood not to be attending the Easter Sunday service.

The Queen was present at a recent service at Westminster Abbey commemorating the life of the Duke of Edinburgh with senior royals and a congregation of hundreds, and has been carrying out virtual events and her other duties as head of state.

The 95-year-old, who turns 96 on Thursday, reached her Platinum Jubilee in February and overcame a bout of Covid after testing positive that month.

• The full list of Presbyterian Church in Ireland dawn services that have been being held:

Ards Presbytery

6.00am: Car park on Seacliff Road before Ballyholme Yacht Club

6.00am: Ballywalter Beach

6.10am: Helen’s Bay Beach

6.15am: The Community Garden on Ballywalter Road

6.15am: Car park beside Shore Street Presbyterian Church, Donaghadee

6.30am: Ballyholme Beach at Ballymcconnell Road car park

6.30am: The Cross outside Conlig Presbyterian Church

6.30am: Scrabo Tower, Newtownards

7.00am: Car park, West Church, Bangor

7.00am: The beach car park, Cloughey

Armagh Presbytery

6.00am: On the hillside by South Lake Leisure Centre, organised by Portadown Churches Together

7.00am: Play park, Killylea, organised by Kanppagh & Lislooley Presbyterian Churches (breakfast afterwards in the band hall, Killylea village)

Ballymena Presbytery

6.30am: Slemish carpark

6.30am: Portglenone Forest Park

East Belfast Presbytery

6.00am: Belvoir Forest Park - hosted by Ravenhill Presbyterian Church

North Belfast Presbytery

6.00am: Belfast Zoo, Bellvue - organised by Glengormley Presbyterian Church and other local churches

6.45am: Carnmoney Presbyterian Church - meet in church car park followed by a short prayer service on Carmoney Hill

South Belfast Presbytery

7.00am: The Green, Dunmurry - in the centre of the village opposite James Brown funeral directors - organised by Dunmurry Churches Together

Carrickfergus Presbytery

6.30am: Bankheads, Town Park, Larne, hosted by First Larne, Gardenmore and Craigy Hill Presbyterian Churches. (Breakfast afterwards in First Larne halls)

7.00am: Ballygally at the slipway, hosted by Caincastle Presbyterian Church

Coleraine & Limavady Presbytery

6.00am: Portstewart Joint Sevice on the hill above the harbour (breakfast afterwards at Portstewart Presbyterian Church)

6.00am: Ramore Head (followed by a light breakfast in Ballywillan church hall)

7.00am: In the car park beside Aghadowey Presbyterian Church on Ardreagh Road. (Breakfast follows in the hall afterwards in aid of for their work in Romania)

Derry & Donegal Presbytery

6.30am: Magheramason, Dunalong Road (directions from the city) - pass the service station in Magheramason, turn right on to Dunlong and proceed for approx. 1 mile. Turn at crossroads down to the riverside. (Breakfast served afterwards in Magheramason Church Hall)

Down Presbytery

6.00am: Island Hill - a united Service with other Comber town churches

Dromore Presbytery

6.30am: At Legacurry Presbyterian Church

7.00am: Large Field at Hillsborough Forest Park

7.00am: At ‘The Mound’ Dromore

7.00m: Belshaw’s Quarry, Lisburn

Dublin & Munster Presbytery

6.00am: At the South Beach, Arklow

6.20am: Club House car park, Hermitage Golf Club, Lucan, organised by Lucan Presbyterian Church with other churches in the town

Iveagh Presbytery

6.00am: Spelga Dam car park, Mountains of Mourne, with (breakfast after in Clonduff Presbyterian Church)

Monaghan Presbytery

7.00am: Monaghan Collegiate School, Corlatt, Monaghan, organised by Monaghan Churches Together (with a cooked breakfast afterwards)

7.00am: Ballybay town park

7.00am: Haltons Park (followed by breakfast)

Newry Presbytery

6.00am: Cloughmore Stone, Kilbroney Forest Park, Rostrevor

Omagh Presbytery

6.00am: Slieveglass Windfarm, Bolaght Mountain, Castlederg

6.30am: Old Bridge Road (off the A5 north of Newtownstewart)

6.30am: Knockmany

Tyrone Presbytery

6.30am: Slieve Gallion, Tullynagee Road, Magherafelt, BT45 7SA