Easing of restrictions helps with the act of remembering

Following a year when Remembrance services were stripped back to a bare minimum because of Covid restrictions, yesterday’s events throughout the Province demonstrated another step on the road to normality.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Nov 2021, 08:00 BST
Remembrance Service at Ballymena, where wreaths were laid and tributes paid. Photo: Kirth Ferris/ Pacemaker PressRemembrance Service at Ballymena, where wreaths were laid and tributes paid. Photo: Kirth Ferris/ Pacemaker Press
Remembrance Service at Ballymena, where wreaths were laid and tributes paid. Photo: Kirth Ferris/ Pacemaker Press

Roberta McNally of Lurgan Royal British Legion said she was surprised at the number of people who came out to watch the Remembrance Sunday parade and service in the Co Armagh town.

She said: “It’s changed big time from last year. We didn’t have a parade last year, we had one this year.

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“Last year everyone had a time to keep them 10 minutes apart to lay their wreath whereas [yesterday] everyone just queued up as usual and were able to lay their wreaths.”

Roberta added: “I was surprised at the turnout. I thought people would still not come out, but we had a big, big crowd and a big parade. We had a very good show.”

In the village of Balnamore in Co Antrim a Remembrance event was organised by Balnamore War Memorial Committee in association with Drumaheagles LOL 1099.

Lodge secretary Malcolm Steele said: “Last year we had a small socially distanced service. We were able to have a few more people this time but we did try to keep distance as well because Covid is still doing the rounds.

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“The past few years we’ve brought the local primary school on board, educating them what Remembrance is all about.”

The service took place at a rededicated war memorial, which had originally been a tribute gun brought back from the war but was subsequently melted down for the war effort at the start of the Second World War.

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