Poignant Remembrance Sunday commemoration scenes in Enniskillen
THE Remembrance Sunday commemoration in Enniskillen this year was particularly poignant as it marked the 35th anniversary of the Enniskillen Bomb in 1987.
On Tuesday, November 8, exactly 35 years on, the families of the victims killed in the atrocity held a wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial, which was followed by a short service attended by those who were injured and their families.
On Sunday morning (November 13), the Enniskillen Bomb victims’ families stood beside the memorial to their loved ones as the annual Remembrance Sunday wreath-laying ceremony took place at the Cenotaph.
It was a bright and mild morning as crowds gathered near the war memorial at Belmore Street, Enniskillen to pay their respects.
Continuing a tradition begun by former Taoiseach
Enda Kenny in 2012, current Taoiseach Micheál Martin attended the Remembrance Sunday commemoration in Enniskillen, where he laid a laurel wreath at the town’s cenotaph.
He was joined by The King’s Lord Lieutenant for County Fermanagh, Viscount Brookeborough; the Secretary of State, Christopher Heaton-harris; the US Consulate General representative, Chris Rendo; the Honorary Consul of Poland, Jerome Mullen; and the head of the NI Civil Service, Jayne Brady.
The Royal British Legion and local councillors were also in attendance to mark the Act of Remembrance at the cenotaph.
Wreaths were laid by dignitaries from the British Army; the emergency services; representatives from the army, navy and air force; local schools; army cadets; RUC George Cross; the PSNI; the UDR Association; the RIR Association; St. John’s Ambulance and the Red Cross, to name but a few.
Dame Arlene Foster, former First Minister of Northern Ireland, also laid a wreath on her own behalf. Following the laying of wreaths, a solemn two-minute silence was observed by all in attendance.
A parade travelled from the cenotaph through the town centre, during which the Lord Lieutenant took the salute at Enniskillen Courthouse, then continued on to the South African War Memorial, where a wreath was laid.
The Remembrance Service was held in St. Macartin’s Cathedral at 11.30am. Hundreds of people attended the service, which was conducted by Dean Kenneth Hall, assisted by Monsignor Peter O’reilly of St. Michael’s Church.
The preacher was the Bishop of Clogher, the Right Rev. Dr. Ian Ellis, who took his text from the Gospel reading: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
Hymns included, ‘Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven’, ‘I vow to thee, my country’, ‘Your kingdom come, O God’, ‘Lord, while for all the world we pray’, ‘Be thou my vision’ and ‘Nearer, to God, to thee’, led by the Cathedral Choir, who also sang an anthem, ‘My soul, there is a country’. The organist was Glenn Moore.
At the Book of Remembrance, Lt. Col. Mark Scott (Ret’d) MBE, DL, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, said: “In proud and grateful remembrance of the officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers, sailors, soldiers and airmen and of all those men and women who have given their lives in the service of their sovereign, their country and of this province, I now turn a page in the Book of Remembrance.”
The Last Post and Reveille were sounded by Warren Kerr of Ballyreagh Silver Band. Following the silence, the exhortation was said by Lt. Col. Scott. This was followed by the Piper’s Lament, played by Pipe Major Gordon Mckeown of 4 UDR Association.
The readings were by John Jones, Chairman of the Royal British Legion, Enniskillen Branch; the Right Hon. Viscount Brookeborough, and Monsignor Peter O’reilly.
A contingent of the Fifth Enniskillen Dragoon Guards also attended the Remembrance Sunday commemoration in Enniskillen.