Stormontthe prime minister Michelle O’Neill participated in the Remembrance Sunday ceremony in Belfast Town Hall – for the first time an elderly person Sinn Féin character participated in such an event in Northern Ireland.

Ms O’Neill, who said her presence is a demonstration of her determination to deliver on her pledge to be a “Prime Minister for all”, laid a laurel wreath at the Cenotaph in Belfast.

A message on the crown read: “As Prime Minister, I want to take our society beyond old boundaries, to build bridges and towards a shared future together.

“Today, I remember all the lives lost in the horror of war and conflict – past and present. »

Ms O’Neill attended the commemoration alongside DUP Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, who also laid a wreath.

Hundreds of people gathered in the streets outside City Hall as members of the armed forces took part in the ceremony.

In a statement, Ms O’Neill said: “I am committed to representing everyone equally. Through my words and actions, I will honor this commitment.

“We each have our own identity, experiences and perspectives. As an Irish Republican who believes in a united Ireland, I also have my own views.

“As we move towards a better future, I am committed as Prime Minister to overcoming old limitations and building bridges.

“It is through understanding and respecting our differences that we can build a stronger, respectful and united society.

“I will never shy away from my responsibility to make decisions – however difficult they may be personally – that will help build a new Ireland, defined by inclusion and respect for all traditions. »

Separately, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn attended the annual Remembrance Sunday commemoration in Enniskillen, where hundreds of people gathered to pay their respects.

Eleven people who had gathered to pay their respects to the war dead were killed and dozens more were injured in the unannounced explosion on November 8, 1987, minutes before the start of the Sunday ceremony. Memory.

A 12th victim of the Poppy Day attack died 13 years later without ever coming out of a coma.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said he had decided not to attend the commemoration on advice from officials that senior executive officials would not attend.

Mr Harris’ absence was a rare break from the tradition of the seated Taoiseach attending the event. The commemoration comes two days after he officially announced elections in Ireland.

The Irish government was represented by Mr Harris’s Fine Gael party colleague and welfare minister, Heather Humphreys, who is not seeking re-election.

A series of other events to pay tribute to the war dead took place in Northern Ireland on Sunday.

Meanwhile, President Michael D. Higgins said he would lay a wreath in memory of all those who died in the war as he attended the national service of remembrance in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald also said she would attend the Dublin service.