Somme dead remembered at Knockagh ceremony

East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson, Newtownabbey Mayor Paula Bradley and several local councillors were among those who attended the annual ceremony, revived by Whiteabbey Royal British Legion over a decade ago.

The service was conducted by the Rev Dr Sam Grant, who underlined the continuing sacrifice of service personnel in the conflict in Afghanistan. The Last Post was sounded and wreaths were laid and the traditional two-minute silence observed at the towering obselisk high above Belfast Lough.

A salute at a short parade afterwards was taken by the Queen's official representative, Joan Christie, the Lord-Lieutenant of Co Antrim.

"This is an appropriate tribute to the 36th Ulster Division's 5,500 casualties on 1st July 1916 alone - with nearly 2,000 of those fatalities - on top of the many from the 16th (Irish) Division who died," said John Dumigan, Secretary of the Whiteabbey branch of the Royal British Legion, who helped revive the forgotten ceremony during the late 1990s.