Representatives of the Northern Ireland Executive and several local councils have attended commemorations in France and Belgium to mark the 110th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.

The Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly and Communities Minister Gordon Lyons laid wreaths at services at the Thiepval Memorial, the Ulster Tower, and the Ginchy Cross in Guillemont. They described the ceremonies as a chance to remember the bravery and sacrifice of those who died, and to reaffirm a commitment to peace.

Separately, delegations from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and from Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council also carried out programmes of remembrance at key sites linked to the 1916 offensive.

The Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon group included aldermen Glenn Barr, Margaret Tinsley and Ian Burns, and councillors Joy Ferguson, Julie Flaherty, Robbie Alexander and Scott Armstrong. Their itinerary included the Sir John Monash Centre, the Thiepval Memorial, the Ulster Tower, the 16th Irish Division Memorial at Guillemont, Vimy Ridge, the Somme Museum in Albert, and the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres.

The Lisburn and Castlereagh party was led by the mayor, Councillor Brian Higginson, accompanied by councillors Jessica Bamford, Nicola Parker and Ross McLernon, and chief executive David Burns. They visited Martinsart Cemetery, where ten men from Hillsborough are remembered, as well as Thiepval, the Ulster Tower, the Guillemont memorial, and the Menin Gate. The delegation also toured preserved trenches at Thiepval Wood and the Island of Ireland Peace Park at Messines.

During the visits, elected members reflected on the scale of loss in the battle, particularly on its first day, and stressed the importance of passing on the story to future generations. They said the experience underlined the need for continued reconciliation and shared remembrance.