1 July: Somme centenary festival of remembrance, Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim

On Friday 1 July 2016 Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim, hosted a ‘festival of remembrance’ to mark the centenary of the beginning of the Battle of the Somme was a national level event taking place at Carrickfergus on the evening of 1 July 2016. This event included a parade by veterans of the British Armed Services from across Northern Ireland who marched through the town to Carrickfergus Castle. The band of the Irish Guards also participated. The parade was followed by an act of commemoration and The Last Post. There were a number of cultural events held in Carrickfergus on 1 July including plays about the Battle of the Somme and archive film of the battle. There were also exhibitions detailing the events of the Battle of the Somme, incorporating uniforms and equipment from that era, and the stories of local families who were involved.

Explore the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s online exhibition on the Battle of the Somme.