Borough's war dead to be remembered

As part of the Somme Centenary programme of events, which has been running throughout the borough from Friday, July 1 2016, the council, in partnership with The Royal British Legion, has created a collection of ‘Street Poppies’.

These are large replica poppies carrying the names of those from the borough whose lives were lost during The Great War, including The Battle of The Somme, where so many men from the Ulster Regiments never returned.

The ‘Street Poppies’ made their debut at the recent Somme Centenary concert ‘Memories from the Little Tin Box’ at Theatre at The Mill on Thursday, October 20.

Clusters of these poppies will be on display at Antrim Castle Gardens, Mossley Mill Replica Trench, Antrim Civic Centre and Ballyclare War Memorial Park over a two week period from November 7 to 18, bringing to an end the 140 days of commemoration. Antrim Civic Centre, Mossley Mill and Ballyclare Town Hall Clock Tower will also be lit up red over Armistice weekend, November 11 to 13.

These symbolic displays are intended to act as a fitting commemoration to those from Antrim and Newtownabbey lost at both The Somme and The Great War and to ensure their sacrifice is remembered.