MICHELLE O’NEILL, the Sinn Féin First Minister, has laid a wreath during a Remembrance Sunday event in Belfast.
While Sinn Féin politicians have laid wreaths at previous ceremonies, it is understood to be the first time a senior figure from the party has taken part in an entire official event.
Ms O’Nelll, the first Irish nationalist to hold the position of First Minister, attended the event alongside Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly of the DUP.
Ms O’Neill lays a wreath at the Cenotaph in the grounds of Belfast City Hall (Image: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)Ms O’Neill had been criticised by some unionists for taking part in the event, with TUV leader Jim Allister describing her attendance as ‘reeking of hypocrisy’.
Meanwhile, a letter in the Irish News signed by relatives of people from the nationalist community killed in the Troubles branded the move ‘reactionary populism’.
However, earlier this week, Sinn Féin said Ms O’Neill’s decision to accept the invitation from Belfast City Council showed ‘her determination to serve everyone equally as First Minister for all’.
‘A better future’
Taking to Twitter/X this morning ahead of the ceremony at the Cenotaph at Belfast City Hall, Ms O’Neill reiterated that sentiment, adding that her participation and republican outlook were not mutually exclusive.
“As First Minister for all, I am committed to representing everyone equally. Through my words and actions, I will honour that commitment,” she wrote.
“Today, I will attend the Remembrance event at Belfast City Hall to remember the tens of thousands of people from across our island who lost their lives in the First World War and in subsequent conflicts.
Ms O’Neill alongside Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly at the Remembrance Sunday event, held on the closest Sunday to Armistice Day, November 11, the anniversary of the end of the First World War (Image: PAUL FAITH/AFP via Getty Images)“We each have our own identity, experiences, and perspectives. As an Irish republican who believes in a united Ireland, I have my own perspective also.
“As we move towards a better future I am committed as First Minister to moving beyond old limits and building bridges.
“It is through understanding and respect for our differences that we can build a stronger, respectful, and united society.
“I will never shy away from my responsibility to take decisions — no matter how personally challenging — that will help build a new Ireland, defined by inclusion and respect for all traditions.”