A SOLEMN and dignified Act of Remembrance took place in Lisnaskea on Remembrance Sunday.

The Act of Remembrance followed morning prayer in Holy Trinity Church, Lisnaskea. The commemorations were scaled back in the area due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

Readings during morning prayer were read by Debbie Carson, who read the first reading from First Thessalonians Chapter Four: 13–18, and Lord Erne, who read from Matthew 25: 1 -13.

Poppy wreaths were laid at the War Memorial in the church by the representatives of behalf of the PSNI, the Old Comrades’ association, the Royal British Legion, and the Royal Irish Regiment. In addition three wreaths were laid on behalf of the youth-uniformed organisations in the church.

A two-minute silence was also observed by all present.

The exhortation was given by Mark McVitty and piper Adam Fawcett played the lament and played the pipes for the duration of the wreath-laying from the porch of the church.

The Last Post was sounded on the bugle by Gary Agnew.

Also in Lisnaskea, last Thursday morning, November 11, saw South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF) hold its Annual Act of Remembrance at The SEFF Memorial, located within the grounds of Holy Trinity Church of Ireland, Lisnaskea.

Well over 100 people were in attendance, and the service was very much victim- and survivor-centred.

The Director of SEFF, Kenny Donaldson, said: “The families of Cecil Graham and Albert Beacom, who each remember 40th anniversaries within the past week, featured significantly with contributions also coming from three other Fermanagh-based families – the Hallawell, Keys and Burleigh families, who have each had a loved one stolen from them as a consequence of Provisional IRA terrorism.”

Mr. Donaldson continued: “It was humbling for the organisation to see so many people come together to respectfully remember those murdered as a result of the actions of Republican and Loyalist terrorism.

“We remembered and honoured all innocents who were murdered over the years of The Troubles, as well as those killed within two World Wars, and war and conflict since whilst serving this nation.

“It is so important that there is no complacency around the issue of remembrance – it is crucial that today’s generations, and generations yet to come, understand the perils their forebears faced in combating fascism, whether in far-off lands or close to home. Terrorism and tyranny must never [be the] victor,” added Mr. Donaldson.