Services to remember the dead of two world wars and other conflicts have been held at cenotaphs in many towns and villages across Northern Ireland on Sunday.

The largest was in Belfast where several hundred veterans, politicians and members of the public gathered at the cenotaph.

Senior representatives of the RUC and the Army were among those to pay tribute.

The Northern Ireland Security Minister Adam Ingram laid a wreath on behalf of the government and another was placed at the memorial by the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Sammy Wilson.

At 1100 GMT there was a fly-past by a military helicopter.

Wreath laid

In Londonderry, a wreath was laid by the Lord Lieutenant, James Eaton, and Northern Ireland Regional Development Minister Gregory Campbell.

The Sinn Fein Mayor Cathal Crumley did not attend.

A former nationalist mayor of the city criticised his absence.

The SDLP councillor Pat Ramsey said:"My great grandfather is from the Bogside, his name is on the memorial stone.

"I think it's appropriate that people do remember the awfulness of war and to be associated in a small way for a few minutes in the year."

On Saturday, up to 1,000 members of the Protestant Apprentice Boys and bandsmen took part in an Armistice Day commemoration in Belfast.

At Belfast City Hall, the governor of the Apprentice Boys, Alistair Simpson, laid a wreath at the cenotaph in memory of the war dead.

Meanwhile, the Union Flag is expected to fly over government departments run by Sinn Fein ministers to mark Remembrance Sunday.

Sinn Fein is opposed to flying the Union Flag, and the party is currently seeking a judicial review of a ruling by Northern Ireland Secretary of State Peter Mandelson that it must be flown on certain days.

But in the interim both the Department of Health, run by Bairbre de Brun, and the Department of Education under Martin McGuinness have said they will comply with the regulations and fly the flag.