While several Sinn Féin politicians have laid wreaths at Belfast’s Cenotaph in past years, they have not attended the primary Sunday ceremony.

O’Neill has confirmed her acceptance of an invitation to the event, where she will lay a laurel wreath at the Cenotaph on Sunday in her role as first minister.

She explained that her attendance demonstrates her commitment to being a “first minister for all.” In an interview with the PA news agency, O’Neill acknowledged that some republicans may feel “uncomfortable” with her decision but insisted it was “the right thing to do.”

Upon taking office in February, O’Neill pledged to represent everyone in society. “This is about acknowledging loss and showing respect to all communities, fulfilling my commitment to be a first minister for all,” she said.

It has been over 20 years since Alex Maskey became the first Sinn Féin lord mayor to honour the war dead at the Cenotaph at Belfast City Hall.

On July 1, 2002, he laid a laurel wreath at the monument, two hours before the main council ceremony commemorating the Battle of the Somme. Maskey described the gesture as a “major step for republicans and nationalists,” though he declined to attend the main ceremony, which he viewed as a “military commemoration.”

Since then, Sinn Féin representatives have refrained from attending Cenotaph ceremonies in an official capacity. However, there have been other significant gestures to promote reconciliation and unity over the years.

In 2016, the late Martin McGuinness travelled to World War One battlefields in France and Belgium, laying wreaths at the Somme andBattle of Messines sites. More recently, in July 2022, Michelle O’Neill laid a wreath at the Belfast Cenotaph to mark the Battle of the Somme anniversary, though she did not attend the wider commemoration event that year.