Secretary of State Owen Paterson attended 3 events over the weekend marking the return of the Royal Irish Regiment from Afghanistan.
On Friday the Secretary of State was the guest of Ballymena Borough Council to attend the Royal Irish Regiment Freedom Parade in Ballymena.
On Saturday Owen Paterson was invited along with First Minister Peter Robinson and Jeffrey Donaldson MP to take the General Salute as part of the Conferment of the Freedom of the City of Lisburn on the Regiment.
In the final engagement of the weekend the Secretary of State attended a Service of Thanksgiving in St Anne’s Cathedral remembering the fallen and giving thanks for the safe return of the rest of the Regiment.