WATCH: RAF Red Arrows delight crowds as far apart as Belfast, Antrim and north Down with their dramatic display for Armed Forces Day

The video on this web page shows some of the 20-minute aerobatic performance, which began at midday, and was in fact visible over a vast area of Belfast, south and east Antrim and north Down. The clip is taken from the Holywood Hills, one of the many vantage points in greater Belfast at which the jet manoeuvres could be seen, and from which people gathered to enjoy the spectacle.

As you can see in the footage, it is actually some distance from Newtownabbey, where Armed Forces Day was happening, 4.5 miles across Belfast Lough.

But the planes move so fast that they at points can be seen over north Down mere seconds after they were over south Antrim.

Crowds soaking up the atmosphere at Armed Forces Day 2024, Jordanstown Loughshore Park. The RAF Red Devils gave a thrilling display low overhead, which was also visible from a vast swathe of greater Belfast. Photo Stephen Davison, Pacemaker

It was the only appearance in Northern Ireland this year of the RAF Red Arrows display team, who headlined the event as part of their own Diamond Anniversary Celebration.

The first nine-aircraft show since 2021 featured thrilling manoeuvres not seen for a generation, and it suddenly appeared in the skies over the northern shores of the lough.

The jets flew in formation low above Newtownabbey, the main venue for which was Jordanstown Loughshore Park, then up and down the coast towards Belfast and Carrick.

The Red Arrows dipped in and around the northeasterly edges of the Belfast hills and behind and in front of other Antrim hills such as Knockagh, which has a war memorial monument visible for many miles, before weaving around in the skies.

The Royal Irish Regiment and Army Cadets formed part of Armed Forces Day 2024 at Jordanstown, Loughshore Park. Picture Stephen Davison, Pacemaker

The display team at points flew across the water and looped around Holywood in north Down, finally exiting past Bangor – as can be seen at the end of the video.

Armed Forces Day was last hosted in Newtownabbey in 2016 when over 15,000 people attended – and the crowds today seemed perhaps to be at the level that council had been expecting of "tens of thousands".

The performance came only weeks after the 80th anniversary D-Day celebrations across Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK earlier this month. Then the Red Arrows with a Typhoon FGR4 aircraft performed a flypast during the UK national commemorative event at at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, Normandy, France.

In other events today, over 600 military personnel took part in a Drumhead Service before parading to Jordanstown Loughshore Park, a colourful spectacle that included past, present and future military personnel.

Victory Rollers entertaining the crowds Armed Forces Day 2024 at Jordanstown Loughshore Park on Saturday June 22 2024. Picture Stephen Davison, Pacemaker

Also featuring were the Bands of HM Royal Marines and the Royal Irish Regiment. Tracked armoured vehicles the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank (MBT) and Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), live music and family entertainment are all part of an impressive programme of events.

There was then a Gun Salute, followed by entertainment including music from the Victory Rollers, Threemilewater Orchestra and Threemilewater Big Band, and also military demonstrations

There was a STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) competition for younger people, and crowds were able to move between military and civilian stalls and stands.

The Beating Retreat ceremony began to bring the day to a close.