Back in September 2015, Queen Elizabeth II became the longest reigning monarch in British history.

Speaking on the wireless after her Coronation 70 years ago, Her Majesty said: “Throughout all my life and with all my heart, I shall strive to be worthy of your trust.”

She has been more than faithful to her words, chalking up a lengthy tally of remarkable royal records, including the following.

The Queen has travelled more than any other British monarch – 150 times on Royal duties within the Commonwealth, and on official visits to more than 100 other countries.

She was the first British monarch to visit China, in 1986, and in 2011 became the first to visit the Republic of Ireland since its separation from the UK.

She began her speech at the Republic's formal State Banquet, in Irish, saying: “A Uachtaráin agus a chairde” (“President and friends”).

As well as hosting an astounding 180 garden parties at Buckingham Palace for a grand total of 1.5 million guests, she has carried out more than 21,000 official engagements, given Royal Assent to approximately 4,000 Acts of Parliament, hosted 112 incoming State Visits to the UK, and conducted more than 650 investitures.

Her Majesty is Patron of more than 500 organisations dealing with education, training, sports, recreation, faith, arts and culture.

As well as being a Girl Guide at 11, and a Sea Ranger at 16, she became a Sea Ranger Commodore in 1945.

The Queen was the first female member of the Royal Family in the Armed Services, in the Auxiliary Territorial Service during WWII, and has held more than 50 ranks and appointments in the British and Commonwealth Armed Services.

A committed Christian and churchgoer, she also holds the title, ‘Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England’.

Of 14 USA presidents in office during her reign, she has met all but President Johnson, and was the first British monarch to address the United States' House of Congress in 1991.

She has been served by 14 Prime Ministers – the first was Winston Churchill – and has met four Popes on official visits.

She has an honorary BAFTA, speaks fluent French, and is a Women’s Institute President.

On June 3, 2012, 670 boats sailed in formation on the River Thames – the world’s biggest-ever water-borne procession. There’s method, in armadas: it marked Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee!

Her Diamond Jubilee Trust has delivered free medicines, medical procedures, surgery, health screening and other vital facilities to many millions of people of all ages and nationalities around the world.

Now, The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrates her remarkable reign with countless events – church services, the lighting of more than 1,500 beacons, parties, parades, concerts and festivities here, across the UK, and all around the globe.

We’re unique in the UK on two counts: we’re the most westerly community marking the historic occasion, and an extraordinary number of folk from here contributed significantly to The Queen’s Coronation in 1953 in London.

Some 70 years ago, many of our VIPs and dignitaries couldn’t attend the festivities, because they had important duties in Westminster Abbey!

This included the likes of Lady Moyra Campbell, sister of the present Duke of Abercorn, Baronscourt, Omagh, who was a Maid of Honour. Lieutenant Colonel Grosvenor was an usher, and the young Earl of Erne was a Page of Honour.

Prime Minister Basil Brooke was in attendance with Lady Brookeborough, and Field Marshal Lord Alan Brooke commanded the many thousands of troops marching and lining the Coronation route.

Guests in the Abbey from here included Lord and Lady Belmore; Lord and Lady Enniskillen; Fermanagh’s High Sheriff, Major Eric Eadie, and his wife, Irene; and the Fifth Duke of Westminster, who spent much of his childhood at Crom Castle.

They witnessed ceremony, solemnity and celebration of awesome proportions, whilst local folk in the stands lining London’s streets “gave a cheer as Lord and Lady Brookeborough drove past in the procession of Prime Ministers”, recounted William Trimble in The Impartial Reporter.

Mr. Trimble noted other Fermanagh folk in the stands, including Thomas Nelson MP and his wife; Mrs Arthur Algeo, daughter-in-law of Alderman Tom Algeo, Deputy Mayor of Enniskillen; Willie Gunning, prominent Old Portoran (London Branch); Valerie Trimble and her husband; Mervyn Winslow; Harry Burke, Enniskillen’s sub-Sheriff; and Sergeant Andrew Trimble, RUC.

“There were 10,000 troops in the great military procession from all parts of the Empire, marching ten abreast with bayonets fixed,” Mr. Trimble continued, adding: "The processional route was five miles long, with 2,000,000 people packed into stands, side paths and side streets.”

Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in a majestic three-hour ceremony in the Abbey in front of more than 8,000 guests, including prime ministers and heads of state from around the Commonwealth.

More than 20 million people watched the BBC’s live coverage of the Coronation, and nearly 90 million watched highlights and recordings in dozens of languages around the world.

After the London ceremony, the Royal family made several appearances on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, and The Queen hosted a Coronation luncheon, starring Coronation Chicken!

Then the celebrations began in earnest. Here, there was barely a town, village or townland without a parade, tea-party or bonfire – or all three!

Flags and bunting draped the streets, which echoed with cheering, laughter and music. Free ice cream was handed out to children.

Enniskillen’s Coronation Committee organised a pony show, a dance in the Town Hall, a baby show, a car trail, a Coronation Ball, a regatta and a best-decorated house competition, won by Mr. Albert McKeown in Alma Terrace.

There was community singing in Ballinamallard. Clabby combined with Tempo for a procession to a field belonging to Tempo Manor. There were fancy dress competitions; Kesh boasted 150 entries, and Irvinestown’s winners included Mother Reilly, Harry Lauder and Little Miss Muffett!

Decorated vehicles drove through Lisnaskea; policemen multi-tasked as race starters and track officials at Lack and Ederney’s Coronation Sports Day, and decorated ceramic mugs were presented to the children of Coolyermor, Letterbreen.

As night fell, bonfires blazed from hilltops across the countryside, to be celebrated and commemorated by the blaze of Platinum Jubilee Beacons here 70 years later.