NEWS

Emmerdale stars, Lisa Riley (left) and Dominic Brunt (right) present Johnny and Corrina McAleese, Founders of Noah’s Story, with their Overcoming Adversity Award. Also pictured is Duvessa Cochrane (right) from category sponsor, A Aesthetics. Wednesday 23 September 2026 Johnny and Corrina McAleese, the north Antrim couple who turned the devastating loss of their young son into a mission to help other bereaved families, have been honoured at the Spirit of Northern Ireland Award

South Antrim SDLP candidate Linzi McLaren (right), pictured with SDLP leader Claire Hanna MP (centre), and Cara Hunter MLA Wednesday 23 September 2026 Former Ulster Unionist councillor and former police officer Linzi McLaren has been selected by the SDLP to contest South Antrim in next year’s Northern Ireland Assembly election, marking a significant change of political direction less than a year after she left the UUP. McLaren, who is from Antrim and grew up in the constituen

Some of the e-scooters seized by police in a targeted operation over the weekend Police are continuing action against the illegal and dangerous use of e-bikes and e-scooters after 65 were seized during a major weekend operation in Belfast. Police said machines were taken from both adults and children, with the youngest rider aged just six years old. Those involved now face a range of criminal justice outcomes. 65 e-bikes and e-scooters seized The three-day ‘Weekend of Action’

Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill MLA and Declan Kearney MLA Tuesday 22 September 2026 Sinn Féin has selected Declan Kearney to contest South Antrim in next year’s Northern Ireland Assembly election, with the sitting MLA seeking to retain the seat he has held since 2016. Kearney’s candidacy was announced at a party selection event at the Dunsilly Hotel in Antrim on Tuesday evening, as Sinn Féin begins preparing for the combined Assembly and council elections on 6 May

(L-R) RCGPNI Chair Dr Ursula Mason, Northern Ireland Health Minister Robbie Butler, and Dr Emma Murtagh (Vice Chair Policy, RCGPNI) Tuesday 22 September 2026 Northern Ireland’s GP service is at a “critical juncture”, with the number of practices falling by almost 13% since 2014 while the registered patient population has risen to 2.07 million, a major new policy paper has warned. The Royal College of General Practitioners Northern Ireland (RCGPNI) says the combination of risi

Tuesday 22 September 2026 A Ballyclare builder has been given a suspended prison sentence after being found guilty of six fraud offences in a case involving a Belfast homeowner who paid more than £32,000 for an extension that was left substantially unfinished. The homeowner had agreed a £32,000 price with Kyle Agnew, 38, of Charles Drive, Ballyclare, who was trading as KA Building Services. By February 2022, £31,825 had been paid, but major elements of the project remained in

CGI giving an impression of what the new CRS Ballymena base could look like when constructed. Tuesday 22 September 2026 Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is considering a planning application for a new purpose-built training centre and station in Ballymena for the Community Rescue Service (CRS). The proposal would see a single-storey building constructed at Kernohan’s Lane, around 70 metres from the Ecos Centre, together with 28 car parking spaces and covered cycle parking.

Tuesday 22 September 2026 Ballymena’s Merchant Fish and Chips has been named among the UK’s top 40 fish and chip takeaways, putting the local business back in contention for one of the industry’s biggest national honours. The Merchant is one of just four Northern Ireland businesses to make the longlist for Takeaway of the Year at the National Fish & Chip Awards, which are now in their 39th year. Ballymena chippy back in national spotlight The recognition continues a strong ru

CGI showing the newly approved Warehouse set to bring investment and jobs in County Antrim with the arrival of James Latham Timber PLC Tuesday 22 September 2026 A new £10 million warehouse and distribution facility has been approved for County Antrim, with the investment expected to create around 10 jobs and contribute an estimated £2.76 million a year to the local economy. The development at Houston’s Corner, Newtownabbey, will become a new facility for James Latham Timber P

The scene of the incident where a home was attacked on Monday evening in Ballymena. Police are investigating after a window was smashed at a flat in Ballykeel, Ballymena, in an incident being treated as a hate crime. The criminal damage happened at a property in the Orkney Drive area on Monday night, 21 September, and was reported to police at around 9.30pm. Police have not disclosed the nature of the suspected hate motivation or provided further details about the circumstanc

Northern Ireland Justice Minister Naomi Long, and (inset) North Antrim MLA Paul Frew Tuesday 22 September 2026 North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew has challenged Justice Minister Naomi Long over how she came to give the Assembly information that was later found to be incomplete about the temporary release of convicted murderer Gary Anderson, who remains unlawfully at large. Mr Frew, who chairs Stormont’s Justice Committee, questioned whether information supplied to the Minister ha

CGI design drawing for the proposed new i4C CleanTech Centre at St Patrick’s Link, in Ballymena. Tuesday 22 September 2026 Mid and East Antrim ratepayers face the continuing financial impact of an operating deficit at Ballymena’s proposed £27.3 million i4C Innovation and CleanTech Centre — but Council has refused to disclose how large it expects that deficit to be. The local authority has confirmed it will meet the operating deficit and that the commitment has already been in

Monday 21 September 2026 Glens of Antrim Potatoes has ceased trading after administrators were appointed to the long-established County Antrim business, with almost all of its 95 employees made redundant. The company, which has operated for more than 50 years and has sites in Cushendall and Ballymena, supplied potatoes to major retailers across Ireland and also produced the Glens of Antrim Crisps range. Administrators appointed Stuart Irwin, Ian Leonard and Robin Coughlin fro

Monday 21 September 2026 McDonald’s customers in Ballymena will be able to help families with seriously ill children simply by ordering a qualifying meal this Saturday, as the restaurant chain brings McHappy Day to Northern Ireland for the first time. The fundraising day takes place on Saturday 26 September, with £1 from every qualifying main menu meal sold at participating restaurants donated to Ronald McDonald House charities. Money raised will help provide free accommodati

Monday 21 September 2026 Dogs – with the exception of assistance dogs – look set to be banned from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council buildings under a new policy approved by councillors. The council’s Neighbourhoods and Communities Committee, which met at The Braid in Ballymena last week, agreed the policy following an increase in people bringing animals onto council premises and requests involving dogs, birds and reptiles. The policy must still be ratified by the full coun

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald, Brendan McAleer, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Diaspora and International Development Officer, Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Róis-Máire Donnelly, and Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins pictured before a meeting of partners and stakeholders involved in delivering Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026. Monday 21 September 2026 Belfast is already turning its attention to an even bigger Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in 2027 after this summer’s event

Teachers across Northern Ireland are set to begin action short of strike from Monday, September 28, with restrictions potentially affecting extra-curricular activities, meetings, cover arrangements and communications outside teachers’ allocated working time. The escalation comes after months of negotiations over teacher and school leader workload, with unions arguing that stronger guarantees are needed to turn recommendations from an independent workload review into meaningfu

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald is pictured with Chair of Matrix Robert Hill. Monday 21 September 2026 Northern Ireland could make far greater use of satellites to tackle flooding, monitor the environment, support agriculture and manage public infrastructure, with a new government-backed report identifying at least 77 potential applications across public services. The Northern Ireland Space Enabled Region Pathfinder concludes that the region is well placed to become a U

L-R: Jenny Marshall, Executive Director for Community Programmes, William McCaughey, Vice Chair of Agewell, Cora McQuillian, Dots Sales & Marketing Officer, Nigel McKeown, Dots Gardening Home & Life Assistant A new gardening and outdoor maintenance service has launched in Ballymena, offering practical help to older people and other local residents who may struggle to keep on top of their gardens. The service has been introduced by Dots, the social enterprise operated by Agewe

Monday 21 September 2026 Ryanair has demanded the immediate resignation of NATS chief executive Martin Rolfe as a fresh air traffic control technical failure causes flight disruption at both Belfast International and Belfast City airports. The airline says more than 25,000 of its passengers are expected to be disrupted, with over 140 Ryanair flights delayed, and has called on Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander to remove Mr Rolfe if he does not step down voluntarily. The disr

Carly Heggarty, Equality and Wellbeing Manager at Northern Regional College and Shannon Murphy Education Support Co-Ordinator pictured with the Autism NI Award Monday 21 September 2026 Northern Regional College has achieved Autism NI’s Impact Award for Education after introducing practical measures designed to make college life more accessible and supportive for autistic and neurodivergent students. The recognition follows tailored Autism NI training for staff and the develop

Ballymena Business Centre is marking the achievements of two highly successful projects, Enabling Enterprise and 4i Innovation, funded by The Gallaher Trust. Pictured are, from left, Stephen Scullion, Ballymena Business Centre Manager, Ryan Burton from Peak Shaving, Ian Paisley, Chairman of The Gallaher Trust, Taig Brookes, from Airtac and Melanie Christie-Boyle MBE, Chief Executive, Ballymena Business Centre. Monday 21 September 2026 Two Ballymena business support programme

Sunday 20 September 2026 Ulster University has achieved its highest-ever position in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, climbing 15 places to rank 34th in the UK. The university has also been named University of the Year, Northern Ireland, 2027, adding to a series of national rankings and awards for its teaching, research and student experience. Ulster University has more than 30,000 students, according to 2023/24 HESA figures cited by the university, with

Sunday 20 September 2026 Plans have been lodged for a new recreational fishing pond near Ballymoney which would be open to the general public and work with local groups and charities to provide access to what developers describe as a “calming outdoor hobby”. The proposal is for land approximately 250 metres south-west of 63 Glenstall Road, outside Ballymoney, and also includes an ancillary toilet and storage building. Planning documents say the facility would be fully accessi