NEWS

Horticulture students Charley Benson (Lisburn), Ramona McCluskey (Ballymena) and Barry Wheeler (Antrim) encourage prospective students to explore Greenmount Campus facilities at the upcoming Open Day Wednesday 23 September 2026 Greenmount Campus in Antrim is opening its doors next month to prospective students interested in careers ranging from landscaping and plant production to sports turf management and floristry. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFR

Wednesday 23 September 2026 Residents across Mid and East Antrim can now check their bin collection information and report a missed collection through a streamlined online service launched by the borough council. The new waste and recycling dashboard is intended to give households quicker access to everyday collection information, including real-time updates when services change. Check collections and report missed bins Residents can use the dashboard from home to check their

Christopher Houston Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Major Investigation Team are investigating the death of a 42-year-old man following an assault in Ballymena at the weekend. Mr Christopher Houston, who was also known as “Cricki”, died on Tuesday night after spending several days in hospital with a serious head injury. Thoughts with Christopher’s family and friends Detective Chief Inspector Hazel Miller said: “We can confirm that Mr Christopher Houst

McDonald’s Ballymena where McHappy Day will be celebrated this upcoming weekend Wednesday 23 September 2026 Northern Ireland has emerged as one of the UK’s most generous regions in a new survey released ahead of the first McHappy Day in the UK and Ireland this weekend. McDonald’s commissioned the research before the fundraising day on Saturday 26 September, when £1 from every qualifying main meal sold will be donated to Ronald McDonald House UK and Ronald McDonald House Irela

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

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

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

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

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 More than £148,000 has been awarded to eight projects working across Mid and East Antrim to help prevent violence against women and girls, with initiatives involving young people, families, schools, sport and community organisations. The latest round of the Local Change Fund will support grassroots work aimed at challenging harmful attitudes and behaviours, promoting healthy relationships and addressing some of the root causes of gender-based violence

Irish Beltex Premier Show & Sale: Judge Andrew Baillie and Sophie McAllister with Overall Show Champion, Artnagullion Major. Sunday 20 September 2026 Kells sheep breeder Elizabeth McAllister secured the overall championship, reserve male championship and highest shearling ewe price at the Irish Beltex Sheep Breeders Club’s Premier Show and Export Sale in Dungannon. Her homebred ram lamb, Artnagullion Major, won the top show honour before selling for 4,500gns to Douglas Nisbet

Sunday 20 September 2026 A 39-year-old man arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm after another man was found unconscious in Ballymena has been released on bail as police continue their enquiries. The injured man, aged in his forties, remains in hospital in a critical condition following the incident in the town centre during the early hours of Saturday morning, 19 September. Man found unconscious in town centre Police were initially alerted at around 5.05am on Saturda

Saturday 19 September 2026 The Correspondent by Virginia Evans has returned to the top of the bestseller chart at Waterstone’s Ballymena, leading a crime-heavy Top 10 featuring some of the biggest names in contemporary fiction. Ann Cleeves takes second place with The Killing Stones, while Patrick Ryan’s Buckeye climbs into the top three ahead of Lyra Parish’s Fall I Want. The latest update also brings two half-price offers, details of the next Saturday Storytime and Fiction B

A man remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital after being found unconscious with a head injury in Ballymena town centre early on Saturday morning. Police are appealing for witnesses and footage as they investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, which was reported shortly after 5am. Man found at town centre junction Officers received a report at around 5.05am on Saturday, 19 September, that an unconscious man had been found at the junction of Alexan

Wednesday 16 September 2026 Northern Ireland has just 154 registered dental hygienists — around half the number per head of population recorded in England — as North Antrim MP Jim Allister calls for urgent action to expand training and make greater use of hygienists within Health Service dentistry. The TUV leader has challenged Health Minister Robbie Butler after being contacted by dental professionals concerned that there is no dental hygiene training course available in Nor