NEWS

Thursday, August 20, 2026 Around 5,000 members of the Royal Black Institution will march through Larne on August 29 in one of five major demonstrations marking the end of the 2026 parading season. The Co Antrim gathering will see 76 preceptories and 71 bands take part, with organisers expecting up to 10,000 spectators. Six districts will be represented, including Ballymena No 2, alongside Lisburn, Antrim, Larne, Ballymoney and Ballyclare. The main parade will begin at 12 noon

Ballymena Health and Care Centre Scaffolding that has surrounded Ballymena Health and Care Centre for around seven months is expected to be soon removed as work continues to permanently resolve problems with the building’s roof capping system. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust confirmed the timetable to Love Ballymena after local people questioned how long the prominent structure would remain around the multimillion-pound healthcare facility off Cushendall Road. Storm

Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Dawn Huggins, pictured with Paul Ross, whose Sky Blue Ribbon fundraising appeal was named Fundraising Volunteer Group of the Year at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising Northern Ireland Awards. A County Antrim father who has turned the devastating loss of his 21-year-old daughter into a fundraising movement that has raised more than £100,000 for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland has received special recognition from the Mayor of

Pupils from Cambridge House Grammar School who received their GCSE results on Thursday morning. More than 32,000 young people across Northern Ireland have received their GCSE results today, with a slight increase in the proportion achieving the key benchmark of grade C/4 and above. Figures released on Thursday, 20 August, show 83.6% of students achieved grade C/4 or higher, compared with 83.5% in 2025. The proportion receiving the highest grades also rose marginally, with 31.

A Land Rover Defender restored on the television programme Car SOS will take centre stage when Motorfest NI brings cars, motorcycles, trucks and live emergency-service displays to Ballymena this Sunday. The family event opens to the public at Ballymena Showgrounds at 11am on Sunday 23 August, with admission costing £5. Organisers say 100% of the money raised will go to Community Rescue Service Central. From television restoration to rescue service The distinctive Defender und

Glenshesk Drive, Ballymena North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has urged motorists to obey the one-way system on Glenshesk Drive in Ballymena after receiving several complaints from residents about vehicles travelling in the wrong direction. The DUP representative said the incidents were particularly concerning because children regularly play near the road, including on an adjacent grass area. Residents report recent incidents Glenshesk Drive has operated as a one-way street for a num

Heavy showers and thunderstorms could cause travel disruption and flash flooding across Northern Ireland today after the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning. The warning takes effect at 12 noon today, Wednesday 19 August, and remains in place until 11.59pm tonight. Some areas could receive up to 20mm of rain in an hour or less, while a few places may see as much as 30mm within two hours. Heavy showers moving from west to east According to the Met Office, a band of heav

Mike Nesbitt MLA Mike Nesbitt has resigned as Northern Ireland’s Health Minister following a major political dispute with Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows over emergency general surgery at Causeway Hospital. In a strongly worded resignation letter sent to Mr Burrows on Tuesday evening, Mr Nesbitt said the UUP leader had created “shock waves” across the health and social care system by publicly backing the retention of emergency surgery at the Coleraine hospital. The f

Changing facilities at the local Broughshane Community Centre Mould, leaking water, inadequate toilets and concerns about water close to electrical installations have prompted a renewed demand for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to take urgent action at Broughshane Playing Fields. UUP Councillor Alan Barr and TUV Councillor Chrissy Jamieson say local clubs, players and volunteers have endured “plainly substandard” changing facilities for long enough and now need a firm pl

Police have confirmed they are at the scene of a sudden death in the Wakehurst Park area of Ballymena. The incident was reported shortly after 10am today, Tuesday 18 August. Air ambulance lands at King George’s Park Witnesses reported seeing a number of police vehicles responding to the incident, while the HEMS Air Ambulance Northern Ireland landed nearby at King George’s Park on Larne Street. A spokesperson for the Police Service of Northern Ireland said: “Police are at the

Young anglers are being offered a free evening of fishing at Kilgad Lakes near Ballymena as a local club brings its summer programme to a close. Kells, Connor and Glenwherry Angling Club has exclusively booked the lakes from 5pm to 9pm, on Wednesday 19 August, allowing its junior members to fish free of charge. Equipment available for beginners All junior anglers are welcome, and anyone who is not already a member can apply to join the club by tapping the button below. Fishin

(L-R) Laura McMinn, Tesco Northern Ireland Buying Manager, Alvin Donaghy, Commercial Manager at K&G McAtamney, Kenneth Herron, Tesco Northern Ireland Lead Fresh Buying Manager - Northern Ireland Product, Gordon McAtamney, Managing Director at K&G McAtamney, and Clare McCormack, Tesco Northern Ireland Assistant Buyer. Two long-established Ballymena meat businesses are supplying 12 products for Tesco Northern Ireland’s summer barbecue range, bringing decades of local butchery e

Petrol stations in Ballymena were among 87 Northern Ireland premises subjected to unannounced inspections as Trading Standards tested whether motorists were receiving the amount of fuel they paid for. Twelve of the 371 pieces of equipment examined between April and July were found to be outside the permitted margin of error. Any equipment presenting an issue was immediately withdrawn for repair, recalibration or adjustment. The Trading Standards Service has not disclosed whic

Staff from Pilgrim’s Europe announcing the opening of the company’s new Legacy Fund Charities, schools and community organisations in Ballymena can now apply for £5,000 to support projects intended to make a lasting difference locally. Food company Pilgrim’s Europe has opened applications to its new Legacy Fund, which will support initiatives in communities surrounding its sites across the island of Ireland. Who can apply? The fund is open to a broad range of applicants, incl

Galgorm Collection has announced a new three-year sponsorship partnership with Cullybackey Blues FC. Georgie Briota, Business Development Manager at Galgorm Collection is pictured alongside Joel Barr and the team from Cullybackey Blues FC. A new three-year partnership with Galgorm Collection will help Cullybackey Blues FC invest in player development, training and facilities as the club begins life in the second division of the Kinecx Energy Ballymena Saturday Morning League

Ballymena BID is bringing businesses, families and visitors together for two major days of town-centre celebrations as Ballymena prepares to mark its 400th birthday. An End of Summer and Ballymena 400 Street Party will take over Greenvale Street on Saturday 22 August, before businesses across the town join the official birthday celebrations on Tuesday 25 August. The programme, with support from Department for Communities (DfC), will run alongside a number of anniversary event

Adrian and Nicci Stewart, foster carers with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust More foster families are urgently needed across the Northern Trust area as growing numbers of children require somewhere safe and supportive to call home — whether for a single night or for several years. For Adrian and Nicci Stewart, answering that need has meant welcoming more than 22 children through their front door in just six years. The couple have cared for newborn babies, toddlers a

A pensioner was reportedly left requiring hospital treatment after an assault in Ballymena on Saturday night, with police appealing for witnesses and footage from the area. The PSNI said the assault was reported in the vicinity of Barra Drive at approximately 10.25pm on Saturday 15 August. Police have not released details about the age of the man or the extent of his injuries. However, Ballykeel 1 Moving Forward Community Group said a pensioner had been attacked close to the

Josh Hall, Head of Category and Trading at Sysco Ireland, Bronagh McQuail, Moocha Kombucha, Pamela Martin, Category Manager at Sysco Ireland, Kyle Greer, Development Chef at Sysco Ireland, Ruchira Rangaprasad, FibreUp, Alastair Bell and Kathleen Bell, Irish Black Butter, John Sloan, Loada Balls, Claire O'Kane, Mussenden Sea Salt, Amy Stewart, Glens of Antrim Group, John Sloan and Curtis Sloan, Loada Balls A County Antrim food producer is among six Northern Ireland businesse

North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows pictured with Mid and East Antrim Agewell Partnership staff: Sarah McLaughlin Executive Director for Health (left) and Catriona Delargy, IMPACTAgewell Team Leader. The importance of tackling loneliness and helping older people remain active and connected has been highlighted following a visit to Mid & East Antrim Agewell Partnership by Ulster Unionist MLA Jon Burrows. The local charity works with older people across Ballymena, Larne and Carrickfer