NEWS

(L-R) Kiran Minhas, Principal Katy Lynas Craig and Clare McGall A Ballymena nursery school has become the first in Northern Ireland to receive the highest level of recognition for its approach to children’s emotional wellbeing, marking a significant milestone in early years education across the region. Ballymena Integrated Nursery School has been awarded ‘gold standard’ Togetherness school accreditation — the top tier of a UK-wide scheme led by NHS-backed emotional health exp

Kurt Harmer, Dealer Principal of Ballymena Honda, and Honda Racing’s John McGuinness, presented five Honda Fireblades and three Honda CBR600RR machines to Mervyn Whyte, Race Director of the Briggs Equipment North West 200 at the recent re-opening of the revamped Ballymena Honda showroom, in Co. Antrim. (Pics by: Stephen Davison) Ballymena Honda and Feridax have reinforced the safety operation at this year’s Briggs Equipment North West 200 by supplying a fleet of high-performa

Officers from the PSNI’s Safe Transport Team on patrol on the train network over the weekend. Police activity across the rail network between Ballymena and Belfast has resulted in an arrest and a series of drug-related sanctions, following targeted patrols by the PSNI’s Safe Transport Team. The operation, carried out on Saturday, April 18, saw officers focusing on both train services and key transport hubs, with enforcement action taken against several passengers found in pos

Main Street, Portglenone Police in Ballymena are appealing for information following a reported assault outside a bar in Portglenone last month, with officers seeking witnesses and any available footage to assist their investigation. The incident is understood to have taken place at approximately 10.00pm on Tuesday, 17 March 2026, outside The Fiddler’s Rest in the village. Appeal for witnesses and information Officers have confirmed they are actively investigating the circums

Centra Frosses Road – Exceptional Performance in Food Safety (L-R) Catherine and Oran McCloskey, owners of Centra Frosses Road with store manager Cathie Carton, Joanne Bertenshaw Musgrave NI Food Safety & Quality Retail Co-ordinator, and host Pete Snodden. Retailers in Cloughmills, Kells, Ballymoney, Toomebridge and Larne have been placed firmly at the centre of this year’s Musgrave Northern Ireland ‘Store of the Year’ Awards, as nine County Antrim stores were recognised for

Classic car owners from across Northern Ireland are preparing to descend on Glenarm Castle this weekend for a major vintage motoring event that blends heritage, community and charity — with thousands of pounds expected to be raised for Childline. Organised by the Ulster Vauxhall Opel Classic Community (UVOCC), ‘Drive it Day’ will take place on Sunday 26 April , bringing together historic vehicles and families for a scenic run along the Antrim Coast Road, culminating in a publ

Passengers across Northern Ireland are being urged to plan ahead for the early May Bank Holiday, as Translink confirms revised bus and rail timetables alongside cross-border rail disruption due to engineering works. Holiday timetables in place across bus network Translink has announced that all bus services will operate on holiday or weekend timetables on Monday, 4 May. This includes Metro, Glider, Ulsterbus and Goldliner services, meaning reduced or altered frequencies compa

Aerial overview including proposed changes at Galgorm Castle, Ballymena Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has received a full planning application for the restoration of Galgorm Castle for hotel use, as part of a £14 million investment. The proposed development at the estate outside Ballymena includes the restoration of the stables and courtyard for hotel use, an extension to the outer courtyard building, and the change of use of existing business units to hotel accommodati

(L-R) Stephen Baillie, Treasurer, Ballymena Table Tennis Club, Martin Mann, Vice-Chair of Ballymena Branch of Parkinson’s UK, Winifred McHugh, member of the Ballymena Branch and Bran Shannon, member of Parkinson's Bat ‘n’ Chat in Ballymena. A community initiative supporting people living with Parkinson’s in Ballymena has received a timely boost, after Ballymena Table Tennis Club donated £480 to help sustain and grow the popular Bat ‘n’ Chat sessions. The funding will support

Pic: Phill McAlinney at Irish Transport Heritage Dozens of historic and modern buses will take to the roads of Northern Ireland this weekend as leading manufacturer Wrightbus marks the start of its 80th anniversary year with a major public rally culminating at Stormont. The large-scale event on Saturday, April 25 will see a convoy of heritage buses and coaches travel from the Ulster Transport Museum in Cultra to the Stormont estate, bringing together decades of engineering hi

Ballymena racer Brandon McCaughan on track in the Ligier European Series. (Pics: DPPI Images) A blistering opening to the 2026 Ligier European Series saw Ballymena driver Brandon McCaughan lead both races in Barcelona—only for penalties to strip away what could have been a double podium finish. The Northern Irish prototype racing prospect showcased standout speed across the opening round at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (10–11 April), but a combination of pitstop and restart

The winning team from the Rotary Club Generation Chef competition, are pictured with, from left, Georgie Briota, Business Development Manager at Galgorm Collection, Iris Houston, General Manager, Adair Arms Hotel, Gary Stewart, Judge and Chef Tartine of Distillers Arms, Chad Shaw, Northern Ireland Hospitality School, Samantha Wade, Quinn Merrigan, Northern Ireland Hospitality School, Eddie McGarvey, Judge and Chef at Salt House, Debbie Chestnutt, President of Ballymena Rotary

Jailed: Curtis Dunlop (23) A 23-year-old man who took part in sustained rioting on the streets of Ballymena during three nights of disorder last summer has been jailed for 32 months, as police reiterated their commitment to pursuing all those involved in the violence. Kurtis Dunlop, 23, was sentenced at Antrim Crown Court on Monday, 20 April, after pleading guilty to the offence of riot linked to the disturbances that erupted in June 2025. He will serve half of the sentence —

Gallaher Trust’s Chairman, Ian Paisley, alongside Trustees, Lauren McAteer and James Perry MBE . A major funding push aimed at driving job creation and skills development across Ballymena has been launched, as The Gallaher Trust reopens applications for 2027 projects alongside a landmark event marking the town’s 400th anniversary. Business leaders, social enterprises and charities are being urged to step forward with new ideas as £400,000 in funding becomes available, with or

Glass strewn over the local play park Fresh safety concerns have been raised at Fisherwick Play Park in Ballymena after glass was deliberately broken and scattered across the site over the weekend, prompting a strong response from a local councillor. The incident comes after the park underwent a significant upgrade recently, funded by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, and has left residents worried about the safety of children using the popular community facility. Damage a

Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn. (Image: Khara Pringle) A new BBC political thriller rooted in the shadowy world of government secrecy has been commissioned from Ballymena writer Declan Lawn and long-time collaborator Belfast man Adam Patterson , placing a little-known national security mechanism — the D-Notice — at the centre of a major primetime drama. The six-part series, titled D-Notice , will explore how the British state can quietly intervene in journalism by advising e

Fibrus specialist with students in Mount St Michael’s Primary School, Randalstown. A new campaign to help children across Northern Ireland navigate the risks of the digital world has been launched, with a key rollout event taking place at Mount St Michael’s Primary School in Randalstown. Full fibre broadband provider Fibrus has begun delivering its “Surf Smart Stay Safe” initiative in primary schools, aiming to equip pupils with practical skills to stay safe online — from

A free eight-week training academy aimed at preparing local people for careers in GP practices is returning to Ballymena, after delivering strong employment outcomes and sustained job placements for participants over the past year. The Northern GP Federation Support Unit (NFSU) has confirmed the second year of its Medical Administration Training Academy, delivered in partnership with Mid and East Antrim Labour Market Partnership (LMP) and funded by the Department for Communit

Waterstone’s Ballymena has revealed its latest Top 10 bestselling books, with local author Jan Carson taking the top spot in a chart that reflects a strong appetite for gripping fiction, memoir and practical lifestyle reads. Carson’s newest novel Few and Far Between leads the list, underlining the continued support for Northern Ireland writers, while bestselling thrillers, cookbooks and contemporary non-fiction round out a diverse and engaging selection for readers this week

Ballymena Causeway Credit Union (BCCU) on William Street, Ballymena Ballymena Causeway Credit Union will begin operating under a new trading name, Evolve Credit Union , from 30 April 2026, marking a significant shift following years of expansion and the integration of members from across multiple local credit unions. The move comes after a period of sustained growth and a series of Transfers of Engagement that brought together members from Causeway, Antrim, Randalstown and su