NEWS

North Antrim MP Jim Allister and Cloughmills Early Years playgroup The growing dispute over nursery places in Cloughmills has now widened into a broader North Antrim row after MP Jim Allister accused the Education Authority of failing pre-school children across the constituency. In a sharply critical statement, Mr Allister said the EA’s “inflexible and dogma driven policy” is leaving children without suitable local places in communities including Cloughmills, Armoy and The

Families across Ballymena and the wider area are being invited to enjoy a free day of outdoor fun later this month as the Portglenone Bluebell Festival returns to Portglenone Forest on Saturday 25 April, celebrating one of the area’s most striking spring displays. Running from 11:00am to 3:00pm, the festival promises a full programme of activities built around the annual arrival of the forest’s bluebells, transforming the woodland into a colourful spring attraction for visit

Concept drawing of Roe Park House demonstrating how the property would look if Galgorm Collection planning proposal approved. Galgorm Collection’s multi-million-pound transformation of Roe Valley Resort has taken another visible step forward, with plans submitted to restore the original Georgian entrance of historic Roe Park House. A Listed Building Consent application has been lodged with Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council seeking approval to reinstate the former main

Saturday 11 April 2026 Waterstone’s Ballymena has unveiled its latest weekly round-up, with a fresh Top 10 bestselling list, family storytime sessions, book club dates and a highly anticipated visit from acclaimed local author Jan Carson all on the calendar this month. From crime thrillers and fantasy to children’s favourites and contemporary literary fiction, the latest chart reflects a broad mix of tastes among local readers as the spring season continues. Top 10 for This W

One of Northern Ireland’s leading hospitality groups has announced a major new sponsorship deal with the 2026 Briggs Equipment North West 200, adding fresh commercial backing to one of the province’s biggest sporting and tourism events ahead of race week next month. Galgorm Collection confirmed it will become an inaugural sponsor of the internationally renowned road race for the first time, with the 2026 event set to run from May 4 to May 9 along the North Coast. The move bri

Police have said they are actively monitoring online calls for coordinated protests across Northern Ireland next week amid growing anger over rising fuel costs linked to the escalating US/Israel–Iran war in the Middle East. The Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed on Saturday, 11 April 2026, that an operational response has already been prepared if required ahead of the planned demonstrations on Tuesday, 14 April. The warning comes after a series of social media posts

Kathryn McKay with husband Mark, and daughters Isla and Grace. What began as a lump discovered without warning has become a story of resilience, friendship and gratitude, as Ballymena mother-of-two Kathryn McKay prepares to turn one of the darkest chapters of her life into a night of hope for other families facing cancer. This Saturday evening, 11 April , Kathryn — alongside close friend Lauren Herbison — is inviting the local community to come together for A Night at the R

Mounting anger over soaring fuel and fertiliser costs across Northern Ireland has prompted fresh political pressure on Westminster, as planned fuel protests loom and Stormont’s First Minister and deputy First Minister jointly urge the Prime Minister to intervene without delay. The developing row comes as households, businesses, farmers and hauliers across Northern Ireland face intensifying financial strain, with rising fuel and energy prices deepening the wider cost-of-living

A major resurfacing scheme is set to take place this summer on one of Ballymena’s busiest approach roads, with work planned on the main route from Galgorm into the town. The resurfacing will cover the stretch from the double roundabout at Tullyglass to the Grange Road junction, a key artery used daily by local residents, commuters and businesses travelling in and out of Ballymena. The planned works were confirmed in a statement issued by TUV councillors Stewart McDonald and M

Factory floor, Wrightbus Ballymena Ballymena-based bus manufacturer Wrightbus is taking a leading role in a new UK Government-backed project exploring whether autonomous vehicle technology could help tackle some of the most urgent challenges facing public transport, including chronic driver shortages, rising costs, and the pressure to decarbonise services. The zero-emission bus manufacturer has been selected as lead partner in ASPIRE, one of just eight projects chosen under t

Music inspired by the land, the seasons and the lived experiences of Northern Ireland’s farming community is set to take centre stage in Ballymena later this month as Farmers’ Choir NI prepares for its upcoming Spring Concert at The Braid Arts Centre. The choir has announced that the special performance will take place on Wednesday 29th April at 8:00pm , promising an uplifting evening of music and storytelling rooted in the heart of rural life. Set in one of Ballymena’s best-

Primark has officially launched its first-ever mobile app in Northern Ireland, marking a significant digital step for the high street retailer as it brings real-time stock checks, personalised notifications and store information directly to shoppers’ phones for the first time. The move means customers across Northern Ireland can now browse favourite items, check availability before travelling to store and receive updates on new collections — a major shift for a retailer whose

Ballymena is set for a major expansion in local broadcasting after Ofcom today ( Thursday, April 9) awarded a small-scale DAB multiplex licence for the area to NIDAB Limited, opening the door for a new generation of local, community and specialist digital radio services across the town and surrounding villages. The decision is a significant boost for local media in Mid and East Antrim and could pave the way for around ten stereo digital radio stations, with capacity for more

Promoting a three-day health check event at Ballymena Livestock Mart, back in 2010, before the official launch of a Northern Ireland wide Farm Families Health Checks service, Dr Brian Hunter, Kate Cairns (UFU), Yvonne Carson, and Sam McNabney, Ballymena Livestock Mart. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is marking 20 years of dedicated work to improve the health and wellbeing of rural communities, with a legacy that has grown from local pilot projects into region-wide

The Team at Elite Lighting & Interiors in Ballymena Elite Lighting & Interiors marks 25 years as one of Ballymena’s best-known home and lighting retailers, celebrating a quarter-century in the town centre with a special anniversary sale and a renewed focus on growth. The long-established Church Street business, which first opened in Easter 2001, is marking the milestone by thanking customers for more than two decades of support and inviting shoppers to join in celebrations r

Housing Executive Staff and members of the Cloughmills Community Action Team, winners of the Cleaner and Greener Award sponsored by Northern Ireland Housing Council in the Housing Executive’s Rural Community Awards. Included are (back row, left to right) Noleen Connolly Housing Executive District Manager, Clare Lawlor, Arts Care, Jim Whitten, Cloughmills Community Action Team, Marie Semple and Eoin McKinney Housing Executive Rural Unit. (Front row, left to right), Freda McKni

Motorists in Ballymena and across Northern Ireland will soon be able to explore one of the world’s fastest-growing electric vehicle brands closer to home after Donnelly Group was appointed as an authorised BYD dealer. The move marks a significant expansion in the local electric vehicle market, with customers set to access the new BYD range at Donnelly Group’s Ballymena and Dungannon locations from mid-April. The appointment sees Northern Ireland’s largest independently owned

A 43-year-old man has been charged following the security alert in Glenarm earlier this week, during which police carried out a controlled explosion on what was later confirmed to be a viable device. The latest development follows Monday’s major police operation in the Feystown Road area, where detectives launched an investigation after a suspicious item was reported and specialist officers were called to the scene. Court appearance on Wednesday Detectives investigating the i

A safety initiative already supported by around 300 hospitality venues across Northern Ireland is set to be extended to shops in Ballymena. Retail staff in the town are to receive training as part of the Ask for Angela scheme, which provides a discreet way for people to seek help if they feel unsafe, threatened or vulnerable. Speaking at an online recent meeting of the Mid and East Antrim Policing and Community Safety Partnership, PSNI Chief Inspector Siobhan Watt said the

Children in Northern Ireland are still afforded less legal protection from physical harm than adults because parents and carers can continue to rely on the defence of “reasonable punishment” , the NSPCC has warned, as pressure mounts for Stormont to amend the law through the Justice Bill. The children’s charity is urging all political parties to back an amendment currently tabled at the Northern Ireland Assembly which would remove what it describes as an outdated legal defenc