NEWS

New dog control orders will come into effect across Antrim and Newtownabbey from 1 January, extending restrictions to include several of the borough’s most popular visitor attractions. At a meeting of the Operations Committee held at Antrim Civic Centre on Monday evening, councillors agreed that dogs must be kept on leads in the Platinum Jubilee Garden area of Antrim Castle Gardens , and in the Coronation Garden at Hazelbank Park, Newtownabbey. Dogs will also be required to r

“Honoured as Member of Parliament for South Antrim to place a Memorial at the Opening of the House of Commons Garden of Remembrance.” – Robin Swann MP Following intervention by South Antrim MP Robin Swann , the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has confirmed that the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal and related merchandise are not subject to EU regulations. Guidance will now be updated to reflect this clarification. Mr Swann welcomed the decision as “a win for commo

Ian McMaw, Business Lecturer at the College of Agriculture Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Greenmount Campus and Richard Henderson, Head of Agriculture at AbbeyAutoline. AbbeyAutoline has reaffirmed its commitment to the future of Northern Ireland’s agricultural industry by renewing its partnership with the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) for the 2025/2026 academic year. As part of the CAFRE Industry Support Programme, AbbeyAutoline will once again o

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows, with his much-loved companions Cassie and Maggie. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) MLA Jon Burrows has voiced strong support for reforming Northern Ireland’s fireworks legislation, describing the current situation as “deeply distressing” for families, pet owners, and communities affected by irresponsible use. The North Antrim MLA, who is a well-known dog lover, said his own pet suffers panic attacks during fireworks seaso

Kain Stewart in the ring Ballymena’s rising combat sports star King Kain Stewart delivered an electrifying performance in Birmingham as part of the prestigious Breakthrough Fight Series, streamed live on Notorious TV. The ten-year-old sensation, a pupil of Ballykeel Primary School, lready a multiple world champion, secured a mid-card slot on the event — a remarkable achievement for such a young athlete. Fresh from an incredible showing at the WKA World Championships, where he

The Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick looks forward to the opening of Enchanted Winter Garden for 2025. Antrim Castle Gardens will once again transform into a festive wonderland this winter as the Enchanted Winter Garden returns from Friday 28 November to Tuesday 30 December 2025 — with even more magic, light and family fun than ever before. Presented by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, this year’s event promises to be the most spectacular

Barkley Thompson Musical Director and members of the Farmers Choir who attended the awards evening.   Members of the Farmers’ Choir were delighted to attend the Northern Ireland Farming Awards 2025, where the group was recognisedo as a finalist in two prestigious categories – Farming Event of the Year and Farming Society of the Year. The choir received a Highly Commended accolade in the Farming Society of the Year category, acknowledging its exceptional contribution to rural

Women in Northern Ireland who have suffered multiple miscarriages face profound emotional distress, isolation and guilt, according to a new study led by Queen’s University Belfast. The research, published today in BMC Women’s Health, sheds light on the experiences of women across Northern Ireland who were treated for miscarriage, revealing how social stigma and a lack of adequate support leave many feeling devastated and alone. The study, led by Dr Áine Aventin, Senior Lectur

An act of Remembrance at the Ballymena Memorial Park in 2024 A series of Remembrance services and parades will be held across Mid and East Antrim this weekend to honour those who gave their lives in conflict. Residents across the Borough will come together on Remembrance Sunday (9 November 2025) to commemorate the sacrifices made by service personnel during World War One, World War Two, and other conflicts. Ceremonies will take place at War Memorials in Ballymena, Carrickfer

All photos: Cindy Robinson Photography In a heartfelt ceremony underscoring themes of hope, reconciliation, and academic triumph, Slemish College held its annual awards presentation on Friday, 24 October 2025, honouring the achievements of its pupils while advocating for the expansion of integrated education across the region. The event, hosted at the integrated post-primary school in Ballymena, brought together pupils, staff, parents, and distinguished guests to recognise ou

Community hero: Asda Larne driver Norman Gibson A quick-thinking Asda delivery driver from Larne has been praised for his heroic actions after coming to the aid of an elderly customer who had fallen and been lying on the floor of her home for more than two hours. Norman Gibson, who has worked at Asda Larne for nearly five years, was making a regular delivery when he spotted the woman, who is in her seventies, lying collapsed in the hallway through the front window of her home

A total of £259,091 has been awarded to ten community and voluntary sector projects that provide vital support for victims of domestic and sexual abuse across Northern Ireland. The funding, jointly provided by the Departments of Justice and Health under the Domestic and Sexual Abuse Small Grant Scheme, will enable organisations to deliver trauma-informed counselling, crisis intervention, and specialist legal advice to victims and survivors. Announcing the funding, Justice Min

Daniel Hunter at work with Stena Line The journey towards a job you love is not always smooth sailing – but with the right direction and support, it’s possible to reach your destination. That’s exactly what happened for Daniel Hunter from Carrickfergus, who has proudly worked with Stena Line since 2022 after years of determination and perseverance. Daniel’s story began over a decade ago when he was first referred to the Northern Health and Social Care Trust’s Day Opportuniti

Mayor and Mayoress of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford and Allison Minford, pictured with Margaret Cowie Carrickfergus Museum came alive with colour and creativity as it hosted Margaret’s Later Life Hobby Exhibition and a special Paint with Numbers Workshop on Saturday 25 October, celebrating wellbeing, connection, and lifelong learning as part of Positive Ageing Month. The exhibition showcased a stunning collection of paintings by Margaret Cowie , whose passio

Ballymena is set to sparkle once again this November as its much-loved Discount Day returns on Thursday 6 November — bringing unbeatable bargains, community spirit and festive cheer to the town centre. Organised by Ballymena Business Improvement District (BID) , Ballymena Discount Day has become one of the town’s biggest and most anticipated shopping events of the year — and 2025 promises to be no different. From 9am to 9pm, Ballymena’s two shopping centres and bustling high

A packed and varied programme of events has been unveiled by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to celebrate Ulster-Scots Leid (Language) Week 2025, taking place from 24 to 28 November. The week-long celebration — supported by the Ulster-Scots Agency — will see communities across Ballycarry, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Cullybackey, Larne and Whitehead come together to honour the borough’s linguistic and cultural heritage through music, poetry, film, storytelling and discussion

Ballymena woman Caitriona Lennox FIH, Head of Springboard Northern Ireland with her award Ballymena woman Caitriona Lennox FIH, Head of Springboard Northern Ireland, has been named winner of the Institute of Hospitality’s prestigious Fellows’ Outstanding Contribution Award 2025 — the first time this esteemed recognition has been bestowed on anyone from Ballymena. The award, presented at the annual Institute of Hospitality (IoH) Fellows’ Dinner held on 27 October at The Waldo

(L-R) Lara Harding (aged 9), Mrs Claus, Belfast Lord Mayor Councillor Tracy Kelly, Santa Claus and Rosa Harding (aged 7) got together to promote the annual lights switch-on at Belfast City Hall. Belfast is gearing up for a “Wicked” start to the festive season with the city’s annual Christmas lights switch-on at Belfast City Hall on Saturday 15 November. The much-anticipated event will be hosted by Cool FM presenters Pete Snodden, Rebecca McKinney and Paulo Ross, alongside Bel

Mayor of Mid & East Antrim Mayor, Jackson Minford, joins Sonic the Hedgehog, Kevin the Minion, at a community celebration event at St Patrick's Housing development, along with Loma Wilson, Radius Housing, and Grainne Mullin, NIHE.  Residents of the new St Patrick’s shared housing development in Ballymena came together this week for a special Tenants Welcome Event to celebrate the completion of the new homes and the beginning of a vibrant new community. Held on Wednesday 29th

Robin with Celine McStravick, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA), and David Babington, Chief Executive of Action Mental Health South Antrim MP Robin Swann has met with leading figures from Northern Ireland’s voluntary and community sector to discuss growing concerns about the future of funding once the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) ends in March 2026. The meeting brought together Celine McStravick, Chief Executive of the Northern