NEWS

North Antrim MP Jim Allister KC A call for urgent Government action on lobular breast cancer research has been made by Jim Allister KC MP , who warned that patients are continuing to receive treatments not designed for their specific disease due to decades of underinvestment. The North Antrim MP said that while recent engagement between Ministers, senior scientists and the Lobular Moon Shot Project is welcome, it has so far failed to deliver the decisive commitment needed to

Pictured with one of the two refurbished snooker tables at Loughgiel Community Centre are, (left to right) Gareth Doran, Housing Executive Good Relations Officer, Causeway, Michelle Smyth, Operations Manager, Loughgiel Community Association, Paddy Coyles, Men’s Shed, Patrick McCullough, Men’s Shed, Deirdre Rafferty, Housing Executive Neighbourhood Officer, Lee-Anne Doherty, Loughgiel Community Association, and Gerard Dallas, Men’s Shed. A community hub in Loughgiel is seeing

Missing 75-year-old Ballymena man James Adair Police have issued an urgent appeal for information after a 75-year-old man was reported missing from Ballymena, with growing concern for his wellbeing. James Adair was reported missing to officers on Thursday, April 16, 2026, after last being seen in the Chichester Park area of the town. Police raise concern for wellbeing Officers say they are increasingly concerned for Mr Adair’s safety and are urging the public to come forward

Car enthusiasts, families and local residents are being invited to gather in Broughshane this weekend as Kirkinriola Primary School PTA launches a community fundraising event aimed at helping fund new play and sports facilities for pupils. The Coffee & Cars event will take place on Saturday 18 April at Broughshane Community Centre, 21 Knockan Road, Broughshane, BT42 4JY , with organisers hoping to attract a wide range of vehicles and strong public support to raise money fo

More than 300,000 households across Northern Ireland are set to receive targeted support with soaring home heating costs after Communities Minister Gordon Lyons secured Executive backing for a £36.4 million package aimed at easing pressure on families reliant on oil. Under the scheme, eligible households will be able to apply for a £100 prepaid card that can be used directly with heating oil suppliers, offering immediate help at a time when oil prices have surged dramatical

Noah and Grace have been confirmed as the most popular baby names given to children registered in Northern Ireland in 2025, with fresh figures showing long-standing favourites holding firm while a wave of new and unusual names continues to emerge. The latest Baby Names 2025 statistics, published today by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) , reveal that Grace has retained the number one spot for girls, while Noah has climbed back to the top of the boy

Kelli McRoberts, Chief Executive at Carrickfergus Enterprise, Elain Harkin, Strategic Revenue Manager from McKeever Hotels and Christine Barnhiill, Economic Development Officer at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, pictured with the ladies who attended this year’s Enterprising Women Residential. Female entrepreneurs from across Mid and East Antrim have come together for the fourth annual Enterprising Women Residential, as the fast-growing network continues to expand its sup

The future of non-statutory pre-school provision in North Antrim has been thrust back into the spotlight after TUV MLA Timothy Gaston warned in the Northern Ireland Assembly that community playgroups could be forced to close their doors by September without urgent intervention from the Education Minister. Speaking on Monday (13 April) at Stormont, the North Antrim representative said the long-running issue surrounding pupil allocation numbers (PAN) for non-statutory settings

Ballymena man Colin Agnew reaches the Final of BBC NI’s Greatest Gardens A Ballymena gardener whose suburban home has been transformed into a hidden botanical wonderland has secured the fourth and last place in the upcoming final of BBC Northern Ireland’s Greatest Gardens, after impressing judges with a design described as full of “mystery and intrigue”. Colin Agnew, head gardener at Belfast’s Botanic Gardens , captured the attention of viewers and judges alike for his imagin

(All photographs: Ewan Harkness) A brand-new The Food Warehouse store has officially opened in Ballymena, with 77 eager shoppers already waiting in line before the doors opened on Tuesday morning. The much-anticipated new store, located at Braidwater Retail Park, Ballymena, Antrim, BT42 3AG, welcomed its first customers on Tuesday 14 April, marking a major retail expansion for the town and delivering 23 additional jobs for the local community. In scenes that underlined the le

Barr’s grave in Connor New Cemetery. Alan with his father Roy and children, James and Maria Eighty-five years after one of the darkest nights in Northern Ireland’s wartime history, Braid Ulster Unionist Councillor Alan Barr has paid a deeply personal tribute to members of his own family and to a young Ballymena police officer whose lives were lost during the Belfast Blitz. As communities across Northern Ireland pause this week to mark the anniversary of the devastating Luftw

The RNLI has issued its own urgent Mayday call after new figures revealed its volunteer lifeboat crews across Northern Ireland were launched 235 times in 2025, bringing 214 people to safety, including three lives saved. The newly released data, published today by the lifesaving charity, also shows that 80 of those call-outs took place in darkness, underlining the scale and intensity of demand facing volunteer crews at the region’s 10 lifeboat stations. Alongside the lifeboat

Ballymena Academy Year 11 pupils Samantha Dunlop and Katie McNeilly Two Ballymena Academy pupils have stepped into the fast-paced world of professional media and digital storytelling as they continue their journey as finalists in the 2026 ABP Angus Youth Challenge, combining science, agriculture and communications in a project with real-world relevance for Northern Ireland’s farming sector. Year 11 pupils Samantha Dunlop and Katie McNeilly are among the finalists in the prest

Hugh McGill and members of Ballycastle Runners welcoming another year’s sponsorship by McAuley Freight Ltd, represented by Aaron McAuley (right), as Marconi’s 5 Mile Race returns in Ballycastle. Ballycastle is set for another major day on the local sporting calendar next month as the Marconi’s 5 Mile Race returns on Sunday, 24 May 2026, with organisers confirming that McAuley Freight Ltd has joined Ballycastle Runners for a third consecutive year as one of the event’s main sp

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and Health Minister Mike Nesbitt are pictured with Anne-Marie Kelly during a visit to the Kelly home which was modified for Anne-Marie’s son Conor through the Disabled Facilities Grant. A County Down family has spoken of the “life-changing” impact of major home adaptations funded through Northern Ireland’s Disabled Facilities Grant, as two Stormont ministers pledged further reforms to strengthen support for households living with disability.

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

Asda Antrim raises funds for Dementia NI Asda Antrim has strengthened its support for the local community with backing for two separate initiatives — helping bring generations together in Randalstown through a community sports event and raising more than £6,000 for Dementia NI. The supermarket’s latest community efforts have seen Randalstown Ulster-Scots Society awarded a £600 grant through the Asda Foundation, while colleagues at the Antrim store have also completed a major

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

Jordan Herron of Larne Athletic Club won the men’s race at the 2026 Saint-Gobain Exterior Solutions Larne 10 Mile Race. Jordan is pictured crossing the line in a time of 54:15. (All photographs by Presseye/Stephen Hamilton) A record number of runners from across Northern Ireland and beyond lined the County Antrim coast on Saturday as the 2026 Saint-Gobain Exterior Solutions Larne 10 Mile Race delivered its biggest event to date, with local athlete Jordan Herron and Pamela Ki