NEWS

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

Rob with his wife Danielle and 5 sons (Alfie, Rueben, Jacob, Carter and Cooper) A Portstewart father-of-five who once faced a life-threatening stage 4 cancer diagnosis is preparing to take on one of Northern Ireland’s toughest endurance events — as he raises vital funds for a charity that supported him through his journey. Rob Humphrey will take part in the Mourne Wall Challenge on 15 August 2026 in aid of Cancer Focus Northern Ireland, drawing on his own experience of diagno

(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

A 12-year-old child has been left with serious injuries after being knocked down by a car in Lisburn on Monday afternoon, prompting a police appeal for dashcam footage from anyone who may have witnessed the incident. The collision happened on Prince William Road at around 3.15pm on April 20 and involved a black Honda Civic. Child taken to hospital with serious injuries Emergency services attended the scene following the incident, where the child sustained injuries described a

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

North Antrim Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland at the scene of the incident in The Diamond, Ballycastle Political representatives have warned that the deliberate fire at the derelict Antrim Arms building in Ballycastle must act as a turning point in how long-term vacant properties are managed, as concerns grow over safety, disruption and the future of the site. Mulholland: fire exposes dangers of long-term dereliction Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland said the arson attack had deeply

19-year-old Jamie Matthews from Antrim has been selected to represent the UK at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 A 19-year-old apprentice from Antrim is set to compete on one of the world’s biggest stages for vocational talent after being selected to represent the UK at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 — a global contest where elite young professionals go head-to-head in high-pressure, precision-based challenges. Jamie Matthews, who is training with Mivan and studying a Level 3 Apprentice

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 —

A 42-year-old woman wanted in Hungary to stand trial for fraud and money laundering has been arrested in Carrickfergus, as part of a wider international investigation into organised crime. The arrest was carried out on Monday 20 April by officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s International Policing Unit. The woman is sought by Hungarian authorities in connection with offences alleged to have taken place in 2024. She was detained on a Hungarian extradition warr

A major fire that tore through the derelict Antrim Arms building in Ballycastle on Sunday evening is now being treated as a deliberate act, police have confirmed. The blaze at the prominent Castle Street property was reported shortly after 8pm on Sunday 19 April, triggering a large-scale emergency response and leading to multiple road closures in the town centre. Police confirm fire was deliberate In an update issued on Monday 20 April, the Police Service of Northern Ireland

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

Image: McAuley Multimedia A major fire broke out in Ballycastle on Sunday evening, sending thick plumes of smoke across the town and prompting urgent safety warnings for residents as dozens of firefighters worked to bring the blaze under control. The incident unfolded at the derelict former Antrim Arms building in The Diamond area, with emergency services receiving the first call at 8:08pm on Sunday 19 April 2026. Firefighters battle blaze at prominent town centre site Witnes

Northern Ireland U17 international and tournament graduate Chloe Beckinsale and Charlotte Havern are pictured alongside Ballymena United Minor Section players Curtis McKeown and Isaac Dixon, with former Northern Ireland international and current Northern Ireland U21 Manager Tommy Wright and Karl Bradley from Budget Energy at the official draw for the 2026 Budget Energy SuperCupNI. The stage is set for one of Northern Ireland’s biggest sporting events of the summer, after the

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

Antrim Area Hospital ED, and Ballee Cemetery, Ballymena More than 1,000 people in Northern Ireland are estimated to have died in 2025 after waiting 12 hours or more in Emergency Departments, according to a major new report warning the system is no longer functioning safely. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) said 1,032 excess deaths  were associated with long waits last year — the equivalent of almost 20 lives lost every week  — as pressure inside hospitals contin

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