NEWS

CGI of proposed new Home Bargains store in Antrim Residents are being invited to have their say on plans for a new Home Bargains store in Antrim, as a formal community consultation process gets underway ahead of a planning application. Developers behind the proposal have launched a Pre-Application Community Consultation (PACC) on plans to redevelop the former Townparks car showroom site on Ballymena Road, just southeast of the Springfarm Roundabout. The consultation allows me

Galgorm Collection has announced a new sponsorship partnership with the Antrim Camogie Minor squad. Sean Kelly, Antrim Camogie Public Relations Officer is pictured with Tiarnán O’Neill, Chief Financial Officer at Galgorm Collection and some members of the Antrim Camogie Minor squad.   A new partnership between Galgorm Collection and the Antrim Camogie Minor squad is set to provide a significant boost for the county’s rising players as they prepare for the season ahead. The h

A man has been charged with multiple offences following a disturbing incident in Portglenone in which a woman was reportedly assaulted and forced into a vehicle on a busy village street. Detectives investigating the incident in the Main Street area of Portglenone on Saturday evening, 14 March, confirmed that a 42-year-old man has now been charged to court. The development follows an earlier report from a member of the public that a male assaulted a female at around 10pm, alle

From gripping crime novels to children’s favourites and bestselling thrillers, Waterstone’s Ballymena has revealed its latest Top 10 bestselling books alongside exciting new arrivals, children’s storytime and upcoming book club meetings. The weekly round-up from the Ballymena bookshop highlights the titles currently flying off the shelves, as well as the newest releases readers should keep an eye out for. This Week’s Top 10 Bestselling Books Leading the chart this week is And

Sinn Féin political banner opposite Ballycastle Presbyterian Church, and the banner subsequently removed. A political banner placed opposite a church in Ballycastle ahead of St Patrick’s Day has been swiftly removed after concerns were raised by North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows , who said the move helped protect the town’s tradition of positive cross-community relations. The Ulster Unionist Party leader said the large Sinn Féin banner had appeared opposite Ballycastle Presbyteria

Detectives are appealing for witnesses after a woman was reportedly assaulted and forced into a vehicle in a disturbing incident in Portglenone on Saturday night. Police say the incident happened on Main Street at around 10pm on Saturday, 14 March, when a member of the public reported seeing a male assault a female. According to officers, the woman was punched to the head and face before being forced into a black Nissan Qashqai. A 42-year-old man has since been arrested on su

A powerful night of remembrance, music and community spirit in Ballymena has raised more than £20,000 for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland, with a special fundraising event held in memory of two young women whose lives were tragically cut short. The Bingo Music Bonanza, hosted at the Tullyglass Hotel, brought together hundreds of supporters for an emotional evening dedicated to Naomi Lynn and Lydia Ross , who both died in separate car accidents. Organised by Ritchie Entertainme

Optical advisor Carol-Ann Kirkpatrick with 23-year-old daughter Rachel. Mother’s Day will be extra special at Asda Antrim this year, where four mums will celebrate the occasion alongside their own children who work as colleagues in the store. From quick chats between shifts to shared laughter on the shop floor, the families say working together brings a unique bond – even if it sometimes means seeing a little too much of each other. Among them is optical advisor Carol-Ann Kir

The Top of the Crop choir will be guided by local music teacher and experienced musician Philip Kerr, with practice sessions planned for Thursday 26 March and Thursday 30 April from 8pm-9.30pm in Cullybackey Business Centre, Main Street, Cullybackey. A brand-new community choir is set to bring voices together in Cullybackey, offering rural residents a welcoming space to sing, socialise and build friendships. The new ‘Top of the Crop’ choir is the latest initiative from the No

Sean and Fiona McAllister celebrate their recent wins! A long-established pedigree sheep flock from County Antrim has celebrated a major run of success after securing multiple top honours at the annual Kerryhill Society prize giving. Crookmuir Pedigree Kerryhills, owned by Sean and Fiona McAllister from Ballycastle, achieved a series of impressive results at the annual Kerryhill Prize Giving Dinner, including the prestigious title of Overall Champion Irish Flock. The couple a

Families across the borough are being invited to a magical spring adventure as Dobbies Garden Centres partner with DreamWorks’ popular children’s show Gabby’s Dollhouse for a special free event next month. The themed Little Seedlings Club workshop will take place on Saturday 4 April at Dobbies stores in Antrim and Lisburn , offering children a fun-filled hour of crafts, discovery and Easter-themed activities. A spring adventure for young gardeners The event will transport ch

(L-R) Christian Reynolds, Managing Director of Wrightbus; Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester; John McLeister, Wrightbus Sales Managing Director for UK and Ireland Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has confirmed a new order for 55 electric buses from Ballymena manufacturer Wrightbus, reinforcing confidence in UK manufacturing and strengthening the region’s growing zero-emission transport network. The announcement came during a visit to the company’s headquarters and

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford pictured with Darren Tweed, wife Amber, and son Jack at Mayoral reception to recognise Darren's extraordinary commitment to fundraising. A Ballymena man whose personal journey has inspired extraordinary fundraising efforts has been formally recognised by the Mayor of Mid and East Antrim after completing a remarkable 100km charity run. Darren Tweed was honoured at a special reception hosted by Mayor of Mid and East Antri

Pictured: William Houston sadly died falling an incident at a County Antrim quarry. A quarry company has been fined £110,000 after a subcontractor died when a large stone fell from height at a County Antrim site. FP McCann Limited was sentenced at Antrim Crown Court on Friday (13 March) after pleading guilty to a single health and safety offence following the death of subcontractor William Houston. The prosecution followed an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive f

Shoppers in Belfast will now find a splash of pink – and plenty of cake – waiting for them at CastleCourt after popular bakery brand Dougies Goodies officially opened a new pop-up store in the shopping centre today (13 March 2026). Located in the busy CastleCourt food court, the vibrant new space offers customers a chance to grab the bakery’s much-loved cakes, bakes and sweet treats while taking a break from browsing the shops. The pop-up is stocked with a range of Dougies Go

Angela, John and Jim, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons pictured with (L-R) Angela Mulholland, West Bann Development, Jim McIlroy, Harryville Men’s Shed and John Hunter, Community Sports Network, Shankill at a!ln event in Ballymena. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has praised the “anything but small” impact of community investment across Northern Ireland during a visit to Ballymena, where local organisations shared how government funding is helping transform services, creat

Police have arrested 36 people during a coordinated 12-hour operation targeting suspects linked to domestic abuse, serious assault and a range of other offences across several districts in Northern Ireland. The large-scale operation, carried out by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) on Thursday, 12 March, focused on the areas of Lisburn and Castlereagh, Ards and North Down, Causeway Coast and Glens, Mid and East Antrim, and Antrim and Newtownabbey. Officers targete

Competitors demonstrating traditional horse ploughing during the Ballycastle & District Horse Ploughing Society’s annual St Patrick’s Day match — the only all-horse ploughing event still held in Ireland. One of Ireland’s most remarkable farming traditions is set to return this St Patrick’s Day as the Ballycastle and District Horse Ploughing Society prepares to stage what is believed to be the last remaining all-horse ploughing match in Ireland. The annual event, expected to t

Missing man: Andrew Christie Police have issued an urgent appeal for information to help locate Andrew Christie, who was last seen in the Ballycastle area on Wednesday afternoon. Officers say they are growing increasingly concerned for his whereabouts and are asking the public to come forward with any information that could assist in tracing him. Andrew was last seen at around 2.30pm on Wednesday, 11 March 2026, in the Ballycastle area. Description of clothing When he was las

Aaron Carey, Preservoir; Peter Gilleece, Vikela; Gabi Burnside; Entrepreneur Acceleration Manager, Ulster Bank; Sarah McKegney, Percy & Pop and Cormac Venney, HIP Psychology. A Loughguile entrepreneur is within touching distance of a £50,000 investment after securing a place in the final of the Ulster Bank Accelerator Pitch 2026. Aaron Carey, founder of fintech cash-management platform Preservoir , impressed judges at a highly competitive semi-final this week, earning a covet