NEWS

Five people have been taken to hospital following a two-vehicle collision in Ballymena on Saturday evening which temporarily shut part of the Crankill Road as emergency services dealt with the aftermath. Police, ambulance crews and firefighters were called to the scene at around 5.50pm on Saturday, 23 May, following reports of a crash involving a VW Golf and a Mazda. Traffic was diverted from the area as the Crankill Road was closed for a period while emergency services atten

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Ruairí McHugh said the festival had become one of the city’s defining events More than 100,000 visitors are expected to descend on Londonderry this summer as the Foyle Maritime Festival returns with a major expanded programme featuring Tall Ships, a giant waterfront wheel, fireworks, live entertainment and a brand-new illuminated river spectacle. Running from 25–28 June 2026, the internationally recognised festival

Passengers travelling between Belfast and Dublin on Enterprise rail services are being warned to expect delays and bus transfers for three days after engineering works forced the closure of part of the line south of the border. The rail line between Dundalk and Dublin will close from Saturday 30 May until Monday 1 June inclusive, with replacement buses operating for affected sections of the journey. The disruption is expected to affect passengers travelling between Northern I

North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew, and Mid Ulster SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone. The PSNI could soon be handed stronger powers to seize illegally used e-scooters without first issuing a warning under a proposed amendment tabled at Stormont by North Antrim MLA Paul Frew and Mid Ulster MLA Patsy McGlone. The move comes amid growing concern over the reckless use of e-scooters on roads and pavements across Northern Ireland, with politicians, police, doctors and vulnerable pedestrians all w

Celebrating the landmark 400 years since King Charles I granted a charter allowing Ballymena town to hold markets. (Photos by: Steven McAuley/McAuley Multimedia) Ballymena marked its 400th anniversary on Saturday with a major day of celebration that transformed the town centre into a vibrant showcase of community pride, entertainment and local history. Families, community groups, performers and visitors gathered across Ballymena on 23 May for a packed programme of events mark

A man in his 60s was confronted by a burglar armed with two knives during a terrifying break-in at a home in Ballymena early on Thursday morning. Police said the intruder, who had his face covered and was dressed in dark clothing, entered a property in the Francis Street area at around 7:50am before confronting the occupant inside the house. The incident has left fresh concern in the local community following another serious burglary involving elderly residents in Ballymena e

An elderly man and woman were left badly shaken after masked intruders tied them up during a terrifying overnight burglary at a home in County Londonderry. The ordeal unfolded in the early hours of Saturday morning, 23 May, at a property in the Formoyle Road area of Macosquin, where a man in his 70s and a woman in her 60s were confronted inside their own home by two masked men. Police said the couple were ordered to hand over money before the intruders stole mobile phones, a

Farmers’ Choir NI performing at The Braid, Ballymena A packed audience filled The Braid Arts Centre as Farmers’ Choir NI delivered a sell-out Spring Concert celebrating the humour, hardships and strong sense of community at the heart of rural life across Northern Ireland. Drawing concertgoers from farming families and countryside communities, the evening blended music, storytelling and laughter in a performance that reflected the real-life experiences of those who live and wo

Members of the Farm Families Health Checks team celebrates reaching its 30,000th health check with Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt and Fearghal McKinney, Head of British Heart Foundation in Northern Ireland. A Northern Ireland health programme delivering frontline care directly into rural communities has reached a major milestone after providing 30,000 on-the-spot health checks for farmers and farm families. The Farm Families Health Checks Programme, which has operated across N

Customers visiting Specsavers stores across Northern Ireland will now be able to recycle unwanted glasses, contact lens packaging and cases as part of a nationwide expansion of the company’s recycling scheme. The move comes after the optical retailer and its recycling partner recycled 72 tonnes of material in 2025 — an increase of almost five tonnes compared to the previous year — highlighting growing demand for easier ways to dispose of hard-to-recycle eye care products. The

Detectives investigating violent dissident republican activity have carried out further searches in Ballymena and Larne following the arrest of five men under the Terrorism Act in west Belfast. A number of vehicles have also been seized as part of the ongoing investigation being led by the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Terrorism Investigation Unit. The latest searches will heighten attention locally after police confirmed operations had extended beyond Belfast into par

*Stock image A dog owner has been banned from keeping dogs for 20 years after a series of attacks involving an unlicensed French Bulldog left three women injured — including victims who suffered severe facial injuries. The case, which was brought before Laganside Magistrates’ Court earlier this month, followed three separate attacks between October 2024 and April 2025 that triggered a major investigation by enforcement officers from Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. Co

Ballymena is preparing to celebrate a major milestone this Saturday as the town marks its 400th anniversary with a packed day of parades, live entertainment, history, music and free family activities expected to draw large crowds into the town centre. From community groups and youth organisations taking part in a colourful town parade, to live performances in People’s Park and historical re-enactors bringing centuries of local history to life, the celebrations are designed to

Firefighters remain at the scene of an ongoing vehicle fire in the Glenwhirry area outside Ballymena on Friday afternoon after emergency services were called to the incident shortly before 2.40pm. Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) confirmed crews were tasked to Douglas Road, Glenwhirry, at 2.37pm on Friday 22 May 2026, with multiple appliances dispatched to tackle the blaze. The incident prompted a significant emergency response in the rural Ballymena area, wit

Police are deploying extra officers to beaches, parks and town centres across Northern Ireland this bank holiday weekend as warm weather is expected to bring a major surge in visitors to coastal hotspots and tourist areas. The PSNI said additional patrols will be visible across the North Coast, North Down and South Down over the sunny holiday weekend, with officers focusing on anti-social behaviour, alcohol-related disorder, dangerous driving and public safety. The move comes

The Gallaher Trust has committed £100,000 to Mid and East Antrim Agewell Partnership’s Delivering Options through Tailored Solutions (Dots) social enterprise. Pictured are, from left, Chrissy Havelin, Finance and Systems Team Lead, Rebecca Rea, Dots Service Coordinator, Jenny Marshall, Executive Director of Community Programmes and James Perry MBE, a Trustee at The Gallaher Trust. More than 550 older adults across the Ballymena area are set to receive expanded practical supp

Ballymena Park & Ride facility Motorists and public transport passengers in Ballymena are being warned to expect disruption throughout the summer as major works linked to the expansion of the town’s Park & Ride facility get underway. Translink has confirmed that essential road and junction improvements at Galgorm Road and Waveney Road will begin on Monday 1 June and continue until the end of August 2026 as part of the Ballymena Park & Ride expansion project. While roads will

Pictured at Galgorm Collection’s annual staff party are, from left, Laura Millar, Leah Harrison, Jade Strain, Kelly Kane and Katherine Baillie. One of Northern Ireland’s biggest hospitality employers has rewarded hundreds of staff with a major gala celebration after another year of expansion — with a surprise video message from Hollywood star Hugh Jackman becoming one of the highlights of the night. Around 450 employees from across Galgorm Collection gathered at Galgorm Reso

The Dark Hedges, near Armoy, County Antrim UUP Alderman Sandra Hunter has voiced concerns that a council team responsible for overseeing the Dark Hedges has “disappeared” ahead of the busy tourist season. Speaking at May’s meeting of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s Leisure and Development Committee, Ald Hunter raised a motion seeking clarity on the council’s current role in managing the internationally recognised tourist attraction on Bregagh Road near Armoy. She n

Site location of new social and affordable housing in Ballyvoy, County Antrim Plans for a new housing development within the Antrim Coast and Glens Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) are set to be considered by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s Planning Committee next week. The outline application seeks permission for 14 social and affordable homes on lands west of St Patrick’s Culfeightrin Church on Cushendall Road in Ballyvoy. A planning officer’s report sai