NEWS

Brandon McCaughan (Pics: DPPI Images / Ligier European Series) Ballymena racing talent Brandon McCaughan is stepping onto the biggest stage of his prototype career yet after confirming a full 2026 campaign in the Ligier European Series with reigning champions Team Virage. After dazzling in limited appearances over the past two seasons — including a flawless double victory at Silverstone last year — the 22-year-old has now secured a full-time seat in one of Europe’s most compe

Community pharmacy teams serving Portglenone and Broughshane are in the spotlight after securing major nominations in the Pharmacy In Focus Awards 2026 — a recognition that places their work at the heart of modern healthcare delivery. Bannside Pharmacy  has been shortlisted in the Commitment to Health & Wellbeing category, while Medicare Pharmacy Broughshane  is in contention for Community Pharmacy of the Year . Adding to the celebrations, Shania O’Boyle of Bannside Pharmacy

Announcing the closing date for the application period for Innovation Farms Kenneth Johnston, CAFRE Innovation Farms programme manager. A new network of Innovation Farms is being launched — and local dairy and beef producers are being urged to step forward before the deadline closes this week. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) has opened applications for farmers to become part of its Innovation Farm programme, a key strand of efforts to accelerate

Northern Ireland’s Health Minister has launched a new framework aimed squarely at reducing reliance on costly agency doctors and dentists — introducing a price cap for the first time and signalling a fresh push to stabilise the medical workforce. The new Medical and Dental Agency Framework follows the introduction of a Nursing, Midwifery and Support Workers Framework in May 2023, and forms part of a broader strategy to curb escalating agency spend across Health and Social Car

Energy costs in Northern Ireland are surging again — and political pressure is mounting for urgent scrutiny. The Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party  (UUP), North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows , has written to the Utility Regulator seeking assurances that energy providers will not use escalating international tensions as justification for what he describes as unjustified or excessive price increases. His intervention comes as households across Northern Ireland face sharp rises in ho

More than 3,500 children and young people are currently living in foster care across Northern Ireland — and the number is rising year on year. Behind that statistic are real lives, real stories and children like eight-year-old Kaiden, who is waiting for a place to call home. There are currently 3,514 children and young people in foster care in Northern Ireland. As demand continues to grow, HSC NI Foster Care says the need for more foster carers who can provide a safe and nurt

Slemish Market Garden, Ballymena A planning application for the retention of a farm shop, car park extension and change of use of an existing office and former retail unit to storage in Ballymena has been approved by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Planning Committee. Members granted permission at a meeting on Thursday (February 26) for works at Slemish Market Garden, located within the grounds of the Ecos Nature Park at Kernohan’s Lane. The approval also covers a new s

Irish Children’s Laureate/Laureate na nÓg Patricia Forde answering questions from children at St Colmcille's and  Carniny Primary School as part of the Whole Wild World North tour. Ahead of World Book Day on Thursday, 5 March 2026, children from Carniny Primary School and St Colmcille’s Primary School welcomed Irish Children’s Laureate/Laureate na nÓg, Patricia Forde , along with a team of authors and illustrators to Carniny Primary School as part of the Whole Wild World Nort

Minister Kimmins is pictured with Sarah Schaefer, ESG Director and John McLeister, Managing Director of Sales for the UK and Ireland The push to decarbonise Northern Ireland’s transport network took centre stage in Ballymena this week as Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins  visited Wrightbus  to see first-hand how the sector is shaping the journey to net zero. Touring the factory floor, the Minister met staff and viewed progress on zero-emission bus technology that is already

Escalating conflict in the Middle East could yet hit UK drivers where it hurts — at the pump — but any sharp rise in petrol prices is far from guaranteed, according to the RAC . With oil markets reacting to geopolitical uncertainty, motorists are already seeing prices edge upwards. And while the situation remains fluid, the RAC says sustained increases in the oil price would be needed before forecourt costs climb dramatically. RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “While t

One motorist returned a roadside breath test result of over twice the legal drink-drive limit. A targeted police operation in Ballycastle has led to a drink-driving charge, two uninsured vehicles being seized and a motorist detected at 108mph in wet conditions — as Northern Ireland’s road death toll rises to 15 before the end of February. Officers from the Maydown Road Policing Interceptors carried out a morning of focused patrols in the town on Friday, February 27. Multiple

Hillwalkers and visitors to Slemish Mountain for St Patrick’s Day in 2025, with large crowds expected again in 2026. A centuries-old tradition will once again bring hundreds of people to the slopes of Slemish Mountain this St Patrick’s Day, as families from across County Antrim prepare to take part in the annual uphill climb. Held on Tuesday 17 March, the popular St Patrick’s Day ascent blends local legend, shared history and outdoor adventure in one of the borough’s most rec

farmdrive co-founders - Gareth Gordon, CTO, and Gareth McDonald, CEO A fast-growing agri-tech company founded by two men from the Ballymena area has secured a major six-figure investment to accelerate its next phase of growth — with new jobs and export expansion firmly in its sights. Antrim-based farmdrive has received £690,000 in equity funding through Techstart Ventures, part of Invest NI’s Access to Finance programme. The investment will support the development of its live

Pictured at The Music Yard in Larne are (L-R) Music Yard founder Thomas Hamilton, JobStart participant Eamon McElroy and Communities Minister Gordon Lyons. More than 1,200 new opportunities have been created under the latest JobStart scheme, with Communities Minister Gordon Lyons  welcoming what he described as the “wide range of opportunities” now available to people seeking a route back into work. Since launching in October 2025, 1,086 employers have signed up to the schem

The Northern Ireland Civil Service has opened the door to around 120 new Deputy Principal posts — the first recruitment at this level in four years — marking a significant intake aimed at strengthening departments right across government. The campaign will fill vacancies across all NICS departments and locations, with successful candidates stepping into key roles at the heart of policy development and public service delivery. Deputy Principals play an important part in develo

Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) farm in Hillsborough, and (inset) TUV Agriculture spokesperson Cllr Allister Kyle A political storm is intensifying around the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute  (AFBI) after verified whistleblower footage and mounting claims of “two-tier” enforcement prompted a senior TUV councillor to declare the Agriculture Minister’s position “untenable”. TUV Agriculture spokesperson Cllr Allister Kyle issued a scathing response following rep

Waterstone’s Ballymena has revealed its latest Top 10 bestselling books, with literary classics, gripping crime fiction and contemporary Irish writing all featuring strongly this week. From Emily Brontë and John Steinbeck to Jo Nesbo and Jan Carson, the list reflects an eclectic mix of reader favourites and fresh releases. Top 10 for This Week 1. Pagans — James Alistair Henry A sharp, darkly comic novel exploring masculinity, belief and modern disillusionment with wit and bit

A €7.5 million cross-border initiative designed to tackle isolation, inactivity and poor wellbeing in rural communities has been officially launched — with Mid & East Antrim and Causeway Coast & Glens set to play a key role. Causeway Coast & Glens Heritage Trust has welcomed the introduction of the new ‘Walking for All’ programme, supported by PEACEPLUS and managed by Special EU Programmes Body , and led by Outscape . The programme was launched on Friday, 27 February 2026 at

A Northern Ireland-wide phone app has left a Lisburn patient in medical distress following claims that a “serious condition” was revealed before a doctor could present her test results. Northern Ireland is the first UK region to fully roll out the ‘My Care’ app through the Encompass IT system, with a Co Down councillor raising concerns about a potential system “blip”. Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council’s recent full council meeting heard that a local resident claimed she h

A stretch of the Kells Water River has been given a new lease of life after volunteers rolled up their sleeves and removed a startling haul of waste in just a matter of hours. On Saturday, February 28, members of Kells, Connor & Glenwherry Angling Club carried out their first river clean-up day — and the scale of what was uncovered highlights both the pressures facing local waterways and the power of community action. By the end of the session, the team had removed more than

The location of a proposed HMO property on Galgorm Road, Ballymena A proposed change of use from a dwelling to a house in multiple occupation (HMO) at 46 Galgorm Road, Ballymena, has been refused. The application was turned down by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Planning Committee at a meeting in The Braid, Ballymena, on Thursday, despite a recommendation to approve. A planning officer told the meeting the proposal involved the change of use of a five-bedroom, three-st

Broughshane woman Norma Craig who has raised a phenomenal donation from her latest efforts for Air Ambulance NI by hosting a series of raffles at her workplace, Ballygally Castle Hotel. A Broughshane woman’s determination to make a difference has raised more than £14,000 for Northern Ireland’s air ambulance service — and she’s not slowing down. Since 2020, Norma Craig has raised an impressive £14,530 for Air Ambulance NI , supporting its vital role in responding to traumatic

The BMW car ended up in a field outside Ballymena after a teenage driver attempted to flee from police and evade arrest A dramatic police pursuit that began on one of Ballymena’s busiest arterial routes ended in a field — and an arrest — after a teenage driver allegedly attempted to flee officers at speed. Road Policing Interceptors based at Sprucefield attempted to stop and speak to the driver of a silver BMW on Friday, 27 February, in the Cushendall Road area of Ballymena a

Pictured at Ulster Farmers' Union headquarters following the stakeholder meeting (L-R) Sergeant Ross Hakin, Inspector Sorcha Irwin, Brian Megahey (UFU), Deputy President Glenn Cuddy, Policy Officer Daniel Toft, Dr Lizzy Pinkerton (Belfast Hills Partnership) Illegal scramblers, broken gates, frightened livestock and farmers left feeling intimidated on their own land — that is the stark reality behind renewed calls for action in the Belfast Hills. The Ulster Farmers’ Union  (UF