NEWS

Glenarm Castle, County Antrim Planning permission has been granted by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for the installation of solar panels at Glenarm Castle. The listed building consent application was submitted by Antrim Estates Company. Glenarm Castle is a Grade A listed building, recognised for its special architectural and historic interest. A planning officer’s report said the Department for Communities’ Historic Environment Division (HED) raised no objections to the

Red Bay lifeboats. (Image: Colin King) A lone kayaker who became stranded in rough seas off the County Antrim coast was rescued by RNLI volunteers late on Sunday night after spending around six hours on the water. The kayaker had set off at approximately 6.30pm on Sunday (July 12) but got into difficulty around one-and-a-half miles north of Cushendun when his kayak became swamped by heavy sea swells, leaving him unable to paddle back to shore. Cold and exhausted, he managed t

Carnlough Heritage Hub, County Antrim A drop-in event was held on Monday evening (July 6) at the Heritage Hub in Carnlough Town Hall to gather the views of the community on healthcare provision in the coastal area. The event was organised by Rural Community Network to gather residents’ views on primary and community healthcare services locally. Rural Community Network says it wants to hear opinions on “what is working and what can be improved locally”, with feedback helping t

Larne RNLI all-weather lifeboat Machiko Nancy. (Image: Jason Bain) Two paddleboarders have been brought safely back to shore after being found on the Isle of Muck off Islandmagee on Saturday evening. Larne RNLI’s volunteer crew was returning from an earlier emergency call when it received a fresh request from HM Coastguard at around 5.20pm on 11 July. A member of the public had spotted that the paddleboarders were in difficulty and raised the alarm — a decision the lifeboat c

Larne RNLI volunteers rescuing a fishing boat on the Antrim coast. Three people aboard a broken-down fishing boat were brought safely ashore after Larne RNLI launched a rescue operation off the County Antrim coast. The callout on Thursday evening, 9 July, marked the first operational shout for volunteer crew member Andy Purves, who recently joined Larne RNLI. The fishing vessel was found around half a mile north of Portmuck, close to the cliffs, after suffering a mechanical f

Machinery moved in around midnight to demolish The Antrim Arms, a derelict listed building in the middle of Ballycastle, County Antrim. (Photos: McAuley Multimedia) The overnight demolition of the former Antrim Arms Hotel has marked the end of one of Ballycastle’s most recognisable historic buildings, as Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council investigates whether the work was legally carried out. Machinery moved in toward midnight on Wednesday night, July 8, with much of th

Senior RNLI Lifeguard Annie Jagoe A swimmer was rescued from a dangerous rip current on the Antrim coast after getting into difficulty outside the designated bathing area, prompting a rapid emergency response from RNLI lifeguards, the Coastguard and the ambulance service. The incident happened at around 5pm on Monday, 7 July at Portrush West Strand, when lifeguards were alerted by a member of the public to a woman struggling against strong surging waves beyond the red and yel

Alliance North Antrim MLA Sian Mulholland Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland has welcomed the announcement that Ballycastle will host the 2027 Ulster Fleadh, describing it as a landmark achievement that will deliver lasting cultural and economic benefits for the town and the wider Causeway Coast and Glens. The prestigious week-long festival is one of the largest celebrations of traditional Irish music, song, dance and language in the province and is expected to attract tens of thou

(Photo: Jason Bain) A fishing boat carrying two crew members was safely brought back to Larne Harbour on Monday evening after suffering a mechanical failure close to one of Northern Ireland’s busiest shipping routes. Volunteer crew from Larne RNLI launched their all-weather lifeboat following a request from HM Coastguard at 7.42pm on Monday after receiving reports that the vessel had broken down at sea. The incident unfolded north-east of the East Maidens Lighthouse, where th

The scene today as Larne RNLI volunteers were tasked to a fishing boat drifting in the shipping lane close to the Port of Larne. (Images: Alex Morris) A small fishing boat found drifting unattended in a busy shipping channel close to the Port of Larne was safely recovered on Sunday afternoon after volunteers from Larne RNLI were called into action. The alarm was raised at 4.44pm on Sunday, July 5, when the volunteer crew of Larne RNLI were requested by HM Coastguard to launch

The unmistakable sound, colour and character of one of Britain’s most iconic cars will return to the grounds of Glenarm Castle this weekend as hundreds of enthusiasts gather for the second annual Minis at the Castle. The good news for local families and motoring enthusiasts is that the event is completely free for the general public to attend. Following a hugely successful debut event in 2025, organisers are preparing to welcome another impressive turnout of classic Mini owne

People of all ages have helped the MEA Outdoors team with beach cleans at Ballygally A community beach clean at Ballygally brought local people together on Monday evening to help care for one of Mid and East Antrim’s most popular coastal beauty spots. The clean-up event, which took place on Monday 29 June, saw volunteers join forces with the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Outdoors team to collect litter from the shoreline and surrounding beach areas. With coastal locatio

L-R: Shannon Brown, Spa Manager, Salt Spa; Carl McGarrity, Director of The Salthouse Hotel; and Elizabeth Dillon, Guest Experience Manager, The Salthouse Hotel. A £5 million investment has transformed one of Northern Ireland’s most distinctive hospitality destinations into a fully realised luxury wellness retreat, with the opening of a major new spa creating 30 additional jobs and completing the final phase of development at The Salthouse near Ballycastle. The launch of the n

Louise Black, Market Senior Partner for PwC Belfast A Carnlough woman has been appointed to lead Northern Ireland’s largest professional services office outside London, as PwC unveiled one of its biggest leadership and promotion rounds in recent years. Louise Black has been named Market Senior Partner for PwC Belfast, taking responsibility for the strategic direction of the firm’s Belfast operation and its workforce of approximately 2,400 people. The appointment places the Co

Underwater seagrass meadow. A protected seagrass meadow off the County Antrim coast at Waterfoot has been found to contain more nitrogen than scientists consider healthy, after researchers discovered every seagrass meadow tested across Northern Ireland had exceeded an internationally recognised pollution warning threshold. The Queen’s University Belfast study examined the amount of nitrogen stored inside seagrass leaves — a natural record of the pollution the plants have been

Gracehill, Ballymena (Image: Gail Spiers) and the Giant’s Causeway from above (Image: Patryk Sadowski Photography) Northern Ireland’s internationally recognised UNESCO sites – including Gracehill’s newly inscribed World Heritage Site status – were celebrated at Stormont this week as political leaders, councillors and heritage representatives gathered to launch a new video series highlighting some of the region’s most significant cultural and natural landmarks. The event, held

Waterfoot beach and the illustrative designs of outdoor mobile saunas for locations across the Causeway Coast. Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s Planning Department has received planning applications for outdoor saunas at four popular coastal locations across the borough. The proposals represent the next stage in plans to introduce dedicated wellness facilities at key seaside destinations, reflecting the growing popularity of sea swimming, cold-water immersion and ou

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir launches the Northern Ireland Seabird Conservation Strategy with partners at RSPB West Light Seabird Centre on Rathlin Island. (L-R) David Quinney Mee, Rathlin Development Community Association, Erin McKeown, LIFE Raft Programme Manager, Joanne Sherwood, Director of RSPB NI, Andrew Upton, Head of British Trust for Ornithology Northern Ireland, Dr Annika Clements, Queen’s University Belfast, Will Hawkins, National Trust and Dr Mathieu Lundy, Ulster

Cottage Wood just off Ballybrack Road, Cushendall A woodland on the edge of Cushendall known for its red squirrels, winding paths and sea views is set to become an immersive outdoor heritage attraction after councillors approved plans for a new art and storytelling trail at Cottage Wood. Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has backed proposals from Cushendall Development Group to transform parts of the 10-acre woodland into a family-focused heritage experience celebratin

(L-R) Judy Nelson (RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer), Ruby & Sam (RNLI Lifeguards), Ivor Paul (RNLI Launch Authority), Perry Walton (RNLI Coxswain), Garth Anderson (The Causeway Shantymen Engagement Officer and Event Lead), Chris Millar (The Causeway Shantymen Chairman and Musical Director) Northern Ireland’s coastline will ring with sea shanties, maritime storytelling and traditional music this summer as The Causeway Shantymen prepare to host a major cross-country Shanty Weekend