NEWS

Back row: Damien McLaughlin (Charge Nurse Renal Unit), Dr Bob Mullan (Nephrologist), Stephen Watson (BBC presenter and ambassador for Northern Ireland Kidney Research Fund & Kidney Care UK) Front row: Audrey Harris (Northern Trust Director Medicine and Emergency Medicine), Louise Sloan (Specialist Nurse), Gerry Totten (ex-Charge Nurse), Niall Gallagher (Lead Nurse), Caroline Speedy (Assistant Director Medicine and Emergency Medicine) and Natalie McLaughlin (Clinical S

The Joyce on display Loughshore Park, Antrim Antrim and Newtownabbey councillors have agreed to work with a group of veterans to help maintain a historic wartime boat that has been returned to the borough. The Joyce — a 40-foot torpedo retrieval vessel which operated on Lough Neagh during the Second World War — is now on display beside The Gateway Visitor Centre at Antrim’s Lough Shore. The restored craft was unveiled earlier this year as part of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borou

Patients at Antrim Area Hospital are now benefiting from faster, more accurate diagnoses thanks to a state-of-the-art multifunctional gamma camera, one of only two in Northern Ireland. Installed last year, the scanner combines CT and nuclear imaging in a single device, enabling healthcare professionals to detect diseases at an earlier stage, tailor treatments to individual patients, and reduce the need for multiple scans. Marie Harvey, Lead Radiographer for Nuclear Medicine ,

Antrim residents flocked to The Junction on Wednesday 29th October to celebrate the official opening of Murdock Home Centre & Builders Merchants, a major new addition to the town and a landmark moment for the Murdock Group. The much-anticipated launch drew large crowds for a day of family fun, live entertainment and community celebration, marking a significant milestone for both Murdock and The Junction retail complex. Visitors were treated to giveaways, goodie bags and live

Residents across Antrim and Newtownabbey are being invited to celebrate the start of the festive season at one of seven magical Christmas Light Switch On events taking place throughout the Borough from 20–29 November 2025. Each event promises festive entertainment, family fun, and a dazzling light display, creating an unforgettable experience for residents and visitors alike. The celebrations will kick off in Crumlin on Thursday 20 November at the Crumlin Leisure Centre from

A County Antrim man who attempted to smuggle cannabis worth £64,000 into Northern Ireland concealed inside a makeshift workbench has been sentenced following an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA). William Stewart, 46, living in Crumlin, was stopped by Border Force officers when he arrived in Belfast from Aldershot in October 2024. He had travelled by ferry in his transit van. During a search of the vehicle, a sniffer dog indicated the presence of drugs. Officers

New dog control orders will come into effect across Antrim and Newtownabbey from 1 January, extending restrictions to include several of the borough’s most popular visitor attractions. At a meeting of the Operations Committee held at Antrim Civic Centre on Monday evening, councillors agreed that dogs must be kept on leads in the Platinum Jubilee Garden area of Antrim Castle Gardens , and in the Coronation Garden at Hazelbank Park, Newtownabbey. Dogs will also be required to r

The Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick looks forward to the opening of Enchanted Winter Garden for 2025. Antrim Castle Gardens will once again transform into a festive wonderland this winter as the Enchanted Winter Garden returns from Friday 28 November to Tuesday 30 December 2025 — with even more magic, light and family fun than ever before. Presented by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, this year’s event promises to be the most spectacular

Robin Swann MP during his Crumlin constituency surgery South Antrim MP Robin Swann has welcomed decisive action by local police to tackle dangerous driving across Crumlin and Nutts Corner. Concerns about reckless driving in the area were raised with Mr Swann by a local resident who attended his recent constituency surgery in Crumlin. The MP said he was encouraged by the prompt response from the police following these reports. Mr Swann stated: “I want to thank the Antrim and

Antrim Area Hospital Emergency Department The Northern Health and Social Care Trust has warned that it may be “difficult to provide all services whilst managing the expected increase in demand for unscheduled or critical care” as it launches its 2025/26 Winter Plan. Outlining the plan to board members during a meeting at Antrim Hospital on Thursday, Gillian Traub, Director of Operations , acknowledged that staff are “very anxious” about the coming months. She said planning

CGI: Aerial overview of proposed new Birch Hill mental health facility at Antrim Area Hospital Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has been urged to come up with the finance needed for the new £143 million Birch Hill mental health facility at Bush Road in Antrim. The planned development has reached a standstill without confirmation of capital funding. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust had been due to receive the building for commissioning on 31 December 2029, which already r

Beneficiary Ballycraigy Primary School PTA Community groups across County Antrim have received a welcome funding boost from a long-established local business dedicated to supporting good causes. Bairds of Antrim Funeral Directors, which has proudly served the community since 1870, has announced the latest round of grants from its Community Assistance Programme, providing funding to four local organisations. The latest beneficiaries include: Friends of Antrim Castle Gardens ‘C

Randalstown ARCHES Association Directors at the 30th Anniversary Gala Dinner with presentation cheque. (L-R) William Allen (Treasurer); Martin Hackett; Liam Hurrel; Eileen Ingram (Secretary); Peter Boyle (Chairman); Leanne Murray; Eugene McKeever; Anne Delaney; Pete Burbidge; and Suzanne Lawrence. Randalstown ARCHES Association has celebrated three decades of community achievement with a glittering Gala Dinner and announced a significant £46,727 grant from The National Lotter

Stephen Walker’s latest book David Trimble: Peacemaker, and pictured are Stephen Walker (right) and former BBC colleague Mark Devenport Acclaimed Ballymena author Stephen Walker is set to launch his highly praised new biography, David Trimble: Peacemaker , at the Old Courthouse Theatre in Antrim on Thursday 30 October at 7.30pm. The event will see Walker joined on stage by his former BBC colleague Mark Devenport , as the pair discuss the life and political legacy of Norther

A Glenavy man has been sentenced to five months in prison after being found guilty of breaching a court-ordered ban on keeping animals. James Steele (55), of Gobrana Road, Glenavy, Crumlin, appeared before Lisburn Court where he was handed a five-month custodial sentence and ordered to pay a £25 offender levy for one charge under the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) confirmed that the case aro

Molly Piper with Max the dog A Dundonald dog that faced a court-ordered destruction ruling has been spared and is now settling into a new home in Antrim. ‘Max’ was ruled to be a Pit Bull-type banned breed by a Lisburn judge earlier this month, with only weeks to be rehomed or destroyed. Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) and animal welfare campaigners had been in dispute over the stray’s assessment for almost a year. Max was held in council kennels from December 2024

Concerns about fake references being submitted for agency healthcare workers were brought before the Northern Health and Social Care Trust board following an alert earlier this year. During the most recent Trust board meeting, Paul Turley, a non-executive director , told members that fraudulent references had been submitted for agency posts, with a “small number specific to the Northern Trust”. According to the meeting minutes, the Procurement and Logistics Service (PaLS) — w

Rachel Calvin with a judge from the IBMS after winning the poster competition in the cellular pathology category. The laboratory team at the Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT) has celebrated a remarkable achievement at the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) Congress in Birmingham, widely regarded as the UK’s leading forum for pathology innovation. The event, which attracts the country’s top biomedical scientists and laboratory staff, is the largest of its kind

Asda Ballyclare colleagues join celebrations as retailer marks 20th year anniversary in NI. Steven Henry, GSM, Trevor Wilson, Community Champion, and Helen Gault, Long Service Colleague Asda marks milestone anniversary with major price cuts, £1m community funding, and a £500m annual boost to local suppliers. Colleagues from Asda Ballyclare joined in celebrations marking 20 years of Asda in Northern Ireland, as the retailer reflected on two decades of investment in local suppl

Detectives are appealing for information following a terrifying armed robbery in Antrim on Tuesday evening, during which a woman was threatened with a blade and had her purse stolen. The incident occurred at around 8.30pm on 14th October, as the woman, aged in her 40s, was walking along the Greystone path in the Rathmore Gardens area. Detective Sergeant Ash said: “At approximately 8.30pm a woman aged in her 40s, was approached from behind by an unknown man who was carrying a