NEWS

Ballymena teen Eva-Lilly Beckett selected to represent Ireland at the 2026 Europe Netball Under 17 Championships A Ballymena Academy pupil has been selected to represent Ireland at the 2026 Europe Netball Under 17 Championships, with Eva-Lilly Beckett earning a place in the Ireland U17 squad following a competitive international trial process. Eva-Lilly, who is from Ballymena and plays her club netball with Antrim Ladies Netball Club , will compete at the prestigious tournam

Belfast International Airport will host its second Jobs Fair of 2026 later this month, offering more than 100 full-time, part-time and seasonal vacancies as it prepares for the busy summer season and continues its £100 million investment programme. The recruitment event will take place on Saturday 21 February at The Dunsilly Hotel in Antrim, from 11am to 3pm , with airport teams and partner companies on hand to discuss roles, salaries and benefits. Wide range of roles across

Antrim-based Kinexc Energy raised more than £10,500 for Community Rescue Service – the company’s Charity of the Year for 2025 Five-figure donation supports suicide prevention and missing persons searches across Northern Ireland Antrim-based gas network operator Kinecx Energy has raised more than £10,500 for Community Rescue Service (CRS), providing a significant boost to the charity’s life-saving operations across Northern Ireland. A series of co-ordinated fundraising events

The proposed site for the new Home Bargains store in Antrim, and inset, the newly built Home Bargains store in Ballymena which opened in 2025 Plans for a major new Home Bargains store in Antrim have moved forward after Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council approved a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) submitted by TJ Morris Ltd. The approval marks the first formal stage in the planning process and paves the way for public consultation on proposals to develop a new discoun

South Antrim MP Robin Swann   South Antrim MP Robin Swann has called on the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) to make urgent investment in the deteriorating road network surrounding Belfast International Airport and the M2 motorway, warning that the current condition poses safety risks and damages vehicles on one of Northern Ireland’s most important transport corridors. Highlighting the scale of the problem, Mr Swann said the state of the roads serving the airport and M2 w

Mossley Mill, County Antrim Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has agreed one of the lowest district rate increases in Northern Ireland, striking a 2.99% rise for the 2026/27 financial year at a Special Council Meeting held on Monday 9 February. The modest increase, which is lower than the current rate of inflation, will apply across the borough and equates to an additional £14.67 per year, or 28 pence per week, for an average household. One of the lowest rates increase

Millhouse Dale, Antrim The proposed change of use of a four-bedroom apartment to a house in multiple occupation (HMO) at 33 Millhouse Dale, Antrim, was approved by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Planning Committee at a recent meeting. Planning officer Ashleigh Wilson told the committee that 30 objections had been received, raising issues including insufficient parking and traffic concerns, potential noise and disturbance, negative impacts on the character of the ar

Emergency departments across Northern Ireland are under sustained pressure, with rising demand, sicker patients and long waits continuing to challenge the health service, new figures release today (Thursday 5 February 2026) from the Department of Health (DoH) show. The latest bulletin covers all new and unplanned attendances at emergency care departments (EDs) during October, November and December 2025. It provides a detailed picture of how long patients are waiting, how many

Dead fish in Four Mile Burn, a tributary of the Six Mile Water river in May 2024 A County Antrim farmer has been convicted at Antrim Magistrates’ Court following a slurry pollution incident that killed more than 1,100 fish across two local waterways, prompting renewed political calls for tougher penalties for environmental offences. Seamus Kane (52), of Ballymena Road, Doagh, was convicted at Antrim Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ballymena under Article 7(1)(a) of the Water (N

Sixmile Leisure Centre, Ballyclare Energy cost-cutting measures have reduced Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s bills by £220,000, according to a report to councillors. The report, due to be presented to a meeting of the borough council’s Operations Committee at Antrim Civic Centre on Monday evening, January 26, also indicates a nine per cent decrease in energy consumption during the first three quarters of the 2025/26 financial year compared with the same period in 20

Missing Antrim man Mervyn Fletcher Police in Antrim have issued an appeal for information as concern grows for a 69-year-old man who has been reported missing. Mervyn Fletcher was last seen on the Springfarm Road area of Antrim between midday and 2pm on Wednesday 28 January. Officers say efforts to locate him have so far been unsuccessful and they are urging the public to assist. Inspector Boyd said: “Mervyn was last seen on the Springfarm Road in Antrim between midday and 2p

TJ Morris Ltd, owner of Home Bargains, has acquired the former car showroom site in Antrim and plans to expands its retail footprint Discount retailer Home Bargains is planning a significant expansion in Antrim, with proposals lodged to convert a former car showroom into what would be its 33rd store in Northern Ireland. TJ Morris Ltd, the Liverpool-based company behind the popular discount chain, has submitted a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) to Antrim and Newtownabbey

A new free Digital Skills training programme aimed at people who are deaf or have hearing loss is being rolled out across Northern Ireland, with accessible sessions taking place in local libraries throughout February and March. The initiative, delivered by AdaptNI and supported by the Department of Finance, is designed to tackle digital exclusion by providing deaf-aware, visual and practical training tailored to the everyday needs of people who often face barriers when acces

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has backed a motion supporting the use of silent fireworks at council events and on council-owned property. The motion was proposed by Antrim DUP Councillor Paul Dunlop BEM at a meeting of the council in Mossley Mill, Newtownabbey, on Monday evening. Cllr Dunlop asked the council to note the “negative impact” the noise of fireworks can have on children, pets and livestock, and called for a council-led campaign to raise awareness of

(L-R) Stacey McAlister Operations Director Mount Charles; Gavin Annon Chief Strategy Officer Mount Charles; Kate Sherry Chief Commercial Officer Belfast International Airport Mount Charles Group has announced a £1 million investment to transform the food and beverage offering at Belfast International Airport, marking a significant upgrade as part of the airport’s wider £100 million transformation programme. The investment will see a major revamp of the airport’s Northern Quar

Nurse Bernie Rogers A nurse with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust has said she would “absolutely do it all over again” as she marks an extraordinary 50 years of service to the nursing profession. Bernie Rogers, from Maghera , began her career in January 1976 at the School of Nursing in Mid Ulster Hospital. Five decades on, and despite officially retiring, she continues to play a valued role within Team North, supporting colleagues and patients alike. A special event

Bryson Charitable Group has issued a formal apology to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and local residents following recent disruptions to recycling collection services. Addressing the Mayor and elected members at an open council meeting on Monday 26 January, Bryson Charitable Group Chief Executive Shane Logan acknowledged the impact of reduced service levels and outlined the steps taken to restore normal operations. Mr Logan confirmed that the backlog of missed coll

Asda Antrim colleagues, Brittany and Alan Quick-thinking Asda colleagues in Antrim have been praised for their professionalism, compassion and calm response after coming to the aid of a customer who collapsed outside the store. Alan and Brittany, both colleagues at the Antrim Asda superstore , rushed to help the woman after she suddenly fell while walking into the store with her mother, sustaining a serious facial injury. The incident unfolded rapidly, with staff and members

Audiences are being invited to step into the past and explore shared cultural journeys through a new heritage programme at The Old Courthouse Theatre, presented by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. Titled Journeys , the series brings together live performance, music and storytelling to reflect on culture, place and movement through time, offering a varied programme designed to resonate with audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Counci

Antrim Area Hospital Emergency Department Five beds were placed adjacent to fire safety doors at Antrim Hospital as a “last resort” to ease pressure in the emergency department, the Northern Health and Social Care Trust board has been told. Speaking at a meeting of the Trust board at Antrim Hospital on Thursday (22 January), Gillian Traub, director of operations , said additional bed capacity had to be “created”. She explained that five in-patient spaces were identified, enab