NEWS

Causeway Hospital Friday 21 August 2026 No decision has yet been made on the future of emergency surgery at Causeway Hospital in Coleraine, MLAs have been told, with Department of Health officials stressing that the assessment process remains “not complete”. Officials also told Stormont’s Health Committee that there are no plans to close Causeway’s emergency department and said any eventual business case must demonstrate better health outcomes before it would be recommended t

Motorists travelling through Rasharkin are being advised to allow extra time this evening as road closures are put in place for an annual band parade expected to involve 25 bands. Ballymaconnelly Sons of Conquerors Flute Band will hold its annual parade through the village tonight, Friday 21 August, beginning at 7.15pm and expected to finish by 9pm. Parade route through Rasharkin The parade will leave the Turnpike at Church Road before proceeding along Main Street, Moneyleck

Victims and survivors of terrorism in Northern Ireland are being remembered today as the UK marks its first dedicated National Day recognising people whose lives have been changed forever by terrorist attacks. The new annual commemoration takes on particular significance in Northern Ireland, where generations of victims, survivors and bereaved families continue to live with the consequences of the Troubles and subsequent paramilitary terrorism. Secretary of State for Northern

Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart Serious questions are being raised over whether opportunities to intervene were missed before two dogs were found dead inside a property in Lurgan. Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has secured an urgent meeting involving police, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and Arbour Housing after saying local residents had raised concerns about the Sloanhill Court property before the animals were discovered. A 47-year-old man has been arrest

Thursday, August 20, 2026 Around 5,000 members of the Royal Black Institution will march through Larne on August 29 in one of five major demonstrations marking the end of the 2026 parading season. The Co Antrim gathering will see 76 preceptories and 71 bands take part, with organisers expecting up to 10,000 spectators. Six districts will be represented, including Ballymena No 2, alongside Lisburn, Antrim, Larne, Ballymoney and Ballyclare. The main parade will begin at 12 noon

Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Dawn Huggins, pictured with Paul Ross, whose Sky Blue Ribbon fundraising appeal was named Fundraising Volunteer Group of the Year at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising Northern Ireland Awards. A County Antrim father who has turned the devastating loss of his 21-year-old daughter into a fundraising movement that has raised more than £100,000 for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland has received special recognition from the Mayor of

Pupils from Cambridge House Grammar School who received their GCSE results on Thursday morning. More than 32,000 young people across Northern Ireland have received their GCSE results today, with a slight increase in the proportion achieving the key benchmark of grade C/4 and above. Figures released on Thursday, 20 August, show 83.6% of students achieved grade C/4 or higher, compared with 83.5% in 2025. The proportion receiving the highest grades also rose marginally, with 31.

A Land Rover Defender restored on the television programme Car SOS will take centre stage when Motorfest NI brings cars, motorcycles, trucks and live emergency-service displays to Ballymena this Sunday. The family event opens to the public at Ballymena Showgrounds at 11am on Sunday 23 August, with admission costing £5. Organisers say 100% of the money raised will go to Community Rescue Service Central. From television restoration to rescue service The distinctive Defender und

Cheryl Lamont, pictured with her mother, Nan McVicker, who has received care through the Hospital at Home programme. A 93-year-old woman has been able to receive hospital-level treatment in familiar surroundings as the Northern Health and Social Care Trust expands its Hospital at Home service into more care homes and people’s own homes. Nan McVicker’s family said they “couldn’t commend it highly enough” after consultants visited her at home and provided the intravenous medica

Glenshesk Drive, Ballymena North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has urged motorists to obey the one-way system on Glenshesk Drive in Ballymena after receiving several complaints from residents about vehicles travelling in the wrong direction. The DUP representative said the incidents were particularly concerning because children regularly play near the road, including on an adjacent grass area. Residents report recent incidents Glenshesk Drive has operated as a one-way street for a num

Almost one in three victims of domestic abuse crimes recorded in Northern Ireland last year were male, according to figures released as part of a new campaign challenging the stigma that can prevent men from seeking help. The Police Service of Northern Ireland recorded 5,817 domestic abuse crimes against male victims between April 2025 and March 2026. Men represented 32% of all victims recorded during the 12-month period, while the crimes involving male victims had a sanction

Mike Nesbitt MLA Mike Nesbitt has resigned as Northern Ireland’s Health Minister following a major political dispute with Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows over emergency general surgery at Causeway Hospital. In a strongly worded resignation letter sent to Mr Burrows on Tuesday evening, Mr Nesbitt said the UUP leader had created “shock waves” across the health and social care system by publicly backing the retention of emergency surgery at the Coleraine hospital. The f

Pictured (L-R) is Deirdre Steele (Group Head of Maple and May), Chris McGrath (Head of Legal Services), Shona Burke (Head of Customer Service Operations), Ken Ryan (Head of Facilities Management) and Leeanne Magee (Regional Head of Tenant and Client Services). One of Northern Ireland’s largest social housing providers has expanded its senior leadership team from 13 to 18 people as it prepares for further growth in housing, tenant services and its private rental business. Choi

Changing facilities at the local Broughshane Community Centre Mould, leaking water, inadequate toilets and concerns about water close to electrical installations have prompted a renewed demand for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to take urgent action at Broughshane Playing Fields. UUP Councillor Alan Barr and TUV Councillor Chrissy Jamieson say local clubs, players and volunteers have endured “plainly substandard” changing facilities for long enough and now need a firm pl

Motorists heading to Ballycastle for this weekend’s Ould Lammas Fair are being urged to plan ahead, with major road closures, limited parking and changes to bus stops expected as thousands of visitors arrive in the town. The PSNI has confirmed traffic restrictions across the four-day event, running from Saturday 22 to Tuesday 25 August, including extensive closures on Sunday evening and throughout Monday and Tuesday. Visitors are being strongly encouraged to consider public t

Young anglers are being offered a free evening of fishing at Kilgad Lakes near Ballymena as a local club brings its summer programme to a close. Kells, Connor and Glenwherry Angling Club has exclusively booked the lakes from 5pm to 9pm, on Wednesday 19 August, allowing its junior members to fish free of charge. Equipment available for beginners All junior anglers are welcome, and anyone who is not already a member can apply to join the club by tapping the button below. Fishin

Staff from Pilgrim’s Europe announcing the opening of the company’s new Legacy Fund Charities, schools and community organisations in Ballymena can now apply for £5,000 to support projects intended to make a lasting difference locally. Food company Pilgrim’s Europe has opened applications to its new Legacy Fund, which will support initiatives in communities surrounding its sites across the island of Ireland. Who can apply? The fund is open to a broad range of applicants, incl

Galgorm Collection has announced a new three-year sponsorship partnership with Cullybackey Blues FC. Georgie Briota, Business Development Manager at Galgorm Collection is pictured alongside Joel Barr and the team from Cullybackey Blues FC. A new three-year partnership with Galgorm Collection will help Cullybackey Blues FC invest in player development, training and facilities as the club begins life in the second division of the Kinecx Energy Ballymena Saturday Morning League

Ballymena BID is bringing businesses, families and visitors together for two major days of town-centre celebrations as Ballymena prepares to mark its 400th birthday. An End of Summer and Ballymena 400 Street Party will take over Greenvale Street on Saturday 22 August, before businesses across the town join the official birthday celebrations on Tuesday 25 August. The programme, with support from Department for Communities (DfC), will run alongside a number of anniversary event

Local woman Rebecca ‘Rebs’ Lightbody Lucy led the length of Ireland to raise money for Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI Co Antrim woman Rebecca ‘Rebs’ Lightbody had barely ridden a road bike when she decided to cycle more than 570 kilometres across Ireland alone. She wasn’t chasing a personal record or trying to prove she could do it. She was doing it for two of her best friends. Both women, friends since school, had been diagnosed with lymphoma within the space of just three years —