NEWS

Design drawings showing the planned new IFA National Football Training Centre in Ballymena The Irish FA says it remains “steadfast” in its plans to create a National Football Centre at Galgorm after two residents threatened legal action over how the development’s potential environmental impact has been assessed. Responding to a pre-action letter concerning the major six-pitch development, the association said the project represents a “once-in-a-generation investment” in footb

(L-R): Kerry Anderson (Head of Fundraising Air Ambulance NI), Jean Penney, Tristan Penney (Jean’s Grandson). A Larne woman has marked her 90th birthday by helping to keep a vital emergency service in the air — asking family and friends to support Air Ambulance NI instead of buying her gifts. Jean Penney chose the charity because of her family’s farming connections and her understanding of how quickly a serious accident can happen in a rural setting. Farming-related incidents

Victoria Craig pictured with her daughter Catherine A neonatal nurse whose daughter was born almost 12 weeks early has transformed her experience as a parent into a career supporting babies and families — and research that could help others cope with the trauma of neonatal care. Victoria Craig, Neonatal Clinical Educator at Antrim Area Hospital, graduated from Queen’s University earlier this year with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Her research examined practical techniques th

(Left – right) Dr Martin Lester (acoustics / noise expert), Ryan Colton (architect), Sarah Herbison (local resident and key figure in the Right Facility, Wrong Location campaign), Liam Vallely (legal expert), Una Somerville (planning consultant), John Herbison (local resident), Andrew Ryan (partner TLT solicitors). The group was pictured at a public meeting held by the campaign group on Thursday evening in Ballymena. The meeting provided an update on the work of the campaign

Taryn Simpson and Hannah Spence who received results today for Level 3 Health and Social Care from Northern Regional College in Ballymena. Taryn is heading off to study Adult Nursing at Queen’s University Belfast, while Hannah progresses to study Psychology at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh. Northern Ireland has recorded the best A-level results across the UK, with 86.9% of entries achieving a grade C or above, as thousands of young people receive their A-level, AS-le

A recently damaged slide at a local play park Vandalism at local play parks and community facilities has left play equipment damaged, forced areas to close to families and disrupted activities supporting vulnerable children, prompting calls for tougher action against persistent offenders. Braid Ulster Unionist representatives Councillor Alan Barr and Samantha Patton say recent incidents have included broken glass in play areas, destroyed slides and vandalised trampolines, lea

Northern Regional College lecturer, Colin Wright, who has been shortlisted for a prestigious hospitality award. A Northern Regional College lecturer who is helping train the next generation of chefs has been shortlisted for one of Northern Ireland’s leading hospitality awards. Professional Cookery Lecturer Colin Wright has been named a finalist for Lecturer of the Year at the 2026 Institute of Hospitality Northern Ireland Awards, recognising his work developing students’ culi

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald is pictured with Justin Kerr, head of the Department for the Economy Careers Service. The Department has 78 careers advisers on hand to support people reach their chosen pathway. Thursday 13 August 2026 Young people receiving A-Level, AS and vocational results across Northern Ireland today are being reminded that professional careers advice is available to help them decide what comes next. Whether results have opened the door to a first-c

Wednesday 12 August 2026 Residents concerned about plans for a major new National Football Centre near Galgorm will gather in Ballymena on Thursday evening to hear the latest on the proposal and the campaign opposing its location. The public meeting, organised by the Right Facility, Wrong Location campaign, will take place at 6pm at the Adair Arms Hotel in Ballymena, with residents and others interested in the development invited to attend. At the centre of the debate is a su

Power NI’s Senior Marketing Manager Amy Bennington pictured with some of Antrim’s All-Ireland Junior Football Championship winning team. A £1,200 Helping Hands boost from Power NI helped Antrim’s ladies prepare for a day to remember at Croke Park — one that ended with the Saffrons lifting the All-Ireland Junior Football Championship trophy after a breathtaking last-gasp victory over Carlow. The funding, provided by Power NI, part of Energia Group, was used by the Antrim LGFA

A still taken from a short video captured by the local woman of the vehicle which she believes was following her as she took a walk A woman has described being left frightened while walking alone on the outskirts of Ballymena after a car containing two men allegedly repeatedly followed her, passed her and then waited along her route. Police have confirmed they received a report of a suspicious vehicle in the Old Ballymoney Road area on Sunday evening, 9 August, and are now as

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Thomas Gordon and Roy Smyth, Chairman of Ballymena BID get ready to promote a day of colour and fun in Ballymena. Ballymena will celebrate its 400th birthday with a day of family entertainment, storytelling, music and community events before fireworks light up the sky over the town on Tuesday 25 August. The programme will mark 400 years since the signing of Ballymena’s Charter in 1626, with celebrations running from the morning through t

Ulster Unionist Party leader and North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows Ulster Unionist Party leader and North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows has welcomed the arrest of a 26-year-old man following two attacks on a Ballymena war memorial, while stressing that the police investigation remains ongoing. The man was arrested on suspicion of theft and criminal damage following incidents at the Queen Street memorial in Harryville on Saturday, 8 August and Monday, 10 August. Police have previously sai

Emma’s daughter Mya sharing hugs with Jimmy A Cullybackey mum whose children have been left heartbroken after their beloved young cat was killed by a snare is calling for all snares to be banned in Northern Ireland — saying she was shocked to discover that the devices are not completely outlawed here. Jimmy was less than a year old when he was discovered caught in a snare and hanging helplessly from a tree on Saturday, 8 August. His family rushed him to a vet, but nothing cou

The Five Apples Project in People’s Park, Ballymena North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows has called for park wardens to be equipped with body-worn cameras after the latest vandalism at Ballymena’s People’s Park, where public art features were damaged and a fixed litter bin was set on fire. Both Burrows and the local policing team have also called for parents to step up and take responsibility. The latest incident comes little more than a month after a council park warden was threaten

CGI artist’s impression of the proposed new i4C CleanTech Centre in Ballymena People in Ballymena will get their first opportunity this week to examine plans for a new four-storey Innovation and CleanTech Centre proposed for the former St Patrick’s Barracks site. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is beginning a statutory public consultation on its proposed i4C development, with an in-person event taking place at the ECOS Hub on Wednesday, 12 August. The project would create

A Ballymena war memorial has been vandalised for the second time in three days, with police now confirming they believe both attacks are linked and are treating them as sectarian-motivated hate crimes. Independent Ballymena Councillor Rodney Quigley said he was furious after the Queen Street memorial in Harryville was targeted again in the early hours of Monday, 10 August, with flags stolen and flag poles damaged. The latest incident came after the memorial was attacked early

St Patrick’s housing development in Ballymena A new community hub bringing health, welfare, housing and policing support directly to residents of Ballymena’s St Patrick’s development will officially open this week. Radius Housing will launch the new St Patrick’s Community Hub on Thursday 13 August, creating a dedicated space within the 135-home development where tenants can access regular advice clinics and community services close to home. The Hub has been developed followin

The scene of the vandalism, which police are treating as a hate crime, at a community memorial in the Harryville area of Ballymena A Ballymena memorial to local men who died at the Battle of the Somme has been vandalised for the second time in three nights — just hours after its flags were replaced following the first attack. Independent Ballymena Councillor Rodney Quigley confirmed on Monday morning, 10 August, that the Queen Street memorial in Harryville had again been targ

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans has taken the number one spot at Waterstone’s Ballymena this week, leading a Top 10 that brings together contemporary fiction, science fiction, thrillers, Irish literary classics and poetry. There is plenty more for local book lovers to explore during August, with Waterstone’s Ballymena unveiling its latest Books of the Month across fiction, thriller, fantasy, non-fiction, Irish writing, children’s and young adult categories. The selection