NEWS

Minister Mike Nesbitt with the Public Health Agency Partnership and Engagement team at the ‘This is our health’ roadshow on Wednesday morning. A major new public engagement programme aimed at reshaping how health and social care operates in Northern Ireland has been launched, with people being asked to directly influence what services should provide — and what role individuals themselves can play in protecting them. Health Minister Mike Nesbitt formally launched the large-sca

A new charitable Trust Fund has been established in memory of Lynda Bentham, aiming to support families navigating the realities of Multiple Sclerosis by helping them access practical support and create meaningful shared experiences. Lynda, who passed away in 2024 due to complications from Multiple Sclerosis, is remembered for her deep love of life, people, music, sport and travel. Sunshine holidays held a special place in her life, but as her condition progressed, finding su

Young Dunloy woman Lasairfhíona Nic Ruairí A 20-year-old musician from Dunloy is set to take to one of Belfast’s biggest stages this summer, as a new large-scale traditional music production aims to attract thousands of visitors to the city. Lasairfhíona Nic Ruairí will perform on both harp and fiddle in Celtic Heart, a brand new “destination” stage show commissioned by the Waterfront Hall. The production will run from April through to September, offering audiences a live sho

A sweeping new law designed to phase out smoking among future generations has been enacted, marking what health leaders and charities describe as a decisive shift towards prevention and long-term public health protection in Northern Ireland. The Tobacco and Vapes Act, which received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026, will make it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009—creating what has been described as the UK’s first “smoke-free generation”. T

Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones and Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins at a press conference in Police Headquarters A devastating weekend on Northern Ireland’s roads has left five people dead in the space of just 24 hours, pushing this year’s total fatalities to 29—more than double the figure recorded at the same stage in 2025. The stark rise has prompted an urgent joint appeal from the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins, who w

Photos: Bob McEvoy With weeks still to go before runners take to the streets, one of Ballymena’s most anticipated sporting events has already reached full capacity, signalling a surge of local enthusiasm and community backing. The Fairhill Five Mile Race, organised by Ballymena Runners and sponsored by Fairhill Shopping Centre, is officially sold out ahead of its return on Thursday 4th June, setting the stage for a packed and high-energy evening in the town centre. The sell-o

CGI of new buildings for Dunclug College, Ballymena A major new school building for Dunclug College has taken a decisive step forward, with confirmation today, Wednesday 29 April, it will now progress to construction as part of a multi-million-pound investment programme—delivering long-awaited transformation for pupils, staff and the wider Ballymena community. Education Minister Paul Givan has announced that Dunclug College is among four major works projects across Northern I

Cancer patients in Northern Ireland are significantly less likely to survive if their illness is first detected during an emergency hospital admission rather than through planned referral routes, according to newly released data covering diagnoses between 2018 and 2022. Figures published today (Wednesday 29 April 2026) by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry at Queen’s University Belfast show stark differences in survival outcomes depending on how patients enter the healthcar

Cregagh Wood, the location for Dance Encounters An immersive dance experience set deep within one of the Glens of Antrim’s most scenic woodland areas will see audiences step directly into a live performance this weekend, as Maiden Voyage Dance brings a unique guided tour to life during the Cushendun Big Arts Weekend. Taking place on Saturday 2nd May, “A Walk in the Woods with Dance Encounters” invites participants to explore Cregagh Wood not just as a landscape, but as a livi

A powerful programme of remembrance in Ballymena will shine a local light on one of Northern Ireland’s darkest wartime chapters, as the 85th anniversary of the German air raids of 1941 is marked with a deeply personal focus on Mid Antrim lives lost. The commemorative event, titled German Air Raids: A Mid Antrim Perspective, will take place at Ballymena Services Club on Wednesday 6th May 2026 at 7:30pm, forming part of a wider series organised by Mid and East Antrim Borough Co

Katrina Kelly, Assistant Director Nursing and User Experience Unit at the Northern Trust. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is calling on patients, carers and service users across Northern Ireland to share their healthcare experiences as part of Patient Experience Week, highlighting how public feedback is already driving improvements in frontline services. Running from 27 April to 1 May, the awareness week puts a spotlight on the role patient voices play in shaping ca

Autistic people and families across Northern Ireland are still not seeing consistent, reliable support in their daily lives despite more than a decade of legislation and successive government strategies, a landmark independent report has found — warning that a persistent gap between policy and reality continues to drive delay, fragmentation and distress for autistic people and their families. The first Annual Report from the Independent Autism Reviewer, covering the period fr

Inset: North Antrim MP Jim Allister Cancer patients in Northern Ireland are facing the worst waiting times in the UK, with new analysis warning delays are now putting lives at risk — as political pressure mounts on Stormont to act. A major report published on Thursday (23 April) by Cancer Research UK has laid bare the scale of the crisis, revealing that cancer waiting times in Northern Ireland have been deteriorating for more than 16 years and are now the poorest across the U

Pictured at the anniversary party for the Roddens A care home that has supported generations of families in Ballymoney has marked a major milestone, celebrating 55 years of service with a poignant reunion that brought its history full circle. The Roddens, which opened in 1971, commemorated its anniversary last month by welcoming back its very first care assistant, in a celebration that highlighted both its legacy and its continuing role in healthcare across Northern Ireland.

Proud winners - the Travelmax Ballymena team. A family-run Ballymena business has made history after being named the UK & Ireland’s top travel agency — the first time a Northern Ireland company has ever secured the industry’s highest honour. Travelmax, a female-led agency marking its 25th year in business, claimed the overall title at the prestigious TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies Awards, alongside two additional major accolades, in a landmark night for the local firm. The awards

Scenes from the Bluebell Festival today (Saturday 25 April) at Portglenone Forest. (All pics: Steven McAuley / McAuley Multimedia) Residents and visitors from across Northern Ireland gathered in large numbers at Portglenone Forest on Saturday 25 April, as the 2026 Bluebell Festival transformed the woodland into a vibrant celebration of nature, community, and outdoor activity. The annual event, organised by the MEA Outdoors team from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, saw fa

(L-R) Kiran Minhas, Principal Katy Lynas Craig and Clare McGall A Ballymena nursery school has become the first in Northern Ireland to receive the highest level of recognition for its approach to children’s emotional wellbeing, marking a significant milestone in early years education across the region. Ballymena Integrated Nursery School has been awarded ‘gold standard’ Togetherness school accreditation — the top tier of a UK-wide scheme led by NHS-backed emotional health exp

Committee for Communities Chair, Colm Gildernew MLA Homelessness services across Northern Ireland are under escalating strain, with frontline providers warning that some essential support programmes could become unviable within the current financial year without urgent government intervention. A stark new report from the Committee for Communities, reinforced by detailed findings from an Assembly committee inquiry into homelessness and the Supporting People Programme, lays bar

Members of the Newtownabbey Softball Club, Robert Robinson, Steven Rovertson, Kieran Grimley, Oonagh O’Flaherty and Alexandra Kelly Ballyclare is preparing to host one of Northern Ireland’s most historic and wide-ranging community festivals next month, as the Ballyclare May Fair returns for its 270th year with a packed eight-day programme of events, road closures, and town-wide celebrations from 16–23 May 2026. Organised by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and sponsore

SDLP MLA for East Londonderry Cara Hunter Growing cross-sector backlash as Children’s Law Centre and 14 organisations raise concerns over impact on vulnerable pupils, schools and families Mounting opposition to proposed special educational needs (SEN) reforms has intensified, with SDLP MLA Cara Hunter calling on the Education Minister to immediately halt the plans amid warnings they could place already overstretched schools under further strain and negatively impact vulnerabl