NEWS

Dáithí Mac Gabhann as he continues his recovery in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Wednesday, 5 August 2026 Someone in the UK will die today waiting for an organ transplant. That stark reality is behind a new appeal from the Public Health Agency (PHA), which is urging people across Northern Ireland to register their organ donation decision—and, just as importantly, make sure their family knows what they want. The campaign supports a UK-wide challenge by NHS Blood and Transplant to encour

Site plan for proposed 37 home development in Toomebridge, refused by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council Tuesday, 4 August 2026 A proposed residential development of 37 new homes at Loughview Drive in Toomebridge has been refused planning permission by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Planning Committee following significant local opposition, including 176 objections. The application sought permission for nine detached houses, 18 semi-detached houses and 10 apar

Waiting on the chinook for extraction… Alan Barr serving with the Intelligence Corps in Afghanistan Tuesday, 4 August 2026 Military veterans, armed forces personnel, and frontline emergency service workers across Mid and East Antrim will now be able to access discounted memberships at the borough’s leisure centres under a new council scheme aimed at recognising their service. Eligible veterans as well as those currently serving, PSNI officers and staff, Northern Ireland Fire

UFU relaunches Next Generation Forum Tuesday, 4 August 2026 Young farmers and growers across Northern Ireland are being invited to help influence the future of the agricultural industry as the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) relaunches its Next Generation Forum. Applications for the latest intake opened on Monday 3 August and will remain open until Friday 28 August 2026, with places available for up to 24 participants aged under 40. Giving young voices a seat at the table The for

Pictured at the new pop-up park on Main Street in Larne are (l-r) Ald. Thomas Gordon, Mayor of Mid & East Antrim Borough Council; Eamon McMullan, Capital Regeneration Manager, MEABC; Ryan Black, Director of Growth & Major Projects, MEABC; Communities Minister Gordon Lyons MLA; Gail Kelly, Town Centre Development Manager, MEABC A previously derelict site in Larne has been transformed into a new pop-up park as part of a wider £367,750 regeneration programme aimed at improving t

Tuesday, 4 August 2026 More than 2,100 motorists were caught speeding across Northern Ireland in just five days, with some drivers detected travelling at twice and even three times the legal speed limit, prompting the PSNI to renew its warning that dangerous driving is continuing to cost lives. Operation Lifesaver, which ran from 27 July to 31 July, resulted in 2,132 speeding detections, while police also recorded 308 additional traffic offences, including careless driving, u

Ballymena artist Nigel Allison A Ballymena artist whose paintings are now hanging in private collections across the UK and overseas is continuing to expand his business while showcasing the landscapes of Northern Ireland to an international audience. Nigel Allison, who is based at Ballymena Business Centre in Galgorm, has built a growing reputation for expressive seascape paintings inspired by the North Antrim Coast and the Wild Atlantic Way. From local inspiration to interna

L-R: Dee Heron, farmer, member of the Action Cancer Moneyreagh & District Fundraising Group and Skin Cancer Ambassador for the charity pictured with Mark Irwin-Watson, Community Fundraising Executive at Action Cancer. A County Down farmer who survived skin cancer is appealing to the farming community to donate livestock for an annual charity auction that has already raised tens of thousands of pounds for cancer services across Northern Ireland. Raffrey farmer Dee Heron, who h

Missing: 35-year-old Sian McClean Monday, August 3, 2026 Police have appealed for the public’s help to find a 35-year-old woman who has been reported missing from north Belfast. Sian McClean was reported missing on Monday, 3 August, and officers say they are becoming increasingly concerned for her welfare. Last seen on Cavehill Road Sian was last seen walking on Cavehill Road in north Belfast at around 11am on Monday morning. She is described as having blonde hair worn in a b

E-scooters and e-bikes seized by police over the weekend around Lurgan and Craigavon Monday, August 3, 2026 The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has reminded officers of their existing powers to seize uninsured e-scooters as concerns continue to grow about the increasing use of the vehicles on roads and footpaths across Northern Ireland. The clarification comes after an internal police document, intended for officer use only, highlighted the legal powers available wh

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald is pictured with students Naomi Duncan-Todd and Jay Curry encouraging eligible students to apply for the prestigious All Ireland Scholarship Scheme. Thousands of students across Northern Ireland receiving their A-Level and BTEC results are being encouraged to check whether they could qualify for a scholarship worth £5,850 a year to help cover the cost of university. The All Ireland Scholarship Scheme, funded by the JP McManus Trust, is no

People with time to spare and a passion for helping others are being invited to volunteer in a new role designed to make visits to Antrim Area Hospital’s Emergency Department a little less daunting. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is recruiting Emergency Department Companion Volunteers to provide comfort, reassurance and practical support to patients and their families while they wait for assessment or treatment. The initiative aims to improve the experience of peop

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons presents medals for the Men’s 90kg Boxing, including Bronze for Garyn McAllister, at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Northern Ireland’s athletes are returning home from the 2026 Commonwealth Games with 16 medals, three of them gold, after producing one of Team NI’s strongest performances on the international stage. Across the competition, Team NI competitors claimed three gold, four silver and nine bronze medals, while many others rec

(L-R) Annette McWilliams, Mary Waide, Maire McCormack, Johnny O'Boyle, and Clare Barr Volunteers from St Vincent de Paul (SVP) Conferences in Ballymena and Antrim have come together at a Mid Antrim Area Gathering as the charity continues to respond to increasing demand for support from people experiencing poverty and hardship across Northern Ireland. The event brought together local members to share experiences from the communities they serve, discuss emerging challenges and

Ballymena Pet Vets on Henry Street, Ballymena For most pet owners, there are few decisions more important than choosing the right vet. Whether it’s an excited puppy’s first vaccination, an ageing dog beginning to slow down, a rabbit refusing to eat or the heartbreaking moment a beloved companion becomes seriously ill, every visit comes with one thing in common: trust. It’s that trust that Ballymena Pet Vets has worked to earn since opening its independent practice on Henry St

A total of 260 new homes were completed across Mid and East Antrim during the financial year from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, according to a new council report. Presented to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Planning Committee at The Braid in Ballymena on Thursday, the Housing Land Availability Report shows Ballymena accounted for 41 per cent of all new homes completed during the year, ahead of Carrickfergus (13 per cent) and Larne (almost 12 per cent). The report also

Andrew Todd with the RNLI lifeguard team at Whiterocks Beach A father who was rescued alongside his two children after being caught in a powerful rip current at Whiterocks Beach, Portrush, has returned to thank the RNLI as the charity marks 25 years of its lifeguard service. The visit coincides with International Lifeguard Appreciation Day on Friday, 31 July, with the RNLI paying tribute to the lifeguards who patrol beaches across the UK and Ireland and highlighting the role

David Kelly flew to his first ever ITRC win on the Circuit of Ireland. (PHOTO: D Harrigan Images) The countdown is on to one of Northern Ireland’s biggest motorsport weekends, with the 50th Modern Tyres Ulster Rally set to bring thousands of competitors, fans and visitors to Ballymena and across County Antrim on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 August. The landmark anniversary event will feature many of the UK’s and Ireland’s leading rally drivers, iconic closed-road stages through no

Jay Reardon was just 21 when he died The family of a young County Down man who died in a motorcycle crash a decade ago have issued a heartfelt appeal to all road users, urging them to remember that “every person deserves to get home safely.” Jay Reardon was just 21 when he died on 31 July 2016 after the motorcycle he was riding was involved in a single-vehicle collision on Belfast Road in Newtownards. No other vehicle was involved. Marking the 10th anniversary of his death, J

Thomas Haighton, manager of Hawthorns Adult Centre in Carrickfergus, pictured with service users Julia, Lauren and Roy who between them have accumulated almost 150 years of attendance at the centre. Five decades of friendship, opportunity and inclusion were celebrated this week as Hawthorns Adult Centre in Carrickfergus marked its 50th anniversary with service users, families and staff reflecting on a remarkable journey. The centre, which first opened in July 1976, has suppor