NEWS

(L-R) Logan Carley and Jack Redmond Two men have been jailed for their roles in the large-scale disorder that erupted in Ballymena in June last year, with police warning that further prosecutions will follow as investigations continue into the violence that left officers injured and caused widespread damage across the town. Jack Redmond, 22, from Ballymena, and Logan Carley, 24, from the Ballymena area, were sentenced at Antrim Crown Court on Wednesday, 8 July, after being co

The Halfway House Country Pub The Halfway House Country Pub outside Broughshane has been recognised among the very best rural pubs in the United Kingdom after receiving a Highly Commended honour at the Grand Champions of the 2026 Countryside Alliance Awards in London. The prestigious recognition was announced on Wednesday, July 8, at the House of Lords, where the Carnlough Road venue represented Northern Ireland after being crowned Countryside Alliance Northern Ireland Champi

A man has been charged after a woman says she caught him inside her parked car in Ballymena town centre, prompting a police investigation and a warning to motorists to ensure their vehicles are locked. The incident happened on Broadway Avenue on Wednesday, 8 July, where the woman’s car was parked outside her workplace in full view of nearby offices and commercial buildings. According to the woman, she discovered a man inside her vehicle and immediately confronted him before h

Senior RNLI Lifeguard Annie Jagoe A swimmer was rescued from a dangerous rip current on the Antrim coast after getting into difficulty outside the designated bathing area, prompting a rapid emergency response from RNLI lifeguards, the Coastguard and the ambulance service. The incident happened at around 5pm on Monday, 7 July at Portrush West Strand, when lifeguards were alerted by a member of the public to a woman struggling against strong surging waves beyond the red and yel

Northern Ireland’s emergency care system came under even greater pressure during the past year, with official figures showing hospitals treated almost 19,000 more emergency patients than the previous year while performance against key emergency care targets continued to deteriorate. The latest Northern Ireland Hospital Statistics: Urgent and Emergency Care (2025/26) reveal emergency department attendances increased again, four-hour performance declined, the number of patients

Ballymena Business Excellence Award Sponsors. (From the back L-R): Melanie Christie-Boyle, Ballymena Business Centre, Carol Wilson, Chamber’s Honorary Secretary, Iris Houston, The Adair Arms Hotel, Naomi Taylor Galgorm, Clive Edgar Fuelwise. (Middle Row L-R): Noel Mulholland, Michelin Development Ltd, Sharon Gallagher Pilgrim’s Europe, William Walker Country Garage BMW, Gillian Wilkinson Riada Resourcing, Lisa Walsh Clarke, Laura Hughes, Power NI. (Front Row L-R): Michael B

Alliance North Antrim MLA Sian Mulholland Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland has welcomed the announcement that Ballycastle will host the 2027 Ulster Fleadh, describing it as a landmark achievement that will deliver lasting cultural and economic benefits for the town and the wider Causeway Coast and Glens. The prestigious week-long festival is one of the largest celebrations of traditional Irish music, song, dance and language in the province and is expected to attract tens of thou

The Essence Vault is set to sponsor the Open Race at this year’s Armoy Road Races. Pictured at the firm’s headquarters in Randalstown are, from left, Neil Kernohan, road racer, Bill Kennedy MBE, AMRRC Director, Connor Martin, The Essence Vault Managing Director and William Munnis, AMRRC Clerk of Course. A fast-growing County Antrim business with a global customer base has signed up to support one of Northern Ireland’s best-known motorcycle road racing events, with The Essenc

The myEARTH platform has encouraged the planting of 6000 trees, and 1427 habitats to be created for wildlife across Northern Ireland A digital platform designed to help people take practical action for the environment has inspired the planting of more than 6,000 trees across Northern Ireland in just over a year, while also helping to create 1,427 new wildlife habitats. The figures, released by myEARTH, highlight the impact the free platform has had since launching last year,

County Antrim man Paul Ross picked up the Fundraising Volunteer Group of the Year award at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising Northern Ireland Awards. The loss of his daughter changed Paul Ross’s life forever. What followed has changed countless others. Just over two years after 21-year-old Lydia Ross tragically lost her life in a road traffic collision, the County Antrim father has transformed unimaginable grief into one of Northern Ireland’s most remarkable grassroots f

Arthur Cottage Cullybackey is set to take its place on an international heritage trail linking the ancestral homes of American presidents, as Tourism NI unveils a major programme of new visitor experiences designed to attract more overseas visitors to Northern Ireland. The village is one of four key locations on the new ‘Presidents, Heritage & Homecomings: The Ancestral Cottage Trail’ – a premium two-day guided experience that will connect the homesteads and heritage of US pr

Planning permission has been approved by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for a proposed indoor golf simulator and covered putting area at Ballymena Golf Club. A planning officer’s report said the proposed development would be located on a “rectangular-shaped, fairly level grassed area between the existing club car park and the course”. The club is situated in the countryside on Raceview Road between Ballymena and Broughshane. The report stated: “The proposal involves the

Invest Northern Ireland support has helped secure £20 million of business investment across the Mid & East Antrim Borough Council area over the past year, with 106 new jobs set to be created as a result. New performance figures for 2025/26 show investment in the borough more than doubled compared with the previous year, with Invest NI providing more than £4 million in support to businesses to drive innovation, improve productivity and expand operations. The latest results hig

Around 105,000 Budget Energy customers across Northern Ireland are set to pay more for their electricity from next month after the supplier announced a 9.5% increase to its variable tariffs. The increase, which takes effect from 4 August 2026, will add around £122 a year to the bill of a typical BillPay customer and approximately £121 a year for a standard-rate keypad customer, adding further pressure to household finances at a time when electricity prices continue to rise ac

Sentenced: Nineteen-year-old Michael Elliot A man who took part in the serious disorder that erupted in Ballymena in June 2025 has been sentenced to 40 months in prison after being convicted of common law riot. Nineteen-year-old Michael Elliot, from the Ballymena area, was sentenced at Antrim Crown Court on Monday, July 6. He will serve 20 months in custody followed by 20 months on licence. Elliot was arrested after police identified him as having participated in the large-sc

(Photo: Jason Bain) A fishing boat carrying two crew members was safely brought back to Larne Harbour on Monday evening after suffering a mechanical failure close to one of Northern Ireland’s busiest shipping routes. Volunteer crew from Larne RNLI launched their all-weather lifeboat following a request from HM Coastguard at 7.42pm on Monday after receiving reports that the vessel had broken down at sea. The incident unfolded north-east of the East Maidens Lighthouse, where th

The Glensway Bar in Martinstown The owners of the Glensway Bar in Martinstown have issued an emotional appeal to the local community, warning that the future of the village pub is at risk unless customer support increases. In a candid message shared with customers, the family-run business said it has spent months debating its future amid mounting financial pressures, describing the post as both “an immediate warning” and “a cry for help”. The appeal comes as many independent

Broughshane village celebrating a previous year’s popular Mini Twelfth parade. (Photo: Brian Millar) Broughshane is set to welcome hundreds of spectators this week as one of the village’s best-known annual traditions returns with the Mini Twelfth and Arch Opening. The popular event, organised by Broughshane LOL 503, will take place on Wednesday evening, July 8, bringing marching bands and members of the Orange family together for a colourful parade through the heart of the vi

A park ranger employed by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council was threatened while responding to an incident involving antisocial behaviour by a group of young people in Ballymena’s People’s Park last week. The incident happened on the evening of Thursday, 2 July, and is understood to have involved serious threats being made towards the council employee by one young person in particular. The incident prompted the council to reduce opening hours at the popular town centre park

Police officers carried out a major operation in Ballymena on Monday morning as part of an ongoing investigation into the suspected supply of illegal drugs. Multiple police units were deployed to the Orkney Drive area of the Ballykeel 2 estate, where residents reported seeing several unmarked police cars and vans arriving in the area. The activity formed part of a wider operation spanning both Ballymena and Antrim and focused on suspected involvement in the supply of Class A