NEWS

Political, military and community representatives gathered at the Knockagh Monument on Sunday to commemorate the Battle of the Somme. (All photos: Steven McAuley / McAuley Multimedia) The sacrifice of thousands of soldiers who lost their lives during one of the First World War’s bloodiest battles was remembered on Sunday (June 28) as veterans, military personnel, civic leaders and community representatives gathered high above County Antrim for a poignant commemoration at Knoc

Martin Engineering Supplies founder Clifford Martin, with son Scott, managing director (centre), and members of the MES team. For more than a quarter of a century, one Ballymena business has quietly built a reputation not only for supplying engineering products across Northern Ireland, but for doing business the old-fashioned way — through trust, relationships and hard work. Today, Martin Engineering Supplies is celebrating 26 years in business and looking ahead to an ambitio

Antrim Town Scoops Top Town Award in All Ireland Awards. Pictured (L-R): Trevor Edwards, President of the NI Amenity Council; Paul Mawhinney, Head of Parks at Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council; Minister Dara Calleary, Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (RoI); Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Cllr Henry Cushinan and Doreen Muskett MBE, Chair of the NI Amenity Council. Antrim has officially been named the best kept town anywhere on the island

A mixture of thrillers, literary fiction, graphic novels and contemporary drama dominates the latest bestseller chart at Waterstone’s Ballymena, as readers continue to embrace an eclectic mix of genres heading into the summer months. The latest weekly update from the Ballymena bookshop also highlights upcoming book clubs, family storytime sessions and a host of acclaimed new releases, including several titles shortlisted for the prestigious Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize. Th

Victim of road traffic collision: 31-year-old Matthew McIlroy The man who died following a single-vehicle collision in Ballyclare on Friday evening has been named by police as 31-year-old Matthew McIlroy, from the County Antrim area. Emergency services were called to the scene on Green Road at around 6.45pm on Friday, June 26, following reports that a black Audi A5 had crashed and overturned. Officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland attended alongside colleagues f

Inset: Ulster Unionist Party education spokesperson and party leader Jon Burrows The appointment of a new independent behaviour adviser for Northern Ireland schools must lead to meaningful change in classrooms rather than simply creating another title, Ulster Unionist education spokesperson and party leader Jon Burrows has said. Responding to Education Minister Paul Givan’s announcement this week of a review of school behaviour policy and the appointment of behaviour expert T

A man in his thirties has sadly died following a single-vehicle collision in County Antrim on Friday evening. Emergency services were called to the scene of the crash on Green Road area of Ballyclare at approximately 6.45pm on Friday, June 26, after reports that a black Audi A5 had crashed and overturned. Police officers attended alongside colleagues from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service. Despite the efforts of emergency resp

The community of Glenravel are inviting the public from near and far to browse everything from handcrafted ceramics and woodwork to brownies, books and South African flavours as the Glenravel Summer Market returns to Martinstown Parish Hall this weekend. The community event takes place on Sunday, June 28, running from 11am until 4pm, and will bring together a diverse mix of local makers, artists, bakers and small businesses from across the area and beyond. With more than 20 t

Broughshane actor James Nesbitt will join a spectacular line-up of supercars, family attractions and fundraising activities this weekend as Clarke prepares to stage its biggest-ever Charity Car Show in Ballymena. The much-loved local event returns on Saturday 27th June at Clarke HQ on Raceview Road and organisers believe this year’s show could be the largest and most ambitious since it first launched three years ago. With a Bugatti Veyron, Ferrari Enzo and multiple Lamborghin

Ballymena couple Joy and David Wright “It gives you a spark and a spring in your step, it’s just amazing.” That is how a Ballymena couple describe the experience of providing short break foster care for children with disabilities as they encourage others across Northern Ireland to consider opening their homes to children and families in need of support. David and Joy Wright have seen first-hand the difference short break fostering can make — not only for children with disabil

The Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Henry Cushinan, congratulates sisters Aislinn (far right) and Meagan Joyce on the launch of Randalstown’s new walking group, The Maine Walkers. Also pictured is Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Walking for All Officer, Bridie Kelly. Residents in Randalstown are being invited to lace up their walking shoes and explore their local area as two sisters launch a new community walking group aimed at improving health, wellbei

The interim chief executive of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust has described today as “quite a challenging day” for operational teams as consultants and specialist doctors took part in 24-hour industrial action. Speaking at a meeting of the Trust Board at Antrim Hospital on Thursday morning, Suzanne Pullins acknowledged colleagues taking part in the strike and thanked everyone who had worked to make Northern Trust services “as safe as possible today”. “We never know

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir with members of the Glens Red Squirrel Group The volunteers behind one of the Glens of Antrim’s best-known wildlife conservation groups are celebrating more than a decade of investment after receiving over £11,700 in funding to help protect Northern Ireland’s native red squirrel and strengthen community engagement. The milestone was highlighted during a visit by DAERA Minister Andrew Muir to the Glens Red Squirrel Group, where he marked the wider su

Ballymena Magistrates’ Court A farmer has been banned from owning or keeping animals after a court heard serious animal welfare failings led to 19 calves being euthanised because they were suffering unnecessarily. Ian Wilson, 55, of Ballydermot Lane, Bellaghy, appeared before Ballymena Magistrates’ Court today where he was sentenced for ten offences under the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 and one offence under the Animal By-Products (Enforcement) Regulations

Underwater seagrass meadow. A protected seagrass meadow off the County Antrim coast at Waterfoot has been found to contain more nitrogen than scientists consider healthy, after researchers discovered every seagrass meadow tested across Northern Ireland had exceeded an internationally recognised pollution warning threshold. The Queen’s University Belfast study examined the amount of nitrogen stored inside seagrass leaves — a natural record of the pollution the plants have been

(L-R) Isobel Harris, Maria Cairns, Brenda Stewart, Mark Killough, Hannah McDowell, Joanne Mooney, Bri Carleton, Nicholas Porter, CJ Hayes, David Glass and store manager Kevin Killough. A Ballymena convenience store has been recognised as one of Northern Ireland’s top fundraising Centra outlets after helping raise thousands of pounds to support vital cancer detection services across the region. McCool’s Centra Ballymena raised £2,389 for Action Cancer during 2025, earning reco

Land-based Engineering students from CAFRE visited McCauley Trailers to expand their learnings in machinery manufacturing. Students studying land-based engineering at CAFRE were given a firsthand look at modern manufacturing during an educational visit to McCauley Trailers in Toomebridge, offering valuable insight into the technology, skills and career opportunities that drive one of Northern Ireland’s leading engineering businesses. The visit allowed Level 3 Land-based Engin

Gracehill, Ballymena (Image: Gail Spiers) and the Giant’s Causeway from above (Image: Patryk Sadowski Photography) Northern Ireland’s internationally recognised UNESCO sites – including Gracehill’s newly inscribed World Heritage Site status – were celebrated at Stormont this week as political leaders, councillors and heritage representatives gathered to launch a new video series highlighting some of the region’s most significant cultural and natural landmarks. The event, held

Wellington Street, Ballymena A Mid and East Antrim councillor has called for a “fresh pair of eyes” to help drive town centre regeneration across the borough. Speaking at a meeting of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Environment and Economy Committee at The Braid in Ballymena on Monday evening, Braid DUP Alderman William McCaughey called for an independent expert to be included on a proposed new town centre taskforce. Alderman McCaughey said the taskforce is “something t

Rent a garage: Housing Executive garages are available to rent at sites across Mid and East Antrim. People across Mid and East Antrim are being offered the chance to rent secure garage space for little more than £12 a week, as the Housing Executive makes a number of garages available in Ballymena, Carrickfergus and Larne. The garages, which are available to both Housing Executive tenants and members of the wider public, are being offered at a weekly rental rate of approximat