NEWS

(L-R) BSc (Hons) Food Innovation Management students, Olivia Acheson, Cookstown, and Ellen Nelson, Tobermore, along with Mr. Fintan McCann, Head of Food Education invite you to attend CAFRE’s Open Week from Tuesday 06 October to Saturday 10 October 2026 at Loughry Campus, Cookstown, Greenmount Campus, Antrim and Enniskillen Campus Sunday 04 October 2026 Students considering their next move after school can explore courses, facilities and campus life at the College of Agricult

Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir The Ulster Farmers’ Union has declared that Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir and DAERA’s two most senior officials have lost the confidence of farmers—and demanded all three resign immediately. In a major escalation of the fallout from the Fivemiletown cattle operation, Northern Ireland’s largest farming organisation extended its vote of no confidence beyond the Department to Mr Muir, Permanent Secretary Katrina Godfrey and Chief Veterinary Of

The newly published terms of an independent review into DAERA’s controversial Fivemiletown cattle operation have come under immediate scrutiny over the reviewer’s powers, how the process was established and whether one reviewer is enough to command confidence. Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir published the detailed remit on Wednesday, 12 August, appointing former Irish Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Martin Blake to examine DAERA’s planning, decision-making and implementation of

Cattle that were shot by DAERA official lying in a County Fermanagh field; inset, DAERA Minister Andrew Muir Former Irish Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Martin Blake will independently examine DAERA’s planning, decision-making and handling of the controversial operation which saw 51 cattle destroyed near Fivemiletown in June. Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir has published the terms of reference for an independent external review into his department’s implementation of a court De

A motorcyclist remains in a critical condition in hospital following a single-vehicle collision in Lisnaskea on Friday evening. Police are appealing for witnesses and dash-cam footage following the collision, which involved a black Suzuki motorcycle in the Lisnaskea Road area shortly after 9pm on Friday, 7 August. Rider remains critically ill Inspector Brian St Ledger said: “A report was received at approximately 9.05pm on Friday evening, 7th August of a collision in the Lisn

TUV leader and North Antrim MP Jim Allister KC, and UFU president John McLenaghan Pressure on DAERA over the euthanising of 51 cattle near Fivemiletown has intensified ahead of a special Stormont meeting, with farming representatives warning the Department cannot be seen to “investigate itself” while North Antrim MP Jim Allister has challenged its interpretation of the court order at the centre of the controversy. The Ulster Farmers’ Union is calling for an independent expert

DUP agriculture spokesperson, Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart Pressure on DAERA over the controversial destruction of cattle near Fivemiletown has intensified after DUP agriculture spokesperson Carla Lockhart described the incident as “one of the biggest scandals the department has ever faced”, while calling for a full public inquiry rather than an external review. The Upper Bann MP said confidence in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) had been

Inset: DAERA Minister Andrew Muir, and the scenes in a Fivemiletown field where dozens of cattle were shot by DAERA officials. Monday, August 3, 2026 An independent review will be carried out into the controversial DAERA enforcement operation near Fivemiletown that resulted in the euthanasia of dozens of cattle, after Northern Ireland’s Agriculture Minister announced the investigation will now be conducted by someone from outside his department. The decision marks a significa

The scene of destruction at a farm in Fivemiletown, County Fermanagh Political pressure is mounting on the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) over a controversial cattle destruction operation in County Tyrone, with politicians from across the political spectrum and Northern Ireland’s largest farming organisation demanding greater transparency over how the operation was planned and carried out. The controversy does not centre on the court order th

A police officer is receiving medical treatment and welfare support after sustaining what is believed to be a broken nose and a number of other injuries during a violent assault while carrying out routine patrol duties in County Fermanagh overnight. The incident happened in Maguiresbridge in the early hours of Friday morning after officers stopped to check on a vehicle that had come to a halt in the overtaking lane of a main road with its hazard lights activated. The officer,

21-year-old man Shane Caufield A 21-year-old man has died following a single-vehicle road traffic collision in Maguiresbridge in the early hours of Friday morning. The victim has been named as Shane Caulfield, who was from the Portadown area. Police said the collision occurred at approximately 1.30am on Friday, June 26, on the Belfast Road in Maguiresbridge and involved a grey Volkswagen Golf. Victim pronounced dead at the scene Detective Inspector Stewart from the PSNI’s Col

Past CAFRE student William Burnett, alongside Nicola, Abigail, Matthew and Callum Turner viewed the dairy calves at Greenmount Campus. Thousands of people stepped behind the gates of CAFRE campuses at Enniskillen and Greenmount over the weekend as this year’s Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend combined hands-on learning, family fun and a closer look at Northern Ireland’s farming and food industries. From primary school pupils meeting farm animals for the first time to families

Springwatch will broadcast its main live hub from Northern Ireland for the first time when the BBC’s flagship wildlife series returns from the National Trust’s Crom Estate in County Fermanagh this week. The much-loved BBC Two programme will go live from one of Northern Ireland’s most important nature conservation areas, placing Crom’s ancient woodland, wetlands, islands and freshwater habitats at the centre of three weeks of national wildlife storytelling. Crom takes centre s

39-year-old Michael Kenna A 39-year-old motorcyclist has died following a single-vehicle collision in Co Fermanagh in the early hours of Sunday morning. The victim has been named by police as Michael Kenna, from the Belturbet area of Co Cavan. The fatal collision happened on the Marble Arch Road in Florencecourt at around 6am on Sunday, May 24. Police, ambulance crews and firefighters all attended the scene, however Mr Kenna was pronounced dead at the roadside. Police investi

Colman Byrne, Laura Murray and Michael Graham invite you to Discover CAFRE during Open Farm Weekend at Greenmount Campus, Antrim and Enniskillen Campus. Families across Northern Ireland are being invited to step behind the scenes of rural life next month as CAFRE opens two of its major campuses to the public for a free weekend packed with hands-on activities, food experiences and live farming demonstrations. From sheep shearing and tractor simulators in Antrim to equestrian d

Image of the proposed new M&S Foodhall Marks & Spencer has submitted a planning application for a new flagship Foodhall at Lakelands Retail Park in Enniskillen, signalling a significant retail move that would see the brand relocate to a larger, purpose-built site while retaining its existing workforce. The proposal, lodged with Fermanagh and Omagh District Council in partnership with Elm Grange Ltd, forms part of M&S’s wider store rotation programme and is aimed at modernisin

34-year-old Niamh Kavanagh Police have named the woman who died following a late-night road traffic collision in Enniskillen as 34-year-old Niamh Kavanagh. Ms Kavanagh, originally from Galway and more recently living in Bundoran, died after a two-vehicle collision on the Marble Arch Road shortly before 10pm on Tuesday, 17 March. Investigation continues The collision involved two vehicles and prompted a significant emergency response. The driver of one of the vehicles was pron

A woman in her 30s has died following a late-night road traffic collision in Enniskillen, prompting a police appeal for witnesses. The collision, involving two vehicles, occurred on the Marble Arch Road area on Tuesday evening, 17 March. Emergency response and tragic outcome Detective Inspector Stewart, from the Collision Investigation Unit , said police received a report at approximately 9.55pm of a crash involving a Toyota Yaris and a Volkswagen Amarok. Officers attended th

A murder investigation has been launched after a woman in her 20s was found dead at a house in Enniskillen on Saturday evening. Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Major Investigation Team are working to establish the circumstances surrounding the death, which was discovered after police responded to a separate incident involving a vehicle collision near the town. Detective Chief Inspector Gary Robinson said officers were first alerted after receiving a

A woman has sadly died following a serious road traffic collision in Lisnaskea, County Fermanagh, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has confirmed. The collision occurred on Friday, 5th December, on the Crom Road, and involved a Vauxhall Insignia car and a Renault Traffic van. Chief Inspector Simpson from the PSNI’s Collision Investigation Unit said officers were called to the scene shortly before 5pm. “Officers responded to a report that a Vauxhall Insignia car a