NEWS

Pictured (L-R) Violet Best, John Costley, David Gilmore, General Manager Galgorm Resort & Spa, Jackie Neil, and Mark Kernohan, with Roberta Thompson sitting. Monday 2 November 2026 Centuries of local history preserved in the archives of Gracehill’s Moravian Church are set to benefit from a £10,000 funding commitment from Galgorm Collection, helping protect fragile documents and make their contents more accessible to future generations. The Ballymena-based hospitality group ha

The newly installed commemorative plaque in the Harryville area of Ballymena Monday 26 October 2026 Long before Liam Neeson became Ballymena’s best-known Hollywood star, another local actor was making his mark on the silver screen – and now his remarkable story has been commemorated in the heart of Harryville. A new plaque has been unveiled on Queen Street in honour of Robert Baxter McKenzie, better known as Bob McKenzie, who appeared in more than 300 films and helped establi

Former Irish State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy Wednesday 21 October 2026 The extraordinary story of eight women convicted of witchcraft in County Antrim more than 300 years ago is to be revisited in a new RTÉ documentary presented by former State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy. Airing on Thursday 29 October, the one-hour programme will investigate Ireland’s last witch trial, which took place in Islandmagee on the East Antrim coast in 1711, and examine the accusations, fears an

Seven Towers Pipe Band pictured outside the Congregational Church in Clonavon Terrace in 1927 following its formation in 1926. Tuesday 20 October 2026 One hundred years after its beginnings in Harryville, Seven Towers Pipe Band is inviting former members, familiar faces and new audiences to share a special evening of music in Ballymena. The band’s Centenary Concert will bring McNeillstown Pipe Band and Pure Blarney & Friends to The Braid Arts Theatre on Thursday 19 November,

Remnants of Boyd’s Wall jutting out of the Margy River as it flows into the sea at Ballycastle on the Antrim coast. (Image: Anne Kelly) Monday 12 October 2026 A centuries-old mystery beneath Ballycastle is set to be investigated as archaeologists begin a two-week excavation today (Monday 12 October), with local schoolchildren and volunteers invited to help uncover a missing piece of the town’s industrial past. The dig, beside the River Tow at Townparks, will search for the re

Saturday 10 October 2026 From gruesome crimes and ghostly encounters to deadly plagues and dreadful school days, some of Coleraine’s darkest stories are set to be uncovered in a new exhibition opening just in time for Halloween. Coleraine Museum is inviting families and history enthusiasts to discover the town’s more sinister past through ‘Coleraine’s Horrid History’, opening at Coleraine Town Hall on Friday 30 October. The exhibition will explore centuries of unusual and uns

Thursday 08 October 2026 Gracehill welcomed heritage professionals from across the UK this week, giving visitors an opportunity to explore the historic Moravian village near Ballymena and learn how its internationally recognised heritage is being protected for future generations. The visit formed part of the 2026 World Heritage UK Conference, held in Portrush on 5 and 6 October, and brought delegates to one of Northern Ireland’s most distinctive historic settlements. Designat

The project team mark the completion of the restoration work outside the Superintendent’s House at Silent Valley Thursday 01 October 2026 A historic house at the entrance to Silent Valley has been restored to support the staff and volunteers who care for the Mourne landscape, while preserving architectural features dating back more than 120 years. The listed Superintendent’s House now has specialist archive, meeting and welfare facilities for its continuing use by Mourne Heri

The historic White House building Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Community Development Committee has approved a further one-year lease for the historic White House in Newtownabbey. The Dalaradia Group, a men’s community group, has leased the landmark from the council since 2021, delivering historical interpretation and visitor services as well as providing training and meeting facilities. Centuries of local history The White House is one of the area’s oldest surviv

The Pilgrim’s Europe site team at Randalstown Feed Mill. From supplying groceries and agricultural goods in 1926 to producing poultry feed today, Randalstown Feed Mill is marking a century in business with more than 80 jobs supported across its operations. The Pilgrim’s Europe site has served generations of the farming community, developing from a local supplier into a mill supporting the company’s poultry production and wider agricultural supply chain. Staff and partners gat

Suzanne Garuda of Garuda Design and Judith Owens MBE, Chief Executive of Titanic Belfast are pictured as the world-famous visitor attraction announces the completion of the first phase of an investment programme in its event spaces, with the iconic Titanic Suite reopening this week following a major refurbishment. Titanic Belfast’s Grand Staircase event suite is reopening this week after a major refurbishment, as the venue prepares to host 60 events between September and Dec

A six-day programme of historical presentations, political discussions and traditional events will culminate in an Ulster Day Parade through Ballymena later this month. The annual Ulster Covenant Festival, organised by the Apprentice Boys of Derry Ballymena and District Amalgamated Committee, will run from Monday 21 September until Saturday 26 September. Events will include discussions examining the present and future of unionism and loyalism, a presentation on the Ballymena

(L-R): Ballymena Councillor Rodney Quigley and Ulster Unionist Party Leader & North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows Cross-community cooperation behind the scenes has been credited with helping secure the return of flags stolen from Ballymena’s Somme Memorial, as work continues to prepare for their reinstatement at the Queen Street site. The flags have already been safely returned to the 12th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles Memorial Association after being recovered in Londonderry. Attent

The Ulster Aviation Society is preparing to throw open its historic wartime hangars for what promises to be its biggest European Heritage Open Days weekend yet, with more aircraft, historic vehicles and entertainment added as visitor numbers continue to soar. The entirely volunteer-run charity will welcome the public to Maze Long Kesh, near Lisburn, on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September, with free admission and parking and no need to book in advance. Running from 10am until

Paul Savage (left) with Christian Reynolds in front of the 80th anniversary mural. Wrightbus is asking generations of workers, passengers and bus enthusiasts to help recover eight decades of its history after significant archive material was lost before the Ballymena manufacturer was rescued from administration in 2019. As the company marks its 80th anniversary, it has launched a public appeal for photographs, stories and personal memories that can help rebuild a record stret

Glenarm Village Committee members (L-R) Robert Taggart, Linda Hylands, Hilary Cross, John Duggan, Frances Wilson, and Emer Furey. A celebration of books, art, local history, storytelling, film, poetry and live music will take over Glenarm next weekend as the village’s Arts & Literary Fayre returns following a successful inaugural event last year. Organised by Glenarm Village Committee, the Glenarm Arts & Literary Fayre (GALF) will run across Friday 28 and Saturday 29 August,

St Patrick’s Church, Ballymena Four hundred years to the day since King Charles I granted the Ballymena Estate to William Adair, people from across the town and wider borough are being invited to come together for a special Service of Thanksgiving marking the historic anniversary. The civic service will take place at St Patrick’s Church, Ballymena, on Tuesday 25 August at 7.30pm, forming part of this year’s Ballymena 400 celebrations. The anniversary provides a rare opportuni

Ballymena BID is bringing businesses, families and visitors together for two major days of town-centre celebrations as Ballymena prepares to mark its 400th birthday. An End of Summer and Ballymena 400 Street Party will take over Greenvale Street on Saturday 22 August, before businesses across the town join the official birthday celebrations on Tuesday 25 August. The programme, with support from Department for Communities (DfC), will run alongside a number of anniversary event

Mrs Clover Bell is pictured with the century-old, beautifully framed portrait of the Dinsmore sisters, which she has generously donated to the council’s museum collection, in memory of her late husband Nelson. The Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Thomas Gordon, received the donation while former Ulster Museum curator of art, Mrs Anne Stewart, was delighted to see the painting once again – having last seen it as a child in the Dinsmore family home. A striking portrait p

Ulster Unionist Party leader and North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows Ulster Unionist Party leader and North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows has welcomed the arrest of a 26-year-old man following two attacks on a Ballymena war memorial, while stressing that the police investigation remains ongoing. The man was arrested on suspicion of theft and criminal damage following incidents at the Queen Street memorial in Harryville on Saturday, 8 August and Monday, 10 August. Police have previously sai