NEWS

CAFRE trained Apprentice, Jack Johnson from Belfast secured his first Point-to-Point win having recently achieved his Jockey’s Licence. The upcoming Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Week (2–6 February) is providing an opportunity to spotlight the achievements of a rising local talent, as former CAFRE Equine Apprentice Jack Johnson celebrates a remarkable journey from classroom to racetrack success. Staff at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) have pr

A new free Digital Skills training programme aimed at people who are deaf or have hearing loss is being rolled out across Northern Ireland, with accessible sessions taking place in local libraries throughout February and March. The initiative, delivered by AdaptNI and supported by the Department of Finance, is designed to tackle digital exclusion by providing deaf-aware, visual and practical training tailored to the everyday needs of people who often face barriers when acces

Knockan Road Play Park in Broughshane on Tuesday, when Storm Chandra brought heavy rainfall leasing to the River Braid bursting its banks. Knockan Road Play Park in Broughshane has been temporarily closed after flooding caused by Storm Chandra damaged the site’s safety surface, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has confirmed. Flood waters from the storm washed away the play-grade bark surfacing and left significant silt deposits across the park, raising safety concerns for

Joanne Deighan, Senior Commercial Manager, Belfast International Airport and Jaclyn Coulter, HR Director, Belfast International Airport. Belfast International Airport is set to host its first major recruitment event of 2026, offering more than 100 job opportunities as it prepares for a busy summer season and continues a £100 million transformation programme. The New Year Jobs Fair will take place on Saturday 31 January 2026, from 11am to 3pm, at the Voco Hotel in the Gasworks

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Northern Ireland, warning that spells of heavy rain could lead to flooding in places and disruption to transport networks. The warning, which follows the recent impact of Storm Chandra, is in effect across all six counties from 00:00 until 18:00 on Friday 30 January 2026. According to the Met Office , “spells of heavy rain will move over Northern Ireland during Thursday night and Friday” , raising concerns for communitie

The Met Office has issued a further yellow weather warning for ice across Northern Ireland, as multi-agency partners continue to meet in response to Storm Chandra and its ongoing impacts. The warning is in place from 03:00 to 10:00 on Wednesday 28 January 2026 , with all counties affected. Forecasters have warned that clearing skies overnight on Tuesday will allow temperatures to fall below freezing, increasing the risk of icy conditions following several days of heavy rainfa

Leading UK manufacturer Wrightbus is opening its doors to the next generation of engineering and manufacturing talent as part of Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Week and National Apprenticeship Week, with two dedicated careers events at its Ballymena headquarters. The bus maker will host an Apprenticeship Open Night and a dedicated Insight Day, offering up to 60 individuals the opportunity to explore careers in advanced manufacturing and engineering across a wide range of dis

Students at Erne Integrated College in Enniskillen who will among those learning about Graduated Drivers Licensing today. Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) is to be introduced in Northern Ireland on 1 October 2026, marking the most significant reform of driver licensing and testing in almost 70 years, Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has announced. The new scheme, unveiled as part of a Road Safety Strategy Action Plan, is aimed at tackling the disproportionate involvement

Emergency services, infrastructure teams and public bodies across Northern Ireland are stepping up preparations ahead of the anticipated impact of Storm Chandra, as a combination of yellow and amber Met Office weather warnings for heavy rain and strong winds comes into force. Multi-agency planning is already underway to minimise disruption and protect public safety, with authorities warning of possible power cuts, travel disruption, flooding and coastal hazards over the comin

Residents across Mid and East Antrim, and Antrim and Newtownabbey, are being urged to take precautions as Storm Chandra is set to bring disruptive winds and heavy rain from the early hours of Tuesday, January 27. The Met Office has issued an AMBER Weather Warning for Wind, in force from 5am until 9pm on Tuesday 27 January 2026 , alongside a YELLOW Weather Warning for Rain covering the entire borough from midnight tonight until midnight on Tuesday. Council services under revi

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for parts of Northern Ireland as Storm Chandra is forecast to bring very strong winds, heavy rain and the risk of disruption on Tuesday. The amber warning will be in effect between 05:00 and 21:00 on Tuesday 27 January 2026 , covering County Antrim, County Down and County Londonderry. Forecasters warn that easterly winds will strengthen rapidly early on Tuesday morning, with gusts of 60–70 mph expected across eastern and nort

Audiences are being invited to step into the past and explore shared cultural journeys through a new heritage programme at The Old Courthouse Theatre, presented by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. Titled Journeys , the series brings together live performance, music and storytelling to reflect on culture, place and movement through time, offering a varied programme designed to resonate with audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Counci

The Met Office has issued an updated yellow weather warning for rain covering Northern Ireland, with heavy rainfall and strong winds forecast to bring the risk of flooding and disruption on Tuesday 27 January. The warning is in effect from 02:00 until 21:00 on Tuesday , as a spell of unsettled weather moves across the region. Outbreaks of rain are expected to spread across Northern Ireland during the early hours, with some of the precipitation possibly falling as snow for a t

North Antrim MLA Sian Mulholland Ulster Scots language classes are set to begin in Armoy later this month, with North Antrim MLA Sian Mulholland welcoming the initiative as a meaningful celebration of local culture, heritage and community identity. The free course, titled Dinnae houl yer wheest! , is being delivered by the Ulster Scots Agency and will commence on Thursday 29 January 2026, running for six weeks at the Tilly Molloy Centre in Armoy. Classes will take place week

Waterstone’s Ballymena has revealed its latest Top 10 bestselling books, with psychological thrillers, literary fiction and popular self-help titles continuing to dominate readers’ choices as January draws to a close. Freida McFadden claims three places in this week’s chart, reflecting sustained local demand for fast-paced, twist-heavy thrillers, while acclaimed novels by Roisín O’Donnell and Maggie O’Farrell also feature strongly. This week’s Top 10 bestselling books 1. The

Northern Ireland is set to face a spell of unsettled weather over the coming days, with two yellow weather warnings for rain issued amid concerns about localised flooding, difficult travel conditions and further disruption. The first warning comes into effect from 18: 00 on Saturday 24 January until 09:00 on Sunday 25 January , as a slow-moving area of low pressure brings a prolonged period of rain across the region overnight. A band of rain and showers, heavy at times, is ex

Ballymena Elim Church is set to host a special evening of reflection and inspiration this weekend as former Ballymena United and Crusaders manager Roy Walker shares his life story with the local community. The latest instalment of the church’s Life Stories series will take place on Sunday 25 January at 6:30pm , offering the opportunity to hear first-hand from one of Northern Ireland’s most recognisable sporting figures. Roy Walker is widely known across Northern Ireland’s spo

More than 75,000 non-domestic properties across Northern Ireland have been revalued following the publication of the draft valuation list for Reval 2026 by Land & Property Services (LPS). The draft list, released this week, will form the basis for business rates from 1 April 2026, and LPS is urging ratepayers to review their new valuations now to ensure accuracy before the list is finalised. Non-domestic rates apply to a wide range of premises, including shops, offices, wareh

A yellow weather warning for rain has been issued for Northern Ireland, with forecasters warning of potential flooding and transport disruption throughout Thursday. The warning is in effect between 10:00 and 23:59 on Thursday 22 January 2026 , covering County Antrim, County Armagh, County Down, County Londonderry and County Tyrone. Periods of persistent rain are expected to affect much of the region during the day. Weather officials say 15 to 25mm of rainfall is likely to fal

Cast Jo Donnelly, Catriona McFeely, Clare McMahon, Susan Hoffmann A Ballymena actor is set to take centre stage in a major new theatrical reimagining of George Orwell’s Animal Farm, as Tinderbox Theatre Company prepares to unveil its latest production at the MAC in Belfast. Jo Donnelly, who hails from Ballymena and has built an extensive career across stage, screen and radio , stars in the bold new adaptation, which will receive its world premiere from 18 to 28 February 2026.