NEWS

Summer fiction, psychological thrillers and literary favourites continue to capture readers’ attention at Waterstone’s Ballymena, with this week’s bestseller chart showcasing an eclectic mix of contemporary novels, timeless classics and anticipated new releases. The latest update from the Ballymena bookshop also highlights half-price offers, new titles from bestselling authors, an exclusive Gruffalo pre-order promotion, back-to-school offers and the newly announced 2026 Booke

Ballymena Pet Vets on Henry Street, Ballymena For most pet owners, there are few decisions more important than choosing the right vet. Whether it’s an excited puppy’s first vaccination, an ageing dog beginning to slow down, a rabbit refusing to eat or the heartbreaking moment a beloved companion becomes seriously ill, every visit comes with one thing in common: trust. It’s that trust that Ballymena Pet Vets has worked to earn since opening its independent practice on Henry St

Amble and John Creedon in Creedon's Musical Atlas of Ireland 2026 (Episode 2) Music, memory and identity take centre stage this weekend as John Creedon returns to RTÉ One with a new series exploring the stories behind Ireland’s musical heritage. The broadcaster’s acclaimed documentary series, Creedon’s Musical Atlas of Ireland, begins on Sunday 2 August at 6.30pm, taking viewers on a journey across the country to discover how music has helped shape Irish identity through gene

Lyra McKee, 29, was killed after being shot by terrorists on 18 April 2019 Detectives investigating the murder of journalist Lyra McKee have renewed their appeal for information more than seven years after she was shot dead during disorder in Derry/Londonderry, as an independent charity offers a reward of up to £20,000 for information leading to those responsible being brought to justice. The renewed appeal is backed by the independent charity Crimestoppers, which is offering

David Kelly flew to his first ever ITRC win on the Circuit of Ireland. (PHOTO: D Harrigan Images) The countdown is on to one of Northern Ireland’s biggest motorsport weekends, with the 50th Modern Tyres Ulster Rally set to bring thousands of competitors, fans and visitors to Ballymena and across County Antrim on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 August. The landmark anniversary event will feature many of the UK’s and Ireland’s leading rally drivers, iconic closed-road stages through no

Northern Ireland’s skiers and snowboarders can now book their Winter 2027/28 flights to the Austrian Alps after Jet2.com launched its latest ski programme from Belfast International Airport. The airline has put its weekly Saturday service to Salzburg on sale, giving travellers the opportunity to secure flights more than a year in advance for the 2027/28 ski season. Weekly flights to Austria Jet2.com said the service will operate from mid-December 2027 and continue throughout

Grove Road, Ballymena Drivers in Ballymena are being warned to expect up to eight weeks of disruption as a £627,000 resurfacing scheme gets under way on Grove Road next month. The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has confirmed that resurfacing work on the C109 Grove Roadwill begin on Monday 10 August, with the project expected to continue until Wednesday 7 October, subject to weather conditions. What road is affected? The £627,000 investment will see 2.17 kilometres of Gro

Barry Cummins and Katja Mia present the new RTÉ podcast series, ‘Unsolved’. (Photo: Marc O'Sullivan) A new RTÉ true crime podcast examining some of Ireland’s most enduring unsolved criminal cases has launched today, aiming to keep long-running investigations in the public eye while giving victims and their families a renewed voice. Unsolved, released every Wednesday, explores unsolved murders and other unresolved crimes from across Ireland, with experienced crime journalist B

Photo: D Harrigan Images Ballymena will become the centre of Northern Ireland motorsport next week as the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally celebrates its 50th anniversary with a new home and the return of some of the country’s most famous stages. For the first time in seven years, the rally has moved north from Newry, with Ballymena Showgrounds serving as the hub for the landmark event on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 August. The venue will host Rally HQ, the service park, scrutiny, media

A leading County Armagh historian will visit Broughshane this week to give a public presentation examining one of the most significant events in Irish and British history ahead of the annual Relief of Derry commemorations next month. The Broughshane Branch of the Apprentice Boys of Derry is hosting historian Quincey Dougan for an evening exploring the Siege of Derry and the history of the Apprentice Boys, with the talk taking place on Wednesday 29 July at Broughshane Orange H

Inset: Health Minister Mike Nesbitt Northern Ireland shoppers could soon see fewer multibuy offers on unhealthy food and drinks under proposals aimed at tackling the region’s growing obesity problem. The Department of Health (DoH) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) have launched a public consultation on introducing new restrictions on the promotion and placement of foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS), bringing Northern Ireland into line with measures already in place el

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Thomas Gordon joins Walk Leaders from Ballycarry who are bringing neighbours together through walking as part of the new Walking for All initiative in the area. A community walking group in Ballycarry has quickly grown into one of the largest in Mid and East Antrim, with organisers now encouraging more people to lace up their walking shoes and get involved. Since launching earlier this year, the Ballycarry Walking Group has attracted aro

Thousands of young people across Northern Ireland are being urged to book a free MenB vaccination from this week, as the Public Health Agency (PHA) launches a programme aimed at protecting those most at risk before they start university or residential college this autumn. The vaccination programme opens on Thursday 31 July and will be available through GP practices and participating community pharmacies. Health officials say the vaccine could help prevent life-threatening men

Five newly trained volunteer Walk Leaders are set to help more people in Cushendall enjoy free weekly community walks aimed at improving health, wellbeing and social connection. The volunteers, all members of the Cushendall Development Group, recently completed Walk Leader training and will now support the local Walking for All group, which meets every Tuesday at 1pm. The initiative is designed to encourage people of all ages and abilities to get outdoors, enjoy gentle exerci

Motorists in the Larne area are being warned to expect significant disruption from next week as a major £854,000 road resurfacing project gets underway, bringing a continuous five-week closure to part of the B99 Waterfall Road and Watch Hill Road. The Department for Infrastructure scheme will resurface almost 3km of road between the Ballyrickard Road/Waterfall Road junction and the New Line junction, with work due to begin on Monday 3 August. Five-week closure planned To allo

Electrical recycling point at one of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Household Recycling Centres (HRC) Residents across Mid and East Antrim are being urged to take extra care when disposing of batteries, vapes and electrical items after a series of potentially dangerous fire incidents at the borough’s Household Recycling Centres. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council says several recent near-misses have been caused by items being placed in the wrong recycling containers,

A model of Lightning McQueen, commissioned by Disney Pixar will make a visit to Ballymena this week Families across Ballymena will have the chance to meet a real-life Lightning McQueen this week as a remarkable Disney-commissioned replica of the much-loved Pixar character arrives at Raceview Karting for a special charity fundraising event. The famous fibreglass car, which was originally created in the United States as a promotional vehicle for the Cars 2 film premiere and lat

A husband-and-wife team who transformed a Ballymena warehouse into one of Northern Ireland’s most popular family attractions are about to do it again. This August, Chris and Joanna Robinson, the founders of the hugely successful Honeybees Playtown, will open the doors to LEVEL UP Entertainment Centre — a brand new attraction designed to bring children, teenagers and adults together for a completely different kind of family day out. Opening next door to Honeybees in Pennybridg

Visitors looking for a taste of local creativity, fresh produce and community spirit can find it all at Glenarm Community Market, which returns on the first Saturday of every month. Held in the heart of the historic village, in the Eglinton Yard Barn, the free market has become a popular stop for both locals and tourists exploring the Antrim Coast, offering everything from handmade crafts and artwork to locally reared food in a relaxed, family-friendly setting. A showcase for

Sam Gamble, Tournament Co-ordinator of the Budget Energy SuperCupNI, Ryan Young, Creative Partner at Astutely, and budding young footballer Theo Lever are pictured launching the new official Budget Energy SuperCupNI website and mobile app ahead of the 2026 tournament. The Budget Energy SuperCupNI has unveiled a new official website and mobile app ahead of this week’s tournament, giving thousands of players, families and football fans a single place to follow every fixture, re