NEWS

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

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

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

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

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Thomas Gordon, is pictured alongside Ross Oliver of Galgorm Castle Golf Club ahead of the NI Legends event coming to the borough from the 2 to 6 September 2026. Northern Ireland’s biggest names in senior professional golf will return to Galgorm this September as the NI Legends tournament brings Major champions, Ryder Cup stars and international players back to Mid and East Antrim. The tournament, part of the Staysure Legends Tour, takes

Metropole Park, Portrush Campaigners hoping to see a dedicated skatepark and urban sports facility on the North Coast are a step closer to that ambition, with work set to begin next month on a masterplan for the long-awaited Metropole Project in Portrush. The study, due to begin in August, marks a fresh attempt to bring forward proposals for a major outdoor recreation space after more than three decades of campaigning and several previous schemes that failed to reach construc

From Alice Feeney’s latest psychological thriller to Jamie Oliver’s ultimate barbecue cookbook, Waterstone’s Ballymena has unveiled this week’s Top 10 bestselling books, alongside exciting new releases, popular book club events and a special back-to-school offer. Whether you’re looking for a page-turning thriller, a literary classic, a romance or the perfect summer read, the latest chart from Waterstone’s Ballymena offers something for every kind of reader. This week’s Top 10

Four centuries of Ballymena’s creative heritage will be celebrated this August as local people are invited to step inside the world of traditional craftsmanship at a free evening showcase featuring live demonstrations, hands-on workshops and an exhibition exploring the town’s rich making tradition. The Traditional Crafts Showcase, hosted by Midtown Makers Gift Shop on Thursday 20 August, forms part of both Ballymena’s 400th anniversary celebrations and August Craft Month—Irel

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Thomas Gordon, is pictured with Shirin Murphy, Heritage Officer, at Carrickfergus Museum ahead of the Mapping Medieval Carrickfergus events In August People with an interest in local history will have the chance to explore what Carrickfergus may have looked like nearly 800 years ago at a free event next month showcasing a new interactive medieval map of the town. On Saturday, 15 August, Carrickfergus Museum will host a day of workshops a

Equine students enjoying unique teaching and learning at CAFRE, Enniskillen Campus. School leavers hoping to build a career working with horses are being encouraged to act quickly, with places still available on a range of equine courses starting this September at CAFRE’s Enniskillen Campus. Applications remain open through UCAS Clearing for degree programmes, while students leaving school after GCSEs can still apply directly for a selection of full-time courses and apprentic

Celebrations with football World Cup winners Spain Prime Video will give football fans an inside look at Spain’s latest World Cup success later this year with an exclusive four-part documentary series charting the national team’s journey to lifting the trophy. The streaming service has confirmed the docuseries will launch worldwide before the end of the year, offering unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the squad that secured Spain’s second World Cup title after defeati

Northern Ireland will gain a new direct air link to Scotland next winter after easyJet announced it will launch flights between Belfast International Airport and Aberdeen. The new service, which begins on 4 January, will operate twice a week on Mondays and Fridays, with easyJet becoming the only airline to offer a direct connection between the two cities. The route is one of three new winter services unveiled by easyJet⁠ on Wednesday, alongside a new Bristol–Strasbourg route

The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Councillor Dawn Huggins, is pictured with Rohan Roy and Ronan O'Donnell from Maiden City, and Levi Weir and Archie Muir from Ballymena United, who will compete in the Minor Section of the 2026 Budget Energy SuperCupNI. Causeway Coast and Glens is preparing to welcome thousands of visitors from around the world as the 2026 Budget Energy SuperCupNI returns next week, bringing six days of elite youth football and a significa

Two of the three lion brothers now at home in Belfast Zoo Three endangered Northern lion brothers have arrived at Belfast Zoo, giving visitors the chance to see one of the world’s rarest big cat populations while strengthening an international effort to protect the species from extinction. Kumo, Djibo and Mao arrived at the Cave Hill zoo on 15 July after travelling from Zoo de La Boissière du Doré near Nantes in western France. Their transfer forms part of the European Associ

One of Northern Ireland’s best-known celebrations of heritage, machinery and country life returns to Ballymena this week as the Ballymena Steam Rally gets under way with three days of steam engines, vintage vehicles, road runs and family attractions. The Ballymena Steam Rally runs from Thursday 23 July to Saturday 25 July at Ballymena Livestock Market, bringing together historic machinery, classic vehicles, traditional crafts and family entertainment before culminating in Sat