NEWS

Jane Rea on the family farm in Shilnavogy in the Antrim hills. (All Images: BBC NI / Below The Radar TV) Jane Rea’s Bloomin’ Wild, a new four-part farming series set on a family farm in Shilnavogy, County Antrim, begins this week on BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer. The series follows the changing seasons in the Antrim Hills, exploring food, craft and Ulster-Scots culture woven into everyday rural life. Filmed on Jane Rea’s family farm in the small townland of Shilnav

The derelict Floral Hall at Belfast Zoo. (Image: David Lee Drone) The historic Floral Hall at Belfast Zoo is set to benefit from a £500,000 investment after Belfast City Council agreed funding as part of its 2026/27 rate setting process, marking a first step towards restoring the landmark Art Deco ballroom in north Belfast. As part of this week’s rate setting decisions, councillors confirmed that £15.8 million has been allocated towards 20 capital projects across the city, in

Waterstone’s Ballymena has unveiled its latest Top 10 bestselling books, with psychological thrillers, heartwarming romance and children’s favourites all performing strongly in store this week. Freida McFadden returns to the top spot, while Dav Pilkey claims two places in the chart, and Rachel Reid continues her winning streak with not one but two romance titles in the list. This week’s Top 10 bestselling books 1. The Housemaid — Freida McFadden The addictive psychological th

Site plan for the proposed BESS in rural Kells, Ballymena A proposed 150MW battery energy storage facility (BESS) at Lisnunnan Road, Kells, is set to be considered by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Planning Committee on Monday night (February 16), with planning officers recommending approval subject to conditions. The application, submitted by Valor Power of 73 Ballyscullion Road, Bellaghy, seeks permission for the erection of a large-scale battery storage facility

Owner of the Bayview Hotel, Trevor Kane is pictured alongside William Munnis, Armoy Motorcycle Road Racing Club Director and Clerk of Course during the recent Irish Motorbike Awards.  The Armoy Road Races 2026 will take place on Friday 24 July and Saturday 25 July, with the Armoy Motorcycle Road Racing Club  (AMRRC) confirming the return of longstanding title sponsor the Bayview Hotel for a 17th consecutive year. The announcement signals a major boost for Northern Ireland roa

Buyers and suppliers (L-R) – The judges: Jonathan Mitchell (Our Brewery’s co-founder), Esther Paul, (Business Development Manager at Armagh Cider Company), Chelsea McCullagh (Marketing Manager at Heaney Brewery), Michael Crealey ( Lead Packaged Buying Manager at Tesco NI), Karen O’Neill (Sales Manager at Anzac Drinks/ Farmageddon Brewing Co), Bernard Sloan (Managing Director at Whitewater Brewery) and Peter McKeever (Production Manager at Longmeadow Cider). A Randalstown-base

L-R John Megaughin, Managing Director at Clearbox, Chris Selwood, Ballymena United Chairman and Neil Coleman, Client Director at Clearbox Ballymena United, one of the leading clubs in the Sports Direct Premiership, has appointed communications consultancy Clearbox to support the club’s marketing and communications campaigns as it looks to strengthen its brand and increase match ticket sales. The NIFL Premiership club confirmed that Clearbox will lead the development and imple

Rhonda Geary, RUAS Group Operations Director and Cormac McKervey, Senior Agriculture Manager, Ulster Bank, kick off the countdown to the 2026 Balmoral Show in partnership with Ulster Bank. The pair are joined by county Antrim farmer, John Cross, who received the award for Champion Clydesdale at the 2025 event. The countdown to Balmoral Show 2026 has officially begun, with the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS) announcing that Ulster Bank will return as principal sponsor

Visual mockup of the Reception at The Bedford Hotel, Belfast A landmark Belfast building has been brought back into use following a multi-million-pound private investment, with The Bedford Hotel now open for bookings from May 2026, creating more than 100 jobs and strengthening confidence in the city’s hospitality and tourism sectors. The hotel is located within the Grade B1 listed Scottish Mutual Building at Donegall Square, a Scottish Baronial-style property dating back to 1

The proposed site for the new Home Bargains store in Antrim, and inset, the newly built Home Bargains store in Ballymena which opened in 2025 Plans for a major new Home Bargains store in Antrim have moved forward after Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council approved a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) submitted by TJ Morris Ltd. The approval marks the first formal stage in the planning process and paves the way for public consultation on proposals to develop a new discoun

(L-R) Orlaith McLoughlin, Paul McHenry (Acting Director of CAFRE), Maynard Mawhinney (Chair of the CAFRE College Advisory Group), Cathal O’Donnell, Lawrence Whyte and Stephen Black. Stephen Black, Principal of Ballymena Academy , has been appointed to the CAFRE College Advisory Group, as the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) confirmed four new members to the strategic body supporting agri-food and rural education in Northern Ireland. The appoin

Waterstone’s Ballymena has unveiled its latest Top 10 bestselling books, with contemporary literary fiction, gripping thrillers and a hugely popular romance title dominating readers’ choices this week. The list highlights a broad range of tastes, from Anne Tyler’s quietly observant storytelling to Freida McFadden’s addictive psychological suspense, alongside strong demand for Irish fiction and prize-winning literary works. This week’s Top 10 bestselling books 1. Three Days in

Ulster Unionist Party leader and North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows has warned that ending academic selection in Northern Ireland would undermine parental choice and distract from the real pressures facing schools, during a debate in the Assembly on Tuesday (3 January). Mr Burrows was speaking during consideration of a private members’ motion tabled by Sinn Féin South Down MLA Cathy Mason , which calls for a time-bound plan to end academic selection and transfer tests as part of p

William Sayers A powerful first-hand account of the dangers faced on Northern Ireland’s farms will be shared in Ballyeaston tomorrow night, as William Sayers addresses a Farm Health and Safety talk hosted by the Ballyeaston Vintage Tractor Club. The free event takes place on Friday 6 February at 7.30pm, at 19 Trenchill Road, Ballyeaston, BT39 9SJ , with tea and refreshments served and everyone welcome. Organisers say the evening is aimed at farmers, families and the wider r

A 1970s County 1254 Ballymena is set to take centre stage in the international vintage machinery market as Europe’s leading agricultural machinery auctioneer, Cheffins , brings one of its flagship Vintage and Classic Tractor sales to Northern Ireland. The high-profile auction marks only the third time in Cheffins’ 200-year history that the firm has taken a major machinery sale across the Irish Sea, underlining both the significance of the event and the growing reputation of N

Pictured celebrating Tayto’s 70th anniversary at Tayto Castle in Tandragee, Co Armagh, are (L-R) Stephen Hutchinson, Anne Hutchinson-Kane and Raymond Hutchinson Northern Ireland’s iconic crisp manufacturer Tayto has kicked off a year-long programme of celebrations to mark its 70th anniversary, unveiling new products, limited-edition packaging and special anniversary branding. Founded in 1956 by Thomas Hutchinson at Tayto Castle in Tandragee, Co Armagh, the family-owned busine

Chief Constable Jon Boutcher The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has issued a final call to anyone considering a career in policing, as applications for Student Officers and Custody Detention Officers enter their final days. The closing date for Student Officer applications is Wednesday 4 February 2026 , while applications for Custody Detention Officers will close on Monday 9 February 2026. Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has urged potential applicants not to miss the

Waterstone’s Ballymena has unveiled its latest Top 10 bestselling books, with literary fiction, psychological thrillers and popular non-fiction continuing to shape readers’ choices as the new year gathers pace. Northern Irish author Jan Carson tops this week’s chart, while bestselling writers Freida McFadden, Maggie O’Farrell and Mel Robbins all feature prominently. The list reflects a broad appetite for thought-provoking fiction, comforting cookery and titles focused on well

Let’s Go Hydro, Belfast Ireland’s “largest water park”, Let’s Go Hydro, is to propose a major new development at its south Belfast site. A pre-application notice (PAN) for the popular Carryduff resort is due to be considered by Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council’s planning committee next week. According to the PAN, the proposal includes the replacement of an existing marquee padel tennis building, the development of a golf driving range and indoor golf simulator facilities,

The derelict Crumlin Road Courthouse in Belfast Plans to transform Belfast’s historic Crumlin Road Courthouse into a Neurodiversity Campus have reached an important milestone after a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) was formally accepted by planners at Belfast City Hall. The PAN, submitted by BBE (NI) Ltd and considered on Monday 26 January, relates to the future redevelopment of the long-derelict courthouse on the Crumlin Road, a landmark building that has stood vacant a