NEWS

Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Dawn Huggins with Coleraine FC Captain Lyndon Kane and Coleraine Football Club’s Chief Executive Officer, Dale Pryde-MacDonald, Johnny Fielding, Chairman of Coleraine Connect, Alderman Mark Fielding and Councillor Tanya Elder. Coleraine FC’s Irish Cup-winning season will be celebrated with a major family-friendly event in the heart of the town next month, giving supporters the chance to honour the players, staff and community th

A major new weight-loss treatment has been approved for use in the UK, marking the first time a GLP-1 receptor agonist tablet has been authorised for weight management rather than requiring injections. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced on Thursday, June 11, that the semaglutide tablet, marketed under the Wegovy brand, has met the regulator’s standards for safety, quality and effectiveness and can now be prescribed to eligible patients ac

Families shopping at M&S could see noticeable savings on everything from salmon and mince to eggs, ketchup and freezer staples after the retailer announced a major £30 million investment in lowering food prices across more than 65 everyday products. The move marks one of the retailer’s biggest pushes yet to compete more aggressively for regular weekly food shops, with M&S insisting customers will still get the same quality ingredients and sourcing standards rather than a stri

Vintage tractors, roaring motorcycles and classic engines will roll back into Craigywarren this weekend as one of Mid Antrim’s best-known rural rally events prepares for two packed days of family entertainment, road runs and community celebration in memory of Jackie McLaughlin. The Craigywarren Vintage Rally returns on Friday 12 June and Saturday 13 June, bringing together vintage vehicle enthusiasts, bikers, traders and families from across Northern Ireland for a busy progra

McDonald’s Ballymena Ballymena’s McDonald’s restaurant is set to reopen tomorrow following a major £1.1 million transformation that has expanded the site, modernised operations and created 20 new jobs in the town. The popular restaurant at Braidwater Retail Park has been closed for six weeks while builders moved in for an extensive refurbishment designed to tackle one very modern fast-food problem — too many delivery drivers, too little space, and customers wondering where ex

Views across Tullygarley bridge toward the proposed housing development site near the River Braid Planning officers have recommended approval for a controversial housing development beside Ballymena’s Braid River Walk despite months of fierce opposition from residents, environmental concerns and a petition backed by hundreds of people. The proposal, which has triggered one of the most emotionally charged local planning disputes in Ballymena in recent years, would see 28 new h

James McHenry (1817-91) pictured in Paris on railroad business, 1861. (Image: Carte de visite, James McHenry, 1861 – Allegheny College Library Special Collections) A powerful 19th century financier who once moved in the same circles as some of the biggest names in American industry has been largely erased from history for more than a century — but groundbreaking new research is now bringing his extraordinary story back into the spotlight. Historian Dr Barry Henderson is se

Pictured: South Antrim MP Robin Swann South Antrim MP Robin Swann is set to host a public conservation event in Toome focused on protecting native swifts as concern grows over the future of the birds across Northern Ireland. The free event will take place between 1pm and 2pm on Friday 12 June at the Lock Keeper’s Cottage in Toome as part of the upcoming Great Big Green Week. Mr Swann will be joined by local swift conservationists, including representatives from the RSPB Antri

(L-R): Ralph McLean (BBC Radio Ulster), Daniel Coulter, Luke Bell and Páidí Muldoon (last year’s winners, 4AM Club), Chris Nelmes (The Boulevard Banbridge), and Alderman Stephen Moutray, Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council. Musicians, singers and street performers from across County Antrim are being urged to grab their instruments, warm up their voices and head for Banbridge later this month as Buskfest 2026 returns with its biggest prize fund y

Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick pictured alongside the son of Stoker Sammy Bannister, Andy Bannister at a special memorial plaque at Hazelbank Park. A deeply personal chapter of Northern Ireland’s naval history has been permanently commemorated in County Antrim following the unveiling of a new memorial honouring local sailors caught up in one of the Royal Navy’s most dramatic post-war incidents. Family members travelled from across the UK and beyo

Design drawing showing elevations of proposed new social homes in Antrim A planning application has been lodged with Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council for a proposed new social housing development in Antrim’s Ballycraigy estate. The application for full planning permission has been submitted by an agent on behalf of 10 Main Street Ltd for the demolition of Hazeldene Flats at Newpark Road South and the construction of 30 new units. If approved, the development will consi

Benone Holiday and Coastal Park A major expansion of caravan and motorhome provision at Benone Holiday and Coastal Park has moved a step closer after Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council backed plans to explore space for an additional 70 touring pitches. The proposal comes amid growing demand for caravan tourism across the north coast, with councillors saying the current Benone site becomes overcrowded during busy periods and now risks falling behind expanding private hol

Farmers allowing calving seasons to drift over long periods are quietly losing efficiency, calf weight and profitability, according to a new warning from CAFRE beef and sheep adviser Jack Friar. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise says maintaining a compact calving pattern remains one of the clearest indicators of reproductive performance in suckler herds — with late-calving cows creating a knock-on effect that can become increasingly difficult to reverse. M

Radio presenter Carolyn Stewart One of Northern Ireland’s most recognisable radio voices has announced her departure from U105 after more than two decades on air, telling listeners she is “no longer a presenter” at the Belfast-based station. Carolyn Stewart confirmed the news in a social media statement published on Sunday, 7 June, bringing an abrupt end to a broadcasting career at U105 that spanned the station’s entire existence. In the post, Carolyn wrote: “I regret to info

(L-R) George Best and Pelé. ©Getty Images American showmanship, global superstars and packed stadiums helped reshape modern football decades before the Premier League boom — and a new BBC Northern Ireland series is set to revisit the extraordinary rise, collapse and rebirth of soccer in the United States. Pitch Invasion: How The USA Changed Soccer tells the story of how America helped transform the global game, from the glitzy rise of the North American Soccer League (NASL) i

(L-R) Judy Nelson (RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer), Ruby & Sam (RNLI Lifeguards), Ivor Paul (RNLI Launch Authority), Perry Walton (RNLI Coxswain), Garth Anderson (The Causeway Shantymen Engagement Officer and Event Lead), Chris Millar (The Causeway Shantymen Chairman and Musical Director) Northern Ireland’s coastline will ring with sea shanties, maritime storytelling and traditional music this summer as The Causeway Shantymen prepare to host a major cross-country Shanty Weekend

Bestselling literary fiction, psychological thrillers and fantasy adventures are continuing to dominate the shelves at Waterstone’s Ballymena, with Maggie O’Farrell’s latest novel climbing to the top of this week’s bestseller chart. The latest weekly update from the Ballymena store also highlights Father’s Day gift ideas, upcoming book clubs and a fresh selection of new paperbacks and major new releases arriving in time for summer reading season. Top 10 this week This week’s

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons is pictured at the unveiling of the UNESCO plaque at Gracehill along with (L-R) Sarah Groves, former Bishop of Gracehill Moravian Church, outgoing Deputy Mayor, Councillor Tyler Hoey, outgoing Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford, Alderman William McCaughey, Alderman Thomas Gordon, Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant Mr David McCorkell and Chair of Gracehill Old School Trust, Dr David Johnston OBE. Northern Ireland’s first cultu

A young people’s group is to be given a key role in helping shape plans for a new skate park in Antrim. Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has approved proposals for a new “granite-style skate plaza” with floodlighting at the Peace Play Park beside Antrim Forum. Councillors backed the project during a meeting of the local authority’s Operations Committee last month. A report presented behind closed doors said the project would “adopt the design and engagement approach us

Ballymena United supporters are being promised cheaper football, exclusive rewards and a smoother matchday experience after the club officially launched season tickets for the 2026/27 campaign with prices frozen across every category. In a move likely to be welcomed by fans facing continued cost-of-living pressures, the club confirmed there will be no increase in season ticket prices ahead of the new NIFL Premiership season, while introducing a new ticketing platform and a pa