NEWS

A major new cross-border attempt to tackle bovine tuberculosis across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland has secured £4 million in public funding — but questions are already being raised over whether it will deliver real change for farming families living through repeated herd breakdowns. DAERA Minister Andrew Muir confirmed the funding allocation on Tuesday as part of a wider research programme focused on reducing bovine TB in cattle across the Derry and Strabane a

Passengers travelling between Belfast and Dublin on Enterprise rail services are being warned to expect delays and bus transfers for three days after engineering works forced the closure of part of the line south of the border. The rail line between Dundalk and Dublin will close from Saturday 30 May until Monday 1 June inclusive, with replacement buses operating for affected sections of the journey. The disruption is expected to affect passengers travelling between Northern I

A new season of Back From The Brink is set to shine a spotlight on the hidden wildlife thriving in cities across Ireland and Europe — from suburban Dublin foxes enjoying “The Full Irish” to Belfast’s breathtaking starling murmurations and peregrine falcons nesting high above Cork City. Returning for a fifth season this weekend, the acclaimed RTÉ wildlife series follows conservationists, researchers and local communities working to protect species increasingly pushed to the ed

New research spanning the island of Ireland has exposed major gaps in the support available to pregnant and postpartum women trying to stay physically active — with researchers warning that thousands are being left without clear guidance during one of the most challenging periods of their lives. The findings, released during Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week 2026, reveal that while physical activity is widely recognised as beneficial before and after childbirth, many wome

AIB Branch Manager Peter Hughes pictured with RNLI staff and volunteer crew at the 2026 AIB Community Fund launch Communities across Ballymena and Northern Ireland are being urged to nominate local charities for support after AIB officially launched the fifth year of its Community €1 Million Fund — with additional funding added this year to mark the bank’s 60th anniversary. The initiative, which has already supported nearly 300 charities across the island of Ireland since 202

Ireland will host the largest-ever GAA World Games this July, with a record 115 teams from across the globe set to descend on Waterford for the five-day tournament. The international event, running from 13th to 17th July 2026, will bring together thousands of players competing in Gaelic football, hurling, camogie and LGFA, marking a major milestone in the global growth of Gaelic games. Europe drives surge in global participation Europe will form one of the strongest contingen

Westlife are set to take centre stage on this week’s Late Late Show as the chart-topping group returns for the final episode of the season, marking a major moment in their 25th anniversary celebrations and a packed year ahead for fans across Ireland and Northern Ireland. Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne will lead the line-up with a performance of three of their biggest hits, alongside a surprise collaboration being kept tightly under wraps. The trio will also sit down w

Stonemason Julia Gebel, based in Tipperary A major new RTÉ documentary series is set to bring Ireland’s fading traditional crafts back into sharp focus, revealing the lives, pressures and passion behind skills that risk disappearing in a fast-moving, digital-first world. Launching on Monday, April 27 at 8:30pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, Masters: Keepers of Tradition explores six rare crafts through the personal stories of the people who have dedicated their lives to preservin

Doireann Ní Ghlacáin and Anton Savage at Ravensdale, Co. Louth in RTÉ‘s latest series of Tracks & Trails Spring’s most soothing television watch is back this week as RTÉ’s much-loved walking series Tracks & Trails returns for its 13th season, bringing viewers across some of Ireland’s most spectacular landscapes — including a dedicated Northern Ireland episode featuring Belfast’s Cave Hill and Rathlin Island, Co Antrim. The new five-part series begins this Friday, 10 April, at

A remarkable double discovery in County Tyrone is shining new light on Ireland’s ancient past—while safeguarding its future. Within weeks of each other, a previously unknown burial cairn dating back up to 5,000 years and a 5,500-year-old Neolithic court tomb have both been uncovered and preserved near Omagh, as part of environmental and conservation work led by NI Water and local partners. The finds are not only archaeologically significant—they reveal how modern environmenta

Golf Ireland outgoing President Michael Evans and new President Fiona Delargy at the Golf Ireland AGM in the Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone. (Photo credit: Bryan Keane / Inpho.) A proud moment for the north coast — and a landmark for women in sport — as Cushendall’s Fiona Delargy has been appointed President of Golf Ireland, becoming the first Ulster woman to take on the prestigious role. Her appointment was confirmed at the organisation’s 2026 National AGM, held on Saturday (Marc

A major €40million funding programme aimed at transforming communities and strengthening relationships in Mid and East Antrim, across Northern Ireland and border regions is now fully open — offering local groups a rare chance to turn ideas into real-world impact. The PEACEPLUS Change Maker Funding Programme will provide grants of up to €100,000 for grassroots initiatives designed to bring people together across communities and borders, with a strong focus on building lasting

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald is pictured at the Giant’s Causeway. Visitor numbers from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland surged in 2025, delivering a major boost to the local economy with spending jumping by almost a third in a single year. New figures show a 15% rise in trips from the south, alongside a striking 31% increase in visitor spending — a trend being hailed as a powerful sign of growing cross-border tourism momentum. Strong growth in trips and sp

A new BBC Northern Ireland series sees Ronan Keating return to his roots, taking viewers on a personal and visually rich journey along Ireland’s iconic Wild Atlantic Coast. Ronan Keating’s Wild Atlantic blends travel, family, and heritage, offering audiences an intimate look at the places and experiences that have shaped the Irish star’s life. A personal journey along the west coast The series charts an ambitious route through some of Ireland’s most striking coastal counties

Pictured Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows MLA, Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee TD and Dr Steve Aiken OBE MLA A meeting between Ulster Unionist Party leaders and Ireland’s Foreign Minister has placed legacy issues from the Troubles and regional security firmly back on the political agenda. Party Leader Jon Burrows MLA , accompanied by Dr Steve Aiken OBE MLA , met Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee TD on Monday (February 9) in what he described as a “constructiv

(L-R) Eva Lilly Beckett and Taleen Eldris, pictured with Ballymena Academy Principal Mr Stephen Black, and school netball coach, Julie-Anne Cairns Two Ballymena Academy pupils are set to step onto the European stage this week — and they are doing it in an Ireland dress. Taleen Eldris and Eva Lilly Beckett have been selected to represent Ireland at the upcoming Netball Europe event in Aberdeen, taking place from Friday 6 March to Sunday 8 March 2026. The international tournam

First Minister and deputy First Minister welcomed Catherine Connolly, President of Ireland to Stormont Castle during her visit to Belfast. Pictured left to right are: First Minister Michelle O’Neill, President of Ireland Catherine Connolly and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly. First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly have welcomed Catherine Connolly, President of Ireland , to Stormont Castle during her official visit to Belfas

Catherine Sherry, a 42-year-old mother from Co Armagh, died after being forced to travel to London for treatment that was available around 60 miles away in Dublin Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council is to write to the Health Ministers in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to seek progress on an all-Ireland provision of CAR T-cell therapy. The move follows a successful motion brought forward by Sinn Féin councillor Leanne Peacock at the council’s Corporate

(L-R) Professor Mark Lawler, Professor of Digital Health at Queen’s University Belfast and Co-Lead of the eHealth Hub for Cancer; Margaret Grayson, Patient Advocate, Northern Ireland Cancer Research Consumer Forum (NICRCF); Minister of Health for Northern Ireland, Mike Nesbitt; Miriam Staunton, Chairperson, United Cancer Advocates Network Ireland (UCAN); and Professor Aedin Culhane, Professor of Cancer at University of Limerick and Programme Co-Lead of the eHealth Hub for Can

Primark Dubai International fashion retailer Primark has confirmed the next phase of its Middle East expansion, announcing plans to open stores in Bahrain and Qatar alongside its highly anticipated launch in Dubai, bringing the brand’s global footprint to 21 countries by the end of 2026. The expansion follows the successful opening of Primark’s first-ever Middle East store at The Avenues in Kuwait in October 2025, which attracted thousands of shoppers and marked a significant