NEWS

Poultry keepers across Northern Ireland will be allowed to let their birds outside again from next week, after Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir confirmed the lifting of compulsory housing measures introduced to curb the spread of avian influenza. The restrictions, which have been in place since 6 November 2025, will be lifted from 00:01 on Tuesday 5 May 2026, marking a significant shift in disease control measures following months of heightened vigilance across the sector. Th

Residents across Mid and East Antrim are being invited to collect free compost from local Household Recycling Centres (HRCs) as part of a borough-wide initiative to promote sustainability and reduce landfill waste. The scheme, delivered by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council in partnership with Natural World Products (NWP), will run for a limited four-day period from Wednesday 6 May to Saturday 9 May 2026, marking International Compost Awareness Week. During the initiative, h

A powerful programme of remembrance in Ballymena will shine a local light on one of Northern Ireland’s darkest wartime chapters, as the 85th anniversary of the German air raids of 1941 is marked with a deeply personal focus on Mid Antrim lives lost. The commemorative event, titled German Air Raids: A Mid Antrim Perspective, will take place at Ballymena Services Club on Wednesday 6th May 2026 at 7:30pm, forming part of a wider series organised by Mid and East Antrim Borough Co

Drugs seized during the police operation at Larne Harbour, County Antrim Detectives have seized suspected drugs worth an estimated £4 million following a major cross-border operation targeting organised crime, after a lorry travelling from Scotland to Larne Harbour was stopped and searched on Monday, 27 April. The operation, led by the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Organised Crime Branch in collaboration with the An Garda Síochána National Drugs & Organised Crime Burea

Proud winners - the Travelmax Ballymena team. A family-run Ballymena business has made history after being named the UK & Ireland’s top travel agency — the first time a Northern Ireland company has ever secured the industry’s highest honour. Travelmax, a female-led agency marking its 25th year in business, claimed the overall title at the prestigious TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies Awards, alongside two additional major accolades, in a landmark night for the local firm. The awards

Waterstone’s Ballymena has revealed its latest Top 10 bestselling books, with high-octane thrillers, fantasy favourites and a strong showing from local author Jan Carson reflecting another busy week for readers in the town. From Lee Child’s latest action-driven release to rising demand for immersive fantasy and contemporary fiction, the chart highlights a wide mix of genres capturing the attention of Ballymena book lovers. Top 10 for this week A blend of page-turning suspense

Scenes from the Bluebell Festival today (Saturday 25 April) at Portglenone Forest. (All pics: Steven McAuley / McAuley Multimedia) Residents and visitors from across Northern Ireland gathered in large numbers at Portglenone Forest on Saturday 25 April, as the 2026 Bluebell Festival transformed the woodland into a vibrant celebration of nature, community, and outdoor activity. The annual event, organised by the MEA Outdoors team from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, saw fa

(L-R) Kiran Minhas, Principal Katy Lynas Craig and Clare McGall A Ballymena nursery school has become the first in Northern Ireland to receive the highest level of recognition for its approach to children’s emotional wellbeing, marking a significant milestone in early years education across the region. Ballymena Integrated Nursery School has been awarded ‘gold standard’ Togetherness school accreditation — the top tier of a UK-wide scheme led by NHS-backed emotional health exp

Kurt Harmer, Dealer Principal of Ballymena Honda, and Honda Racing’s John McGuinness, presented five Honda Fireblades and three Honda CBR600RR machines to Mervyn Whyte, Race Director of the Briggs Equipment North West 200 at the recent re-opening of the revamped Ballymena Honda showroom, in Co. Antrim. (Pics by: Stephen Davison) Ballymena Honda and Feridax have reinforced the safety operation at this year’s Briggs Equipment North West 200 by supplying a fleet of high-performa

Officers from the PSNI’s Safe Transport Team on patrol on the train network over the weekend. Police activity across the rail network between Ballymena and Belfast has resulted in an arrest and a series of drug-related sanctions, following targeted patrols by the PSNI’s Safe Transport Team. The operation, carried out on Saturday, April 18, saw officers focusing on both train services and key transport hubs, with enforcement action taken against several passengers found in pos

Main Street, Portglenone Police in Ballymena are appealing for information following a reported assault outside a bar in Portglenone last month, with officers seeking witnesses and any available footage to assist their investigation. The incident is understood to have taken place at approximately 10.00pm on Tuesday, 17 March 2026, outside The Fiddler’s Rest in the village. Appeal for witnesses and information Officers have confirmed they are actively investigating the circums

Classic car owners from across Northern Ireland are preparing to descend on Glenarm Castle this weekend for a major vintage motoring event that blends heritage, community and charity — with thousands of pounds expected to be raised for Childline. Organised by the Ulster Vauxhall Opel Classic Community (UVOCC), ‘Drive it Day’ will take place on Sunday 26 April , bringing together historic vehicles and families for a scenic run along the Antrim Coast Road, culminating in a publ

Passengers across Northern Ireland are being urged to plan ahead for the early May Bank Holiday, as Translink confirms revised bus and rail timetables alongside cross-border rail disruption due to engineering works. Holiday timetables in place across bus network Translink has announced that all bus services will operate on holiday or weekend timetables on Monday, 4 May. This includes Metro, Glider, Ulsterbus and Goldliner services, meaning reduced or altered frequencies compa

Aerial overview including proposed changes at Galgorm Castle, Ballymena Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has received a full planning application for the restoration of Galgorm Castle for hotel use, as part of a £14 million investment. The proposed development at the estate outside Ballymena includes the restoration of the stables and courtyard for hotel use, an extension to the outer courtyard building, and the change of use of existing business units to hotel accommodati

(L-R) Stephen Baillie, Treasurer, Ballymena Table Tennis Club, Martin Mann, Vice-Chair of Ballymena Branch of Parkinson’s UK, Winifred McHugh, member of the Ballymena Branch and Bran Shannon, member of Parkinson's Bat ‘n’ Chat in Ballymena. A community initiative supporting people living with Parkinson’s in Ballymena has received a timely boost, after Ballymena Table Tennis Club donated £480 to help sustain and grow the popular Bat ‘n’ Chat sessions. The funding will support

Pic: Phill McAlinney at Irish Transport Heritage Dozens of historic and modern buses will take to the roads of Northern Ireland this weekend as leading manufacturer Wrightbus marks the start of its 80th anniversary year with a major public rally culminating at Stormont. The large-scale event on Saturday, April 25 will see a convoy of heritage buses and coaches travel from the Ulster Transport Museum in Cultra to the Stormont estate, bringing together decades of engineering hi

Ballymena racer Brandon McCaughan on track in the Ligier European Series. (Pics: DPPI Images) A blistering opening to the 2026 Ligier European Series saw Ballymena driver Brandon McCaughan lead both races in Barcelona—only for penalties to strip away what could have been a double podium finish. The Northern Irish prototype racing prospect showcased standout speed across the opening round at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (10–11 April), but a combination of pitstop and restart

The winning team from the Rotary Club Generation Chef competition, are pictured with, from left, Georgie Briota, Business Development Manager at Galgorm Collection, Iris Houston, General Manager, Adair Arms Hotel, Gary Stewart, Judge and Chef Tartine of Distillers Arms, Chad Shaw, Northern Ireland Hospitality School, Samantha Wade, Quinn Merrigan, Northern Ireland Hospitality School, Eddie McGarvey, Judge and Chef at Salt House, Debbie Chestnutt, President of Ballymena Rotary

Jailed: Curtis Dunlop (23) A 23-year-old man who took part in sustained rioting on the streets of Ballymena during three nights of disorder last summer has been jailed for 32 months, as police reiterated their commitment to pursuing all those involved in the violence. Kurtis Dunlop, 23, was sentenced at Antrim Crown Court on Monday, 20 April, after pleading guilty to the offence of riot linked to the disturbances that erupted in June 2025. He will serve half of the sentence —

Gallaher Trust’s Chairman, Ian Paisley, alongside Trustees, Lauren McAteer and James Perry MBE . A major funding push aimed at driving job creation and skills development across Ballymena has been launched, as The Gallaher Trust reopens applications for 2027 projects alongside a landmark event marking the town’s 400th anniversary. Business leaders, social enterprises and charities are being urged to step forward with new ideas as £400,000 in funding becomes available, with or