NEWS

Neil Coleman (left) pictured with Ballymena United FC Chairman Chris Selwood Ballymena United FC has announced the appointment of experienced football communications specialist Neil Coleman as the club’s new Director of Communications and Marketing ahead of the 2026/2027 season. The appointment sees Coleman join the Sky Blues’ senior management structure with responsibility for overseeing the club’s communications strategy, media relations, digital platforms and wider brand d

Ballymena Rail and Bus Centre Motorists and public transport passengers in Ballymena are being warned to expect disruption for much of the summer as major roadworks linked to the expansion of the town’s Park & Ride facility get underway from Monday, 1 June. The works, centred around the busy Galgorm Road and Waveney Road junction near Ballymena Train Station, are expected to continue until the end of August 2026 as part of a significant upgrade project aimed at dramatically i

Thousands of households across Northern Ireland are facing another rise in energy costs this summer after both Power NI and firmus energy announced significant price increases coming into force from 1 July. The twin increases mean many families already under pressure from rising living costs will now see both electricity and gas bills climb again within weeks, with suppliers blaming global wholesale markets, network charges and ongoing international conflict for the latest hi

McGroggan’s shop on William Street, serving up its last scoops of ice cream after 103 years in Ballymena town centre McGroggan’s owner Patricia McGroggan has spoken of the heartbreak behind the closure of the iconic Ballymena ice cream shop, revealing how soaring costs, collapsing town centre footfall, Brexit disruption and changing shopping habits ultimately brought an end to the 103-year-old family business. The William Street shop — famous across generations for its vanill

Cullybackey Orange Hall and arch stand proudly in the village Cullybackey is set to host a landmark moment in the local parading calendar next month as Ballymena District LOL No. 8 brings its first-ever District Mini 12th parade to the village in what organisers are describing as a major community celebration. The historic event, taking place on Saturday 27 June 2026, is expected to draw families, supporters, bands and spectators from across the wider Ballymena area for a day

Another major order for electric buses has been placed with Ballymena manufacturer Wrightbus, strengthening the company’s growing role at the centre of the UK’s transition to cleaner public transport and securing further work for Northern Ireland’s manufacturing sector. Transport for Greater Manchester has confirmed an additional order for 125 electric buses for the Bee Network, with the fleet to be built by Wrightbus as the region pushes towards a fully electric bus network

Nine-year-old Ballymena boy Joshua Mairs who underwent emergency surgery in the Royal Victoria Hospital after being hit by an e-scooter in Cullybackey A nine-year-old boy has undergone surgery for a shattered elbow after being knocked down in a collision involving an e-scooter in Cullybackey — forcing his family to cancel a long-planned holiday and prompting a fresh warning to parents about the dangers of the illegal machines. Joshua Mairs was walking back from Cullybackey Pa

A man was taken to hospital after being stabbed during a motorcycle event in Carrickfergus on Wednesday evening, prompting a major police appeal for witnesses and footage from members of the public. Detectives said the incident happened in the Rodgers Quay area of the town shortly after 7.30pm during the popular ‘Storming the Castle’ bike meet near Carrickfergus Castle. Police said the victim suffered a stab wound to the chest along with head injuries following an altercation

At the launch of the new Chatty Bench at Devenagh Way, Ballymena: Mid & East Antrim Mayor Jackson Minford; Councillor Brian Thompson; Roy McClean, Housing Executive; Marjorie Hawkins, Chair of the Loneliness Network; Councillor Bréanainn Lyness; with some local residents. Two new ‘Chatty Benches’ have been installed in Ballymena as part of an ongoing effort to tackle loneliness and social isolation across Mid and East Antrim. The latest benches — located at The Rectory Estat

Police are investigating after a man was stabbed in a Ballymena housing estate during the early hours of Thursday morning. Emergency services were called to the Dunclug Park area shortly before 7.45am on Thursday 28 May following reports of a stabbing. It is understood Northern Ireland Air Ambulance also was tasked to the incident. The male victim received medical treatment at the scene before being taken for further care. His injuries are not believed to be life threatening

Police are investigating after a pipe bomb exploded outside an occupied home in Broughshane late on Wednesday night, causing extensive damage and leaving residents shaken but unharmed. The attack happened in the Rectory Gardens area at around 11pm on Wednesday, May 27, when a device was reportedly placed on the living room window ledge of the property while three people were inside. The explosion caused major damage to the home, blowing out windows and damaging the living roo

The Garron Plateau, part of the Antrim Hills. (Image: GOA Insta) North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has warned that more must be done to protect the North Antrim Hills from the threat of wildfires this summer, arguing current measures are not enough as dry conditions increase concern across Northern Ireland. The DUP representative raised the issue directly with Andrew Muir, questioning what action the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is taking to reduc

Ballymena boxer Ella McDonald A Ballymena woman who only started boxing in her mid-twenties is preparing to make her professional debut next month after an extraordinary rise through the amateur ranks that has already seen her claim major titles, win international medals and train alongside some of the best fighters in Ireland. At just 28 years old, Ella McDonald will step into the professional game for the first time at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall on June 26 — a moment she onc

Winning: Boxing talent Kain Stewart from Ballymena A brother and sister from Ballymena have returned from the WKO European Championships with multiple European titles after producing a series of dominant performances against some of the continent’s top young fighters. Lacey Stewart and her younger brother Kain Stewart — already rapidly rising names in local combat sports — travelled to Barnsley representing Cuchulainn Combat Sports under Ballymena MMA figure Alan “Super Ali”

TUV party leader and North Antrim MP Jim Allister, new party candidate Kirk Wilson, and current North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston The TUV has unveiled its two-candidate team for next year’s Assembly election in North Antrim, setting out an explicit strategy to win a fourth unionist seat in the constituency by targeting Alliance representation. Sitting MLA Timothy Gaston will once again stand for the party, joined by first-time Assembly candidate Kirk Wilson from Cloughmills as

Scene of senseless destruction in the sensory garden in the Ecos Nature Park Community volunteers in Ballymena say years of work has been damaged in a wave of vandalism at ECOS Nature Park that left a children’s sensory garden wrecked, equipment destroyed and broken glass scattered across grass used by families, runners and wildlife. Members of the Friends of the Ecos group discovered the damage on the morning of Bank Holiday Monday, 25 May, describing the scenes as “senseles

Students Niamh Reid (Glenarm), Jessica Cuthbertson (Sixmilecross), Caleb Orr (Ballymena), TJ Hamilton (Armagh), Jane May (Portadown) and Grace Hunter (Dungannon) represented CAFRE at the Great Agri-Food Debate. Students from the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) have reached the semi-finals of a major all-island agri-food debating competition after impressing judges with arguments on some of the biggest challenges facing farming and food production. Th

A casualty with a suspected broken leg was rescued from a beach earlier today (Monday 25 May) after HM Coastguard Larne and the volunteer crew of Larne RNLI launched a joint emergency response. The incident unfolded in a difficult coastal location where access for ambulance crews was limited and changing tidal conditions created additional pressure for rescuers working on scene. Coastguard teams arrived quickly and worked alongside the RNLI crew to stabilise the casualty befo

Larne RNLI’s new Shannon class all-weather lifeboat Machiko Nancy Larne RNLI’s new Shannon class all-weather lifeboat Machiko Nancy was launched for the first time on Sunday afternoon after two crew members onboard a broken-down RIB got into difficulty off the County Antrim coast. The volunteer crew were requested to launch at 2.48pm on Monday 25 May following a call from HM Coastguard after a member of the crew onboard the vessel reported that they had suffered a breakdown w

A 22-year-old man has been arrested and charged following a reported assault in the Dunclug Park area of Ballymena on Monday morning, May 25. Police confirmed the man has been charged with grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of an offensive weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence. The charges follow what is understood to have been a serious incident in the Dunclug area earlier today, prompting a police investigation. Court appearance scheduled The accus