NEWS

Dog owners across Antrim and Newtownabbey are being urged to check the rules before exercising their pets in council-managed parks and open spaces, as new colour-coded signage is installed across the borough. Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council is carrying out the work in phases, with priority locations being targeted first. The signs are designed to make it clearer where dogs can be exercised freely, where they must be kept on a lead and where they are prohibited — with

CGI of the approved new DHL distribution centre in Co Antrim. Tuesday 25 August 2026 Plans for a new £15 million DHL distribution centre in Newtownabbey have been approved, paving the way for an overall £18 million investment in the local economy and the creation of 80 new full-time jobs. Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Planning Committee has given the go-ahead for the development at Ballyearl Business Park, which will provide a substantial new storage and distribut

The Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Cllr Cushinan joins Skateboard NI to mark the launch of the free Skate Activation Events that will run over the next two years at Skate 100, Newtownabbey. Young people and budding skateboarders will be able to learn new skills for free when a new series of skateboarding events launches in Newtownabbey next weekend. The first Skate Activation Event will take place at Skate 100, V36, on Saturday 29 August, with free coached sessions for chi

Viewing Gallery at Swim! Newtownabbey Olympic swimming legend Becky Adlington is bringing her fast-growing children’s swim brand to Northern Ireland for the first time, with a £1 million-plus investment set to create up to 50 jobs in County Antrim. The four-time Olympic medallist and television presenter has confirmed plans for a purpose-built children’s swim centre in Newtownabbey, with construction expected to begin next month ahead of an autumn opening. The new facility, k

Drugs and cash seized by police in County Antrim A man in his thirties has been arrested and suspected drugs with an estimated street value of £225,000 seized following a planned police operation which stretched from north Belfast into Newtownabbey and Mallusk. The arrest followed a proactive operation by detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Paramilitary Crime Task Force targeting the suspected supply of Class A drugs. Police said officers attempted to sto

A Co Antrim man who stole more than £200,000 from a Belfast charity that helped children maintain contact with separated parents has been sentenced to prison. Robert Moore, 73, from Newtownabbey, admitted seven fraud-related offences after abusing his position as treasurer of Central Belfast Contact Centre over a period spanning more than 12 years. The offences, which took place between December 2009 and January 2022, saw Moore fraudulently write cheques to himself, depriving

The scene on Wednesday evening outside Chimney Corner Hotel. (Image: NIbySky) A second night of serious disorder across Northern Ireland has left police officers injured, businesses disrupted, transport services suspended and communities facing renewed uncertainty, as the PSNI launched a major operation to identify those responsible for violence on the streets. Senior police officers say the unrest has now gone far beyond any form of legitimate protest, with petrol bombs, fla

The scene on Tuesday night at Cloughfern Roundabout, Newtownabbey 📸 NIbysky The first criminal charge linked to the recent disorder in Northern Ireland is due before the courts today, as police warn a major investigation is continuing with further arrests and prosecutions expected. A 39-year-old man has been charged with riot following his arrest in Newtownabbey on Tuesday night, 9 June 2026. He is scheduled to appear before Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday afternoon,

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

A 41-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following the stabbing of a man during a motorcycle event in Carrickfergus earlier this week. Detectives investigating the violent incident, which happened during the “Storming the Castle” bike meet on Wednesday night, confirmed the arrest was made following a search operation in the Newtownabbey area on Saturday. The stabbing, which happened in the Rodgers Quay area near Carrickfergus Castle shortly after 7

*Stock image A dog owner has been banned from keeping dogs for 20 years after a series of attacks involving an unlicensed French Bulldog left three women injured — including victims who suffered severe facial injuries. The case, which was brought before Laganside Magistrates’ Court earlier this month, followed three separate attacks between October 2024 and April 2025 that triggered a major investigation by enforcement officers from Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. Co

Children across the borough will once again be able to take part in a packed summer of sports, games, creative activities and outdoor adventures as Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council officially launches its 2026 Summer Schemes programme. Running throughout July and August, the annual schemes are set to return to leisure centres, community venues and the grounds of Antrim Castle Gardens, with families already being encouraged to plan ahead amid expectations of high demand

Residents across the Borough can pick up a free bag of peat-free compost this week as Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council launches a recycling reward initiative to mark International Compost Awareness Week 2026. From Monday 4 May until Saturday 9 May, households visiting any of the Council’s five Household Recycling Centres will be eligible to receive one complimentary bag of compost while stocks last. The offer is available to residents bringing recyclable items includin

A high-energy daytime rave created exclusively for the over-30s crowd is set to bring a Bank Holiday boost to Theatre at The Mill next month, offering music lovers the chance to hit the dancefloor without the usual late-night finish. Taking place on Sunday 3 May 2026, the special event will run from 3pm to 7pm, transforming the venue into an afternoon party space filled with classic tunes, live performance elements and feel-good nostalgia. Headlined by Yeooo DJ , the event pr

Evelyn Harris from Ballymena achieved six Distinctions in her VetSkill VTEC Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Companion Animal) course which she studied at CAFRE. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) has celebrated the achievements of its latest veterinary care and veterinary nursing graduates, with Ballymena among the towns represented by top-performing learners recognised at a major awards ceremony in Antrim. Held at Greenmount Campus on Friday

Antrim & Newtownabbey Crematorium There were 1,407 cremations at Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s crematorium during 2025, the latest figures show. Of these, 491 were residents and 916 were non-residents. The figures were detailed in a bereavement services quarterly update presented behind closed doors at last month’s meeting of the council’s Operations Committee. The highest monthly total occurred in January 2025, when 143 cremations were recorded. The committee rep

Pictured are Oliver Mars of Milwaukee Tools, Noah Downie, a Northern Regional College student, first-year Electrical Installation apprentice and Regional Skill Build finalist, and Iain McCart, Lecturer in Electrical Installation at Northern Regional College. Northern Regional College is set to bring a unique, hands-on industry experience to Ballymena next month after becoming the first college in the UK to host the Milwaukee Tools Roadshow. The global power tool manufacturer

Sixmile Leisure Centre, Ballyclare Energy cost-cutting measures have reduced Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s bills by £220,000, according to a report to councillors. The report, due to be presented to a meeting of the borough council’s Operations Committee at Antrim Civic Centre on Monday evening, January 26, also indicates a nine per cent decrease in energy consumption during the first three quarters of the 2025/26 financial year compared with the same period in 20

A special meeting of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council was held at Mossley Mill on Tuesday 20 January as elected members intensified pressure on Bryson Recycling over ongoing waste and recycling collection problems affecting residents across the borough. The meeting was convened at the request of councillors to allow members to formally raise residents’ concerns in advance of a scheduled Full Council Meeting on Monday 26 January , which will be attended by the Chief Exe

(L-R) Tina McMullan, Business and Improvement Advisor ETTNI, Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick and Jessica Smyth, Business Development Project Officer LMP Fully funded programme offers local electrical professionals qualifications in solar PV, battery storage, and EV charging installation Fifteen qualified electricians from the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough are set to benefit from a groundbreaking new training initiative designed to prepare the l