NEWS

Randalstown YFC who will perform at the Farmers’ Choir NI Arts Festival Showcase in Ballymena Music, drama and laughter will take centre stage in Ballymena later this month as Farmers’ Choir Northern Ireland prepares to host a special Arts Festival Showcase celebrating the creativity and talent of young people from rural communities. The event will take place on Thursday 19 March at 8:00pm at Ballymena Academy and will feature performances by members of Finvoy, Garvagh and R

Helping to announce details of the Sperrins Festival 2026 were, from left, Broadcaster Joe Mahon, Zoe Ramsey from Far and Wild and Ciara Toner Sperrins Partnership. A new three-day festival celebrating one of Northern Ireland’s most distinctive landscapes will launch this spring, bringing guided walks, storytelling, music and heritage experiences to the heart of the Sperrins. Running from 20–22 March 2026, the Sperrins Festival will take place across the Sperrin Area of Outst

Hillwalkers and visitors to Slemish Mountain for St Patrick’s Day in 2025, with large crowds expected again in 2026. A centuries-old tradition will once again bring hundreds of people to the slopes of Slemish Mountain this St Patrick’s Day, as families from across County Antrim prepare to take part in the annual uphill climb. Held on Tuesday 17 March, the popular St Patrick’s Day ascent blends local legend, shared history and outdoor adventure in one of the borough’s most rec

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford, pictured with children from Moorfields Primary School, along with community representatives, contractors, councillors and council staff. Two much-loved play parks in Mid and East Antrim have officially reopened, unveiling safer, more inclusive and fully refreshed spaces designed to bring families together for years to come. The completion of refurbishment works at Moorfields in Ballymena and Beachlands Play Park in Car

Saturday 21 February 2026 Waterstone’s Ballymena has revealed its latest Top 10 bestselling books, with contemporary Irish fiction, gripping thrillers and even a literary classic making this week’s chart. From bold new voices to beloved authors, the list reflects a wide range of reading tastes across Ballymena — with strong interest in both page-turning suspense and thoughtful literary storytelling. This Week’s Top 10 Bestselling Books 1. Pagans — James Alistair Henry A sharp

Young Greenisland FC U12 players Alfie, Josh, Teddy, Jake, Zach and Theo are pictured as the Budget Energy SuperCupNI confirms the elite international academies who will travel from Europe, North America, the Middle East and Central America to compete in the 2026 Boys’ Minor Section of the tournament. Eight elite international academies from across Europe, North America, the Middle East and Central America have been confirmed for the 2026 Budget Energy SuperCupNI Boys’ Minor

City of Derry Farm & Equestrian Centre. A brand-new immersive food and farm experience is inviting visitors into the heart of rural Derry as part of this year’s Love LegenDerry Food Month celebrations. ‘Milk, Meadows & Mountains’ is a 2.5-hour hosted journey blending artisan cheese, farm life and heritage storytelling, delivered through a collaboration between Dart Mountain Cheese and City of Derry Farm & Equestrian Centre. Designed to connect visitors with the region’s food

Waterstone’s Ballymena has unveiled its latest Top 10 bestselling books, with psychological thrillers, heartwarming romance and children’s favourites all performing strongly in store this week. Freida McFadden returns to the top spot, while Dav Pilkey claims two places in the chart, and Rachel Reid continues her winning streak with not one but two romance titles in the list. This week’s Top 10 bestselling books 1. The Housemaid — Freida McFadden The addictive psychological th

Fantastic fun at the Belfast Brunch Co. Party in 2025! The event returns next month to Tullyglas Hotel in Ballymena. Belfast Brunch Co. will return to Ballymena on Friday 13 March 2026, bringing its high-energy brunch party to the Tullyglass House Hotel in support of Northern Ireland Hospice  and its Children’s Hospice services. The adults-only event follows strong public demand after £21,000 was raised during last year’s fundraiser, with organisers promising to bring the fee

Owner of the Bayview Hotel, Trevor Kane is pictured alongside William Munnis, Armoy Motorcycle Road Racing Club Director and Clerk of Course during the recent Irish Motorbike Awards.  The Armoy Road Races 2026 will take place on Friday 24 July and Saturday 25 July, with the Armoy Motorcycle Road Racing Club  (AMRRC) confirming the return of longstanding title sponsor the Bayview Hotel for a 17th consecutive year. The announcement signals a major boost for Northern Ireland roa

Rhonda Geary, RUAS Group Operations Director and Cormac McKervey, Senior Agriculture Manager, Ulster Bank, kick off the countdown to the 2026 Balmoral Show in partnership with Ulster Bank. The pair are joined by county Antrim farmer, John Cross, who received the award for Champion Clydesdale at the 2025 event. The countdown to Balmoral Show 2026 has officially begun, with the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS) announcing that Ulster Bank will return as principal sponsor

Lucy McAleese was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease when she was a toddler. The disease is rare, affecting around 8 in every 100,000 children under the age of 5 in the UK. A young woman from Ballymena is speaking publicly for the first time about growing up with a rare and potentially life-threatening heart condition, in a bid to raise awareness that heart disease does not only affect older people. Lucy McAleese , 22, has lived with Kawasaki disease since she was a toddler — a

Ballymena comedian Gary Pollock pictured at The Braid auditorium where he will host his debit solo show in May. Ballymena-born comedian Gary Pollock is set to return home for the biggest performance of his career to date, with his debut solo show Bucket List already reaching almost half capacity at The Braid Arts Centre—four months ahead of the curtain rising. The much-anticipated hometown show will take place on Friday 22 May 2026, and with close to 200 tickets already sold,

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford, has announced Creative Industries Week 2026 which will run from the 16 February with a programme of events taking place. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has announced the return of its Creative Industries Week, a borough-wide celebration of creativity, innovation and opportunity, running from 16 February 2026. Designed to support people at every stage of their creative journey, the week will feature a diverse progr

Audiences are being invited to step into the past and explore shared cultural journeys through a new heritage programme at The Old Courthouse Theatre, presented by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. Titled Journeys , the series brings together live performance, music and storytelling to reflect on culture, place and movement through time, offering a varied programme designed to resonate with audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Counci

Waterstone’s Ballymena has revealed its latest Top 10 bestselling books, with psychological thrillers, literary fiction and popular self-help titles continuing to dominate readers’ choices as January draws to a close. Freida McFadden claims three places in this week’s chart, reflecting sustained local demand for fast-paced, twist-heavy thrillers, while acclaimed novels by Roisín O’Donnell and Maggie O’Farrell also feature strongly. This week’s Top 10 bestselling books 1. The

Helping to launch the new initiatives alongside Titanic Belfast’s Head of Operations, Paula Bradley is Niamh Givens. Titanic Belfast has unveiled a range of new accessibility initiatives aimed at ensuring every visitor can enjoy the world-renowned attraction in a comfortable, welcoming and inclusive environment. The new measures include the introduction of Sensory Backpacks and Quiet Sessions, further strengthening the attraction’s commitment to accessibility and inclusion fo

Ballymena Elim Church is set to host a special evening of reflection and inspiration this weekend as former Ballymena United and Crusaders manager Roy Walker shares his life story with the local community. The latest instalment of the church’s Life Stories series will take place on Sunday 25 January at 6:30pm , offering the opportunity to hear first-hand from one of Northern Ireland’s most recognisable sporting figures. Roy Walker is widely known across Northern Ireland’s spo

A special charity event celebrating the lives of two young women while raising vital funds for emergency medical care will take place in Ballymena this spring. Bingo Music Bonanza 2026 will be held on Saturday 7 March at the Tullyglass Hotel , with all proceeds going to the Air AmbulanceNorthern Ireland . The event is being organised in memory of Naomi Lynn and Lydia Ross , who tragically lost their lives in separate car accidents. Presented by Ritchie Entertainments, the ev

Cast Jo Donnelly, Catriona McFeely, Clare McMahon, Susan Hoffmann A Ballymena actor is set to take centre stage in a major new theatrical reimagining of George Orwell’s Animal Farm, as Tinderbox Theatre Company prepares to unveil its latest production at the MAC in Belfast. Jo Donnelly, who hails from Ballymena and has built an extensive career across stage, screen and radio , stars in the bold new adaptation, which will receive its world premiere from 18 to 28 February 2026.