NEWS

Women across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to explore a career in firefighting as Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service prepares to launch a major recruitment drive for Wholetime Firefighters next month. Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) has announced a series of hands-on “Come and Try Days” aimed specifically at women interested in joining the service, offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at the demands, realities and opportunities of modern firefig

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

A growing basketball club in Ballymena is making a fresh push to bring more girls into the sport as it looks to build future league teams and expand opportunities for young players across the area. Ballymena Basketball Juniors, which currently competes in the BNI Junior League, says it already has a strong group of girls attending weekly training sessions — but hopes more young players will now come forward as the club works towards arranging friendly matches and eventually e

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

From left participant Jacqueline Dickson with Hayley Barr Labour Market Partnership, participant Denise Harris, Annie McSparron, CEO Kelli McRoberts, Denise Mayo Labour Market Partnership, Paul Truscott General Manager Harbourview Hotel Ten people across Mid and East Antrim have completed a targeted hospitality training programme, collectively securing 24 accredited qualifications as efforts intensify to tackle unemployment and skills shortages in one of Northern Ireland’s fa

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

Hannah Scott MBE who received the Freedom of the Borough at a special civic ceremony at Coleraine Town Hall. (Pics: Steven McAuley/ Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council) Coleraine’s Olympic gold medallist Hannah Scott MBE has been awarded the Freedom of the Borough — the highest civic honour available — in recognition of her historic achievement at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The honour was formally conferred by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council during a special

Kelli McRoberts, Chief Executive at Carrickfergus Enterprise, Elain Harkin, Strategic Revenue Manager from McKeever Hotels and Christine Barnhiill, Economic Development Officer at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, pictured with the ladies who attended this year’s Enterprising Women Residential. Female entrepreneurs from across Mid and East Antrim have come together for the fourth annual Enterprising Women Residential, as the fast-growing network continues to expand its sup

Pregnant women are being urged to stay away from lambing sheds, calving pens and all animals giving birth as the busy spring farming season gets under way, with the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland warning that even limited exposure can pose serious risks to both mother and unborn baby. The urgent warning comes as farms across Northern Ireland enter one of the most demanding periods of the year, with lambing and calving now in full swing. While the number of p

A Carrickfergus apprentice has been recognised as one of Northern Ireland’s brightest emerging engineering talents after being crowned Apprentice of the Year at the NI Apprenticeship Awards 2026, before going on to secure a second major accolade on the very same day. Paula Bamford, who is employed by Caterpillar , was honoured at the awards ceremony held at Titanic Hotel Belfast , in recognition of her outstanding technical ability, professionalism and commitment throughout h

Championing the cause… Marian Maguire, Chairperson of Glenravel & District Community & Residents Association and winner of the Community Champion award in the Housing Executive’s Rural Community Awards. A woman whose dedication has helped shape and strengthen communities across rural County Antrim for more than two decades has been recognised with one of Northern Ireland’s top grassroots volunteering honours. Marian Maguire, Chairperson of the Glenravel & District Communi

Co Antrim woman Aisling Gallagher shares her personal story of bowel cancer A County Antrim woman has shared her deeply personal experience of bowel cancer in the hope it encourages others to seek help early and potentially save lives. As April marks Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, the Northern Health and Social Care Trust has teamed up with social media influencer Aisling Gallagher from Crumlin to raise awareness of the symptoms people should never ignore and the importance o

Local councillor Anna Henry proposed a motion this week calling for urgent action to tackle lengthy delays in diagnosis and treatment across Northern Ireland Thousands of women living with chronic pain and prolonged uncertainty have moved back into sharp focus after Mid and East Antrim Borough Council formally recognised the growing crisis in gynaecology services during Endometriosis Awareness Month. In a follow-up development to growing concern around women’s health waiting

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

Linzi Moore, an outstanding team member at EUROSPAR Cullybackey has taken the crown as the UK’s Sales Colleague of the Year at the prestigious Convenience Awards. A familiar face in Cullybackey has earned national recognition after being crowned UK Sales Colleague of the Year at the prestigious Convenience Awards in Liverpool. Linzi Moore, a loss prevention co-ordinator at EUROSPAR Cullybackey, secured the top honour against competitors from across the UK — a moment that not

Decosta in the ring! A Ballymena teenager is continuing her remarkable rise in Irish boxing after claiming another All-Ireland title — and setting her sights firmly on the international stage. Fifteen-year-old Decosta Gillen delivered a standout performance at the National Stadium in Dublin last weekend, securing the National Boy/Girl 4 Championship with a dominant unanimous victory. Competing in the 61kg category, the Corpus Christi Boxing Club athlete defeated Grace Fenlon

Sophie Murray; First Minister Michelle O’Neill; Moira Doherty, Interim Permanent Secretary, The Executive Office; deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly; Marissa Callaghan MBE. Women whose quiet work strengthens families, neighbourhoods and organisations across Northern Ireland were placed firmly in the spotlight at Stormont as political leaders marked International Women’s Day. First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly hosted a specia

TUV Bannside councillor Anne Henry Thousands of women across Northern Ireland are enduring years of debilitating pain before they even see a specialist, a Mid and East Antrim councillor has warned, as new figures expose the scale of waiting lists in gynaecology services. Data released by the Department of Health in June 2025 shows tens of thousands of women are currently waiting for their first outpatient appointment with a gynaecology consultant across the region. The figure

Four pupils, Demi Timperley and Aimee Dillon from Cross and Passion College, accompanied by Mrs Anna McKay, and Carragh Rafferty and Jenna Brennan from Ballycastle High School, accompanied by Mrs Heather Dalzell, are pictured with the Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Oliver McMullan, outside Cloonavin as part of the ‘Mayor for a Day’ initiative marking International Women’s Day. Four Co Antrim schoolgirls were given a rare behind-the-scenes look at civic leadership this wee

Jane Rea on the family farm in Shilnavogy in the Antrim hills. (All Images: BBC NI / Below The Radar TV) Jane Rea’s Bloomin’ Wild, a new four-part farming series set on a family farm in Shilnavogy, County Antrim, begins this week on BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer. The series follows the changing seasons in the Antrim Hills, exploring food, craft and Ulster-Scots culture woven into everyday rural life. Filmed on Jane Rea’s family farm in the small townland of Shilnav