Local archive
Community
Inclusive Christmas sessions for children with sensory processing issues, autism or special educational needs will return to Bleary Business and Community Centre from 4 to 20 December, with free tickets released on 20 November.
Community
Men and boys are being invited to a free Lord Mayor’s Mental Health Support Event at South Lake Leisure Centre on Thursday 19 November, with health checks, activity tasters and advice from local organisations.
Community
Young people aged 15 to 21 met elected representatives at Craigavon Civic Centre to learn how local government decisions are made and raise issues affecting their communities.
Community
A new PEACEPLUS-backed programme will offer fully funded ski and paddle-sports instructor training to residents aged 16 and over across the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough.
Community
McKinney Competitions has launched its 2026 Making A Difference Christmas campaign, combining a £20,000 cash alternative or 2021 Škoda Kodiaq Sportline prize with fundraising and gift donations for three local charities.
Community
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency is continuing a joint investigation into pollution affecting Armagh’s Folly River after a member of the public reported dead fish and a strong chemical smell.
Community
A record 799 people were waiting for domiciliary care in the Southern Trust area on 31 March 2026, with figures showing major delays for patients ready to leave Craigavon Area Hospital and Daisy Hill Hospital.
Community
Widespread tributes have been paid to Nadine Gallagher from The Spires in Portadown, who died peacefully surrounded by her family. Her funeral Mass will take place at Drumcree on Friday at 11am.
Community
A two-year Age Friendly Programme, delivered by Southern Regional College and funded through PEACEPLUS, will offer workshops and activities for residents aged 50 and over across the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough.
Community City Centre
A local Armagh community group has asked ABC Council to extend festive lighting along several approach roads and residential and commercial areas, saying parts of the city have been left without displays in recent years.
Community
A County Armagh mother is fundraising to help her eight-year-old son, who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, access specialist therapy.
Community City Centre
Santa on Tour will reach Armagh during Georgian Weekend on Sunday 29 November 2026, with a packed borough-wide programme featuring festive entertainment, artisan markets, the Christmas Lightshow, free parking and inclusive Christmas sessions.
Community City Centre
Dead fish have been found along the Folly River between Redrock and Armagh city centre after a resident reported a strong oil smell and white foam on the water. Suspected pollution is under investigation by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, while people with animals or livestock near the river are advised to restrict access.
Community Middletown
Progress on the Middletown to Smithboro section of the Ulster Canal Greenway has been criticised at an ABC Council meeting after Monaghan County Council appointed a contractor for its side of the cross-border project.
Community
An Armagh man who allegedly entered a Jewish wedding reception in Liverpool and shouted abuse at guests has been given a community order, according to a court report.
Community
More than 150 people attended a Banbridge Job Fair on 22 October, meeting 25 employers and support organisations offering vacancies, careers advice and training opportunities. The event was organised by the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Labour Market Partnership with the local Jobs and Benefits Office. A further local job fair is scheduled for Portadown on 10 November 2026.
Community The Mall
Holly Regan is preparing to complete a 100-mile October fundraising challenge for Breast Cancer Now, after her mother Gillian was diagnosed with breast cancer and began preparing for chemotherapy.
Community
A Northern Ireland UFO Society report says PSNI information released in March 2026 includes an account of three orange lights seen in a triangular formation over Armagh during August 2025.
Community Killylea
Reverend Bill Atkins, Rector of Killylea, Caledon and Brantry, has died following the onset of a heart attack last week, prompting tributes from St Mark’s Parish Church and 1st Caledon Boys’ Brigade.
Community
ABC Council is marking a decade of mandatory Food Hygiene Rating stickers across Northern Ireland, reminding Armagh residents and visitors that ratings show the food hygiene standards found during an inspection.
Community Loughgall
A community association covering Drumbreda and St Brigid’s Hill in Armagh has used a £3,248 National Lottery grant to buy equipment for estate clean-ups, while continuing a programme of activities for children, families and older residents.
Community
More than 100 people took part in WAVE Trauma Centre’s annual fundraising quiz at County Armagh Golf Club on October 9, raising £2,600 for the charity’s work supporting people affected by injuries and trauma linked to the Troubles or conflict in Northern Ireland.
Community Keady
Aontú’s Armagh representative Daniel Connolly is calling for the number of MLAs at Stormont to be reduced from 90 to 65, arguing that taxpayers are not receiving value for money from the current political system.
Community
ABC Council has celebrated 33 shortlisted groups and individuals at the Community Awards 2026, with winners announced across 11 categories during a gala evening at the Seagoe Hotel.
Community
Positive Ageing Month events are continuing across the ABC Borough, with activities for over-50s taking place in Armagh and other towns and rural centres. A recent tea dance was held at the Brownlow Hub in Lurgan.
Community
Families gathered at Armagh Palace Stables for a candlelit ‘wave of light’ event, sharing memories of babies who died during pregnancy, at birth or in infancy.
Community
Finance Minister John O’Dowd visited Peatlands Park as restoration work began on the €19.2 million PEAT+ project, which will target 22 priority peatland sites over the next three years, including six in the ABC Borough.
Community
A new charity shop linked to social enterprise organisation IncredABLE has opened in Armagh, with the aim of creating opportunities for adults with additional needs.
Community
Julie Daly is preparing to open Daly Danders Adventure Centre on Drumilly Road after the death of her son Ryan in Thailand, creating a dog-friendly community space shaped by his love of animals.
Community Loughgall
A Southern Trust application proposes converting the listed Gate Lodge at St Luke’s Hospital on Loughgall Road into supported living accommodation for a care leaver.
