<![CDATA[UTV’s Substack]]>https://utvni.substack.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!kIbk!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffa1b5764-b0ff-432f-a4fc-9b59ae8f962e_225x225.pngUTV’s Substackhttps://utvni.substack.comSubstackWed, 04 Nov 2026 22:20:00 GMT<![CDATA[It’s a Halloween horror show... and that’s just our politicians]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/its-a-halloween-horror-show-and-thatshttps://utvni.substack.com/p/its-a-halloween-horror-show-and-thatsSat, 31 Oct 2026 08:02:19 GMTIt’s Halloween weekend with Londonderry gearing up to host Northern Ireland’s biggest spooky celebrations. But the real horror show was unfolding in Belfast this week - at Stormont and in the courts - where the Drumcree crisis is threatening to bring down the Executive and drive a wedge through political unionism.

A legal challenge to the Secretary of State’s decision to ban the Drumcree parade from the Garvaghy Road in Portadown was dismissed - as more Sinn Fein representatives attended PSNI stations over their parts in the protests.

DUP Leader Gavin Robinson withdrew his party’s support for Sinn Fein First Minister Michelle O’Neill - meaning there would be no joint engagements with Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly. An economic forum in Glasgow - alongside the Prime Minister and First Ministers of Scotland and Wales - was the first casualty of this new strategy. Sinn Féin said it was a “pathetic, petulant and damaging stunt” which only harms local business.

Meanwhile, MP Carla Lockhart, who is considering her position in the DUP after resigning from her party officer role, says the sanctions against O’Neill do not go far enough and that, “whatever comes next, I will set out the path ahead early next week” while her leader insists he hopes she’ll stay…

Government says NI will get extra £270m as result of Budget

Northern Ireland is set to miss out on cost-of-living help included in an additional £270 million of funding announced on Wednesday - unless Stormont ministers can agree a budget, the Secretary of State has indicated.

Executive parties have been unable to agree a spending plan more than halfway through the current financial year.

Sir Chris Bryant told Paul Clark departments will be limited to 95% of last year’s spend, and miss out on the additional money on offer, if there is no agreement.

Legal challenge to ban on Drumcree parade dismissed

The Secretary of State’s decision to ban the Drumcree Orange Order parade was lawful, a High Court judge has concluded.

Sir Chris Bryant stepped in after a tense two-week stand-off in Portadown which followed the Parades Commission giving the green light to the parade completing its traditional route along the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road for the first time in almost 30 years.

The move sparked large crowds to gather on the road in opposition to the parade returning to the former flashpoint that sparked serious disorder and violence in the 1990s.

Survivors ‘failed’ by time limit on reporting domestic abuse

Meanwhile, survivors of domestic abuse have been telling how the justice system is failing them with the six month statutory limit on summary offences.

Such offences are usually dealt with in the Magistrates’ Court and include battery and common assault, which can range from a raised fist to a physical strike or an unwanted push.

Speaking to UTV, Louise - not her real name - said she was trapped in a domestic abuse situation during the Covid lockdown and by the time she was able to report it to the PSNI the time limit had elapsed.

She added: “I just thought I was going to go tell them what he did, because I had such clear evidence. I just thought, ‘hand this over, yep, you’re good to go. That’s him, he’s going to be found guilty on all charges’. And it was actually the complete opposite.

“Almost every charge got dropped because of the legalities in the North. I got absolutely no justice whatsoever.”

And campaigners such as Kelly Andrews, Chief Executive of Belfast-Lisburn Women’s Aid, warned victims could be “missing out on an opportunity to see perpetrators held to account”.

She added: “Six months is too short of a timeframe and it doesn’t allow us to capture the full breadth of the abuse. There could be a number of reasons why a victim does not come forward in that time period; there could be fear, coercive control, emotional trauma.”

A giant of literature washes up in little old Northern Ireland

Is it a victory for the little people - or a giant boost for Northern Ireland? One of the most famous and controversial books ever written, Gulliver’s Travels by Irish writer Jonathan Swift, celebrated its 300th anniversary on Thursday and UTV got to see the very first edition.

Housed at the Robinson Library in Armagh, the book was the author’s own copy and, as the library’s Carol Conlin explained, when Swift read it for the first time he realised the words published weren’t exactly as he had written them…

Judgment reserved over bid to block Sean Brown inquiry

Judgment has been reserved on a Government appeal to the Supreme Court to overturn a decision compelling it to hold a public inquiry into a Troubles killing that has been linked to state agents.

Sean Brown, 61, chairman of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones Gaelic Athletic Club in Co Londonderry, was ambushed, kidnapped and murdered by loyalist paramilitaries as he locked the gates of the club in May 1997.

The UK Government appealed to the Supreme Court against a decision by Belfast courts to compel it to hold a public inquiry into the killing.

SEN parents and carers ‘scared to speak out’

Most parents and carers of people with special educational needs are scared to speak out against the health service in case it makes things worse for their child. What’s even more alarming is that eight in 10 of these have had a bad experience, a survey has found. Health Minister Robbie Butler has vowed to do all in his powers to effect change. Nathan Hanna explains what the Who Holds The Plan report is all about…

The little boy from Belfast whose story captured our hearts

There can be few people in Northern Ireland who haven’t heard of Dáithí Mac Gabhann - the little boy who spent eight years waiting for a new heart, whose family helped change the law on organ donation and whose smile became so familiar.

But behind that very public story is another more personal one. For the past few weeks we have been spending time with Dáithí, his mum and dad and the doctors and nurses who have cared for him.

Through their memories, family photos and remarkable filming access, we have pieced together the story of a little boy whose fight for survival began even before he was born.

One of the most extraordinary moments during filming came when we joined Dáithí and his dad for his latest check up at the Children’s Hospital in Belfast.

For years we had reported on his wait for a donor heart. This time, we were able to see his new heart on a scan and hear it beat.

But the best part of filming was getting to know Dáithí himself. He’s funny, cheeky, full of life, sports-mad and completely unimpressed by the presence of a TV camera.

Up Close: Dáithí’s Story is much more than the battle for a heart transplant. It’s about the amazing medical care that kept one little boy alive, the determination of his family and the generosity of a donor family whose decision changed another family’s future.

Up Close, Thursday 10.45 on UTV and ITVX.

This week on UTV Life…

Pamela will be talking to ultra-endurance athlete Joe Barr, who is simply unstoppable. Blackstar Riders frontman Ricky Warwick will be here to tell us about his Fire & Vengeance Tour. Award-winning director Terry Loane will be telling us all about his latest film Faraway Home

Other stories worth watching…

Our programmes:

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Thanks for reading UTV’s Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

]]><![CDATA[Man denies attempted murder over knife attack that sparked summer race riots]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/man-denies-attempted-murder-overhttps://utvni.substack.com/p/man-denies-attempted-murder-overSat, 24 Oct 2026 07:40:05 GMT

Hello and welcome to the UTV newsletter where we round up this week’s major stories from across Northern Ireland. Try a taste of our programmes and range of content across ITVX.

There’s never a quiet news week in Northern Ireland and this was no different with paedophile politician Jeffrey Donaldson again in the headlines - alongside Drumcree, the budget and Sir Chris Bryant’s Troubles Bill.

A man accused of a knife attack in North Belfast that sparked race riots across Northern Ireland in the summer has denied attempted murder. On Friday, 31-year-old Hadi Alodid of Duncairn Avenue in appeared at Belfast Crown Court where he pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Stephen Ogilvie.

We heard from a brave cancer survivor who is lending her voice to the campaign for a public inquiry into the cervical cancer screening scandal after she learned she was misdiagnosed three times before her diagnosis.

And we were deeply moved by the words of Mark Allen, the former No1 snooker player, who opened up about the mental health struggles that are making him question his future in the sport.

The rehoming of two brown bears, rescued in Russia and brought to Burnfoot in Co Donegal, was another story that tugged at the heartstrings but with a happy ending that left us all warm and fuzzy - just like the bears…

Drumcree decisions in the dock as SoS parade ban is challenged in High Court

Another week, another slew of courtroom dramas and political shenanigans as the Drumcree dispute unfolds. First, on Monday, the legal challenge on the Secretary of State Chris Bryant’s decision to ban the controversial parade - and just what Chief Constable Jon Boutcher advised him - was in the High Court.

It was confirmed the PSNI feared a gun attack by dissident republicans if they forced the controversial Orange march through the mainly-nationalist Garvaghy Road and that “the feelings” of PIRA were being taken into account in policing decisions.

On Tuesday the case in Belfast continued where it was claimed Sir Chris could have taken “no other decision” than halting the parade after attempts to reach an agreement were dashed. A judgment is to be given next week.

Meanwhile, the political fallout continued with the DUP’s Carla Lockhart resigning as a Party Officer over her leader Gavin Robinson’s handling of the situation. She wants him to force out the Sinn Féin First Minister Michelle O’Neill by making the Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly resign…

Troubles Bill passes after days of debate

The much-debated Northern Ireland Troubles Bill finally made it through the House of Commons this week after MPs voted 330 to 178 in its favour. The draft law will now proceed to the House of Lords for the next stage of scrutiny.

Secretary of State Sir Chris Bryant said the bill was not a case of “special favours for one group or another”.

He added: “It’s about honesty, candour, the pursuit of justice, and most importantly, truth. Because in the end, it’s only truth that can really set us free.”

He had earlier said: “When people say to me that people need to move on in Northern Ireland, my answer is no. No one has moved on more than the victims and survivors of the Troubles. They’re not living in the past, they’re living with the past. And if it’s not resolved, if people don’t get answers, that trauma will pass on to the next generation.”

MPs voted to reject a bid by DUP Leader Gavin Robinson to extend the cut-off to August 30 1998 - so the Omagh bombing would be included. Instead, it covers the period from January 1, 1966, until April 10, 1998, when the Good Friday Agreement was signed.

‘Uncharacteristically productive’

Sir Chris Bryant was back in Belfast on Thursday when he met MLAs - including First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly - at Stormont in a bid to get them to accept his £15billion funding offer. Talks were described as “uncharacteristically productive”.

Cancer survivor Rachelle demands inquiry into cervical screening scandal

On Thursday Kilkeel woman Rachelle Hanna - who survived cervical cancer - backed calls for a statutory public inquiry into the cervical screening scandal. Earlier in the day relatives of two women who died after their smear tests were misread, Erin Harbinson and Lynsey Courtney, had learned it will be another year before inquests are held.

Speaking for the first time, Rachelle told UTV’s Barbara McCann her cancer was caught early but she later discovered that three earlier smear tests had been misread.

Storm in Stormont as O’Neill ‘goaded’ by unionists over Garvaghy protests

Stormont is dysfunctional at the best of times but it reached a new low this week when a meeting of the First and Deputy First Ministers descended into chaos. It was the first time Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly had sat together in a committee since February and, perhaps more pertinently, since the Drumcree parades crisis began last month…

…but it didn’t last long. O’Neill was forced again to defend her actions during the Garvaghy Road protests after questions by the TUV’s Timothy Gaston and Philip Brett of the DUP - who were accused of goad her for “holding hands” with Breándan Mac Cionnaith. The Executive Office Committee Chair Paula Bradshaw seemed to lose control of proceedings before the First Minister upped and left abruptly - in order to attend a PSNI interview over the unlawful protests in Portadown.

Jeffrey Donaldson accused of raping
a woman in Westminster in 2016

Jeffrey Donaldson was back in the news just a week after he was sentenced to 15 years for child sex abuse - after it emerged he was being investigated for an alleged rape in the Houses of Parliament. It’s believed he is to be questioned at Maghaberry Prison by detectives from the Metropolitan Police over the claim by a Northern Ireland woman that he attacked her in 2016. Our Political Editor Tracey Magee was in Westminster when the news broke…

Snooker ace Mark Allen reveals mental health struggles and plans to quit sport

Northern Ireland snooker star Mark Allen spoke to UTV Sports Correspondent Ruth Gorman this week - and opened his heart on his mental health struggles. The former world No1 was making his comeback at the NI Open after a five-month break for personal reasons. But he was knocked out by his friend - and fellow Antrim man -Jordan Brown and afterwards admitted to Ruth he was thinking of giving up the game he loves. Later, Ruth chatted with Jordan who paid tribute to his pal…

Donegal bears in Russian rescue mission

Ulster is home to two brown bears - after a complicated rescue operation saw them transported from Dagestan to Donegal. The pair had been malnourished and abandoned at a dog and cat sanctuary who got in touch with Wild Ireland founder Killian McLaughlin. He’s a lawyer by trade and put his legal nous to work organising their journey to their new home in Burnfoot…

View From Stormont

On this week’s View From Stormont, Political Editor spoke to DUP Leader Gavin Robinson in Westminster. The East Belfast MP highlighted his reservations about the Secretary of State’s Northern Troubles Bill and denied there’s a rift with party colleague Carla Lockhart over his response to the Drumcree dispute. Meanwhile, Paul Reilly quizzed Health Minister Robbie Butler on the budget, and a warning over winter pressures on hospitals, while host Vicki Hawthorne spoke to Ann Watt, the director of think-tank Pivotal, and Prof Stephen Farry from Ulster University - a former Alliance MLA and minister - about the current budget deadlock at Stormont.

Fundraising gym boss Gary’s the Pride of Britain… and Northern Ireland

The annual Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards took place in London on Monday when unsung heroes from across the UK get their moment in the limelight. And Northern Ireland’s Gary Rutherford among those recognised for his tireless work - when he was named UTV’s Regional Fundraiser. Gary founded ARC Fitness in his home city in 2019 to help people with addiction and recovery. The ceremony was broadcast on Thursday and you can watch it here on ITVX.

From Everton to East Belfast… Duncan Ferguson named as new Glentoran boss

Glentoran are hoping Duncan Ferguson can sprinkle a little bit of stardust at the Oval in his new role as manager. The former Everton, Rangers and Scotland legend was announced on Monday - after days of speculation - and our Sports Correspondent Ruth Gorman was on hand on his first day of the job to find out what all the fuss was about.

This week on UTV Life…

Northern Ireland more than punches above its weight when it comes to talent, and the heavyweight champion of the music world is Derry's Phil Coulter. He has conquered Eurovision, crafted anthems and is the only person outside of America to write for Elvis. The multi award winning musician spoke to Pamela about his new music and performances, as well as his more than six decades of success working with some of the biggest names in the music industry. It's always a pleasure to hear from someone so accomplished, but who remains as down to earth as ever.

On The Ground

Friday marked the final episode of our new 10-part series On The Ground where we’re finding amazing stories all around the country. This week Emma tries ice cream at a farm diversifying its output from dairy cows.

We’re also showing two amazing behind-the-scenes stories at Queens University - first the Marine Lab team studying and using the immense potential of our wave energy and a couple who fell in love while studying the stars.

You can catch up on last week’s episode on ITVX where Emma and the team featured the amazing work of Belfast Harbour’s pilot boat crew.

Other stories worth watching…

Our programmes:

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Thanks for reading UTV’s Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

]]><![CDATA[Jeffrey Donaldson’s victims speak of ‘stolen childhoods’ as he’s sentenced to 15 years]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/jeffrey-donaldsons-victims-speakhttps://utvni.substack.com/p/jeffrey-donaldsons-victims-speakSat, 17 Oct 2026 07:02:11 GMT

Jeffrey Donaldson stands with his hands clasped as he is sentenced to 15 years

Hello and welcome to the UTV newsletter, where this week we begin with the completion of Jeffrey Donaldson’s "catastrophic descent into disgrace".

The former DUP leader was sentenced to 15 years on Thursday for the sex abuse, including rape, of two women when they were children.

Judge Paul Ramsey KC told Donaldson he had “doubled down on his denials” since his conviction for the offences committed between 1985 and 2008. “There has not been, and doubtless will not be, one word of regret, apology or shame from this man to at least provide his victims with some crumb of comfort,” he said.

Outside Newry Crown Court, statements from both victims were read on their behalf by police. Complainant A said: “My childhood was stolen from me and I will never get it back. The effects of the Donaldsons’ actions have bled into every part of my life. Complainant B said: “I stood up, many years later, because for me this is about drawing a line in the sand and knowing that the Donaldsons can no longer hurt anyone else.

Up Close: On the day that Donaldson was sentenced, Niall Donnelly looked back at the personal and political life of the convicted sex offender. We explored the issue with child safeguarding expert Marcella Leonard, former PSNI Chief Superintendent Alan Mains. Our commentators were Allison Morris, Professor Jon Tonge and Alex Kane.

Earlier in the week, a woman who breached the lifetime anonymity of a victim of Jeffrey Donaldson was sentenced to three months jail.

Bomb warning received by Irish army day before, Omagh Inquiry is told

Former Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan said she was warned by the former RUC Chief Constable that her report into the Omagh Bomb investigation “would destroy the peace process”. Baroness O’Loan was giving evidence to the Omagh Bombing Inquiry on Wednesday about the investigation she conducted 25 years ago which identified a series of police failings.

She described a meeting with Sir Ronnie Flanagan, who told her that the newly established Police Ombudsman’s Office would never recover if the findings were published.

On Thursday, the inquiry heard that a core group of dissident republicans involved in previous attacks weren’t identified because of failures in the use of a police database. Meanwhile, a handwritten note outlining details of a call received by the Irish Army warning that Omagh would be bombed, was also made public.

The sister of a teenager boy killed in the attrocity said it means the Irish Government has more questions to answer.

Minister Kimmins has spring in her step with A5 carriageway to start ‘by May’

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins has been to visit staff at one of the sites of the new A5 dual carriageway near Omagh for the first time since the Court of Appeal ruled the road can go ahead.

Last week’s judgment means other major roads projects that have been stalled - such as the Enniskillen bypass - look set to be given the green light. Minister Kimmins told UTV she hopes construction of the first phase of the A5 could begin by spring. Sara O’Kane reports.

Unionist leaders criticise Chief Constable over advice on Drumcree

Belfast Christmas market could be
a ho-ho-whole lot bigger this year

A proposal for an additional market in a different part of the city has prompted local producers, seeking a festive boost, to demand inclusion. Watch this report by our Economics Correspondent Jordan Moates.

Who is going the Extra Mile this week?

Retirement can be a tricky time. For many, the absence of a 9 to 5 is a blessing, for others it means swaths of time to fill. For Stephen Graham, after two months of DIY and pottering around the house, he decided a trip was in order and off he went to Downpatrick Museum.

In an empty museum, Stephen decided to take out his camera to record some pictures and spoke about what he was seeing. After showing the video to his son, Ulsterscene was born. Stephen has spent the last few months making videos about the history and culture of Northern Ireland, telling the stories of all communities.

People’s prayers for Pope

A Belfast priest said this week Pope Leo XIV is facing his lung cancer journey with "deep serenity and faith".

Fr Timothy Bartlett from St Mary's Church was speaking after the Pontiff's health condition was confirmed on Tuesday.

Debutant’s ball game for Ulster Rugby

Ruth Gorman writes… It’s D-Day for Ulster Rugby in Europe this weekend with the match against Zebre in Italy marking debuts for players new and old.

Dave McCann will captain Ulster for the first time while Development hooker, Henry Walker, makes his first senior competitive start.

And there’s another senior debut for Daniel Hawkshaw in midfield while Academy forward, James McKillop, makes his European debut at blindside flanker. Scrum-half, Nathan Doak, is to pair up with Jamie Benson at fly-half for the first time.

Zac Ward, Rob Baloucoune and Jacob Stockdale make up the back line - and Tom O’Toole makes his first start of the season for Saturday’s match.

Ulster have had one defeat and two draws so far this season after leaving themselves too much to do in the second half of their two home games. Last week saw the return of the Irish players to the squad and they played a big part in the second-half comeback against Munster. They could prove vital for Saturday’s match.

Let’s just hope it’s not a case of hard cheese in Parma…

Other stories worth watching…

Our programmes:

Vicki Hawthorne looked at how the aftershocks of the Drumcree dispute were still playing out at Stormont, with the leaders of both the DUP and UUP meeting the Chief Constable on Tuesday. We were joined by representatives of the four Executive parties to get the latest on Drumcree, as well as ask questions on legacy issues. We also heard from the Veterans Commissioner David Johnstone, as well as victims campaigner Mark Thompson. We wrapped it up with commentary from Allison Morris and Professor Jon Tonge.

Connect with UTV

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]]><![CDATA[It’s off... Secretary of State bans Drumcree Parade after letter from Chief Constable]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/its-off-secretary-of-state-bans-drumcreehttps://utvni.substack.com/p/its-off-secretary-of-state-bans-drumcreeFri, 09 Oct 2026 22:13:11 GMT

Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant on Friday

Welcome to this week’s UTV newsletter.

After another eventful week in the world of Northern Ireland politics Drumcree dominates the headlines again. Secretary of State Sir Chris Bryant announced on Friday night that he was banning the controversial Orange Order parade from walking down the Garvaghy Road after receiving a letter from PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher.

Sir Chris said it was in the public interest to ban the march - even though the Portadown District Orange Lodge had a lawful determination from the Parades Commission allowing the procession.

The announcement, read out by Breándan Mac Cionnaith through a loud hailer, was met with roars of approval in Garvaghy Road Community Centre where residents had gathered.

Sinn Fein leaders Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill said there would be an “enormous sense of relief” among residents.

But the Portadown District Lodge said the Chief Constable had “abdicated his responsibility” and spoke of the “immense anger engulfing our community”.

And DUP leader Gavin Robinson said the rule of law in Northern Ireland had been “fatally undermined”.

Earlier in the day, letters from the PSNI had begun dropping on the doormats of some nationalist politicians including First Minister Michelle O’Neill and People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll over their parts in the unnotified Garvaghy Road protests which had been blocking the parade for 13 days.

Probe into PSNI officer accused of rape and indecent assault is ‘much bigger’

Our Crime and Security Correspondent, Sharon O’Neill, brought us an exclusive story where she revealed that the investigation into a former police officer accused of a catalogue of sex crimes while on duty has got much bigger.

When she first reported on the story, back in January, we knew the number of alleged offences - including an allegation of rape - ran into double figures. We didn’t have an exact number until now but it has more than doubled.

The former officer was arrested back in December and the criminal investigation is being carried out by the Police Ombudsman. UTV can reveal he was re-arrested and bailed again and questioned about more suspected offences including alleged indecent assault and misconduct in public office.

Long road to get A5 block overturned

The controversial A5 road upgrade was given the green light this week as a ruling which had said it cannot proceed in its current form has been quashed in the Court of Appeal in Belfast.

The decision was welcomed by campaigners and the families of those who have lost their lives on the current road. There have been more than 50 deaths on the A5, which links Londonderry with Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone, since 2006 as Sara O’Kane reports.

The Omagh Bombing inquiry continued this week at Bradford Court in Belfast where anti-corruption cop Martin Bridger, who had been seconded to the PSNI, described meeting a Garda whistleblower in 2002. He told of how some cars, stolen for dissident republicans, were allowed by senior officers to cross the border into Northern Ireland.

Paul aboard! Presenter’s trip down memory lane as HMS Elizabeth docks

Our presenter Paul Clark got to board the HMS Elizabeth aircraft carrier which sailed into Belfast Harbour this week. It was personal for Paul as he witnessed the last such aircraft carrier to come to Northern Ireland over 60 years ago when he was only 11.

Unbe-leaf-able news for Newcastle icon

The “Bendy Tree” in Newcastle, Northern Ireland, has won this year’s UK Tree of the Year contest, organisers have announced. The wych elm in Co Down is the first ever tree in Northern Ireland to top the poll in the Woodland Trust’s annual competition. We sent our reporter Niamh McMullan down to visit what is fast becoming Newcastle’s latest celebrity and talk to the experts about how the tree had formed into its present, unusual position.

View From Stormont

The A5 ruling was top of the agenda early in the week. The Lady Chief Justice described the legal journey as “torturous” - but ruled that the scheme should proceed. We heard from Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins on the A5 decision, as well as Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir on the day he faced a motion of no confidence in the Assembly over his department’s handling of a cattle cull in the summer.

Presenter Paul Clark challenged the parties on their delays in passing a budget - and the issues that remain over Drumcree. We wrapped up the show with expert analysis from former DUP special advisor David Graham and former Sinn Féin election candidate Chris Donnelly.

From Blue Lights to UTV studio lights

Paul Reilly stepped into the breach to present UTV Life this week when he interviewed one of Northern Ireland’s hottest stars. Richard Dormer has lit up the stage as Alex Higgins and the screen in Game of Thrones. Now he’s back in Northern Ireland cop drama Blue Lights - as fan favourite Gerry Cliff… who was shot dead in series one. And here he tells all about his remarkable career…

Other stories you can read…

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]]><![CDATA[Drumcree deadlock continues..]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/drumcree-deadlock-continueshttps://utvni.substack.com/p/drumcree-deadlock-continuesSat, 03 Oct 2026 07:03:16 GMT

The latest round of talks ended without a resolution. (Credit: PA)

Welcome to this week’s UTV newsletter.

It’s been a tumultuous week with the Drumcree parade dispute continuing. The Secretary of State has said it is a shame that no agreement has been reached to break the deadlock between the Orange Order and Garvaghy Road Residents. However Sir Chris Bryant insists his door remains open for further discussions.

There have been appeals for calm this weekend in Portadown with the PSNI saying that a significant policing operation will remain in place over the coming days.

Stormont aftershocks

The aftershocks of the Drumcree dispute were being felt at Stormont too.

The Assembly chamber played host to angry exchanges on Monday and Tuesday.

Unionists said Michelle O’Neill and other Sinn Féin members broke the law and the ministerial code by standing with residents on the Garvaghy Road at the weekend.

Michelle O’Neill said she was there as Sinn Fein Vice President, not First Minister.

Ms O’Neill failed to appear for an urgent question on the matter on both Monday and Tuesday, which the Speaker described as ‘gross contempt’ for the people of Northern Ireland.

It is expected that Ms O’Neill will face the urgent question on Monday.

During an interview with UTV, Michelle O’Neill said she had chosen to stand with the residents of the Garvaghy Road, and if that means she could face prosecution - ‘so be it’.

Meanwhile, the DUP Leader has said suggestions loyalist activist Jamie Bryson is leading unionism on the issue are ‘ridiculous’.

Gavin Robinson admitted he has met with Mr Bryson - who is providing legal advice to the Portadown District Orange Lodge - as talks to break the impasse were hosted at Hillsborough Castle throughout the week.

Mr Robinson also accused Sinn Féin of ‘giving up’ on devolution, and made clear he is ‘not prepared to do that’.

In an interview with UTV on Friday, Sinn Féin’s Deirdre Hargey pushed back, saying her party was working ‘for the people, to deliver for them, that’s why we’re standing here on the Garvaghy Road.’

Up Close

In a week where the headlines were dominated by Drumcree, the Up Close team explored the issue in depth. Studio guests included Professor Dominic Bryan from Queen's University, as well as Belfast Telegraph crime correspondent Allison Morris and the commentator David Graham. The programme is available to watch on ITVX.

A licence to save lives..

Northern Ireland has become the first part of the UK to introduce additional restrictions for new drivers.

Graduated driver licensing (GDL) is a road safety scheme designed to reduce the disproportionate involvement of new and young drivers in serious collisions.

In 2024, there were 164 casualties (killed or seriously injured) from collisions where a car driver aged 17-23 was responsible. The age group accounts for 24% of fatal or serious collisions despite holding just 8% of licences.

The revised training, testing and post-test framework for new drivers and motorcyclists came into effect on Thursday, as Nathan Hanna reports.

Omagh Inquiry shown footage of moment bomb exploded

CCTV footage has been played at the Omagh Bombing Inquiry showing the moment the Real IRA car bomb exploded in the town.

The images have never been seen publicly before, and were captured from a camera in a shop at the site of the Real IRA attack.

The inquiry has been examining the moment of detonation and the immediate aftermath of the atrocity. Gareth Wilkinson’s report on Thursday’s proceedings includes images some of you may find upsetting.

Dancing robots at college

Students at Southern Regional College are getting hands-on experience of some of the latest developments in robotics and artificial intelligence, following the arrival of two life size humanoid robots. The robots can walk, balance, and dance - and quite a bit more. Rita Fitzgerald went to find out about them at the Portadown campus.

Planning for the future of Mussenden Temple

It’s one of Northern Ireland’s most iconic and beautiful landmarks - Mussenden Temple sits perched dramatically on the cliffs close to Castlerock.

The temple is now part of a new EU-funded project, which is examining changes and tackling climate impacts along the coastline.

The Coastal Monitoring and Adaptation Plan is a cross-border initiative led by Ulster University, as Louise Small reports.

International football

(Celebrations after Ciaron Brown, left, scored NI’s third goal during their round three Nations League soccer match between Ukraine on Friday night. Picture credit: PA)

Northern Ireland delivered one of their most impressive away performances under manager Michael O'Neill on Friday night when they beat Ukraine 3-0 in Slovakia.

We're now in the middle of a big weekend of international football. The games are coming thick and fast in the new Nations League format.

Each team plays four games in under two weeks. Northern Ireland will finish off this block of games infront of the Windsor Park home fans on Monday night against Georgia.

And following their 2-2 draw with Austria on Thursday night, the Republic of Ireland face Israel tomorrow. Due to the political tensions surrounding the fixture, it will be played in the neutral venue of Serbia.

On The Ground

This week, our presenter Emma Patterson visits every corner of the beautiful place we call home finding some brilliant stories. From the rugged uplands of the Fermanagh-Tyrone border to the beaches on the Irish Sea and our darkest skies in Davagh Forest.

The On The Ground team travels to Sliabh Beagh this week searching for the elusive curlew. Numbers in the bird have declined from almost 6,000 pairs to around 250 across the island, with approximately 150 pairs in Northern Ireland. We meet two conservationists hoping to grow those numbers and protect the remaining birds.

We’re also near Kilkeel picking seaweed and turning it into everything! It’s probably one of our best hidden resources and if you know what you’re doing you can use it in your food, skincare, salts and more. But please ensure you know what you’re doing - like our seaweed expert Michelle Wilson who talks us through the different types we have on our shores.

And we’re also star-gazing with the team at the OM Dark Sky Park. With recent increased interest in the Northern Lights and the park’s unfiltered, non-light-polluted skies, Emma explores the site and visits an ancient stone circle nearby.

On The Ground airs Friday at 7.30pm on UTV and ITVX. You can catch up on our latest episode on ITVX, where Emma visits a distillery by the sea in Donaghadee.

Going the Extra Mile

On the latest edition of Going the Extra Mile, Carol is joined by Emily Wilson, a campaigner from Belfast who after the death of her late husband Jim has become an advocate for better diagnosis and improved support services for those who develop early onset dementia. Working alongside the Alzheimer’s Society, she has been awarded a British Empire Medal for her dedicated awareness-raising and voluntary work within the community. Catch it on ITVX or wherever you get your podcasts.

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]]><![CDATA[Parades Commission approves application for Drumcree parade]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/parades-commission-approves-applicationhttps://utvni.substack.com/p/parades-commission-approves-applicationFri, 25 Sep 2026 22:34:26 GMT

Drumcree Church in Portadown (Credit: PA)

Welcome to this week’s UTV newsletter. Drumcree dominated the headlines this week with the world waiting for the Parades Commission ruling on whether the controversial march in Portadown could go ahead.

That ruling came this afternoon when the Commission decreed a reduced number of Orangemen could walk on the Garvaghy Road on Sunday but they were instructed to leave the church no later than 8am and must reach Carleton Street no later than 9.30am.

Residents lodged an appeal with the High Court in Belfast and it’s understood the hearing will take place at 11am on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland Secretary of State Chris Bryant urged all sides to be measured in any response, while the Irish government has said it is ‘very concerned’ by the decision.

The Prime Minister appealed for calm but it’s anyone’s guess how the situation will play out in the coming days…

Jeffrey Donaldson arriving at court during his trial

Donaldson appears for pre-sentence hearing

The convictions of former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson for sex offences “obliterate” all the achievements in his political life, his barrister has told a court.

During a pre-sentence hearing at Newry Crown Court on Friday, Donaldson appeared for the first time since his conviction in June.

His two victims were also in the courtroom.

Judge Paul Ramsey told the ex-MP that he would be sentenced next month.

Donaldson, 63, was convicted of 18 sex offences, including one count of rape, relating to the abuse of two women when they were children.

The offences were committed between 1985 and 2008.

Tracey Magee meets the Prime Minister

UTV’s Political Editor sat down with Prime Minister Andy Burnham in No10 North on Friday - just in time to ask him about the Parades Commission decision on Drumcree - and the budget Ultimatum issued by Secretary of State Sir Chris Bryant on Thursday.

He said: “He’s right about that. People need to look at the world that we’re in and actually, as part of the current process that I’m in, I’m asking Whitehall departments for savings.

“It’s not the case that there’s money to be handed around. There just isn’t.”

You can watch it here…

Families urge tougher sentences in ‘no-body’ murder cases

The families of two women whose remains have never been found appeared before the Justice Committee as they continue to fight to change the law here.

Charlotte's Law named after Charlotte Murray who was murdered by her ex-fiancee in Co Tyrone 2012 will mean tougher sentences for killers who refuse to give up the body and a reduction for those who eventually reveal the location of where they are buried.

Impact of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann continues as music classes fill up

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann attracted visitors from all over the world when it arrived in Belfast just over six weeks ago for a week long celebration of Irish traditional music.

Over one million people visited the city at that time, and since then many people have decided that they would like to learn and instrument and maybe even take part next year. Daniel Duffy has been finding out more.

Life Times

Comedian Paddy Raff is the guest on this week's Life Times on Monday at 7.30pm on UTV. He's been speaking to Ali Fleming about his comedy career, and reveals the inspiration for Nigel.

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]]><![CDATA[A fairway to go on unity debate...]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/a-fairway-to-go-on-unity-debatehttps://utvni.substack.com/p/a-fairway-to-go-on-unity-debateSat, 19 Sep 2026 07:31:10 GMT

Welcome to this week’s UTV newsletter. It’s been another busy week with Trump’s comments creating a stir, Irish glory in the Irish Open, the conclusion of the inquest into the death of Noah Donohue and an exercise guru meeting some of his biggest fans.

Trump spent over twenty four hours in the Republic last weekend, meeting the Taoiseach, the Irish President and a victorious Shane Lowry. From the get go, he provoked a reaction by expressing his support for a united Ireland. Far from correcting those remarks, on Sunday when asked about them by journalists in Doonbeg, he doubled down. His parting gift was lifting the tariff on Irish whiskey and he was off, leaving a blaze of commentary and discussion in his wake.

A course of commotion

Words by UTV Politcal Editor, Tracey Magee

President Trump’s flying visit to Ireland last weekend was sure to generate headlines.

But nobody expected the US President - who was here to attend the Irish Open golf competition at his Co Clare hotel and golf links - to wade into the constitutional debate when he told reporters that Irish unity would be a ‘very cool thing’ which will ‘happen eventually’.

Ironically Sinn Féin was protesting at the President’s visit in Dublin as he made the comments.The party said the President’s words showed how the unification debate is gathering pace while at the same time insisting it still opposed Trump’s policies in the Middle East. Meanwhile the DUP, which has publicly supported President Trump in the past, played down the remarks as a “typical Trumpism.”

It set the scene for a week that began with yet another war of words between our politicians.

Michelle O’Neill, along with Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald, joined the nationalist First Ministers of Scotland and Wales at a meeting in Cardiff where they jointly signed a memorandum of understanding saying that ‘Westminster’s time is coming to an end’.

Sinn Féin made clear that Michelle O’Neill was attending the meeting as party Vice President, but unionist leaders at Stormont branded the meeting of Sinn Féin, SNP and Plaid Cymru leaders as a ‘circus’. The deputy First Minister accused Ms O’Neill of ‘weaponising’ the role of First Minister.

In an interview with ‘View from Stormont’, Emma Little-Pengelly accused the First Minister of pursuing ‘petty politics’ by attending the summit. Michelle O’Neill rubbished the claim as ‘nonsense’.

Only weeks ago new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, during his first visit to Northern Ireland, angered nationalist politicians when he said that the issue of a border poll was ‘off the table’. It was a clumsy remark given the fact that the Good Friday Agreement makes clear the issue of Northern Ireland’s constitutional position will be decided by referendums by the people of Northern Ireland and Ireland. Later, in a statement, No10 said the Prime Minister is committed to upholding the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement. A day later the Secretary of State Sir Chris Bryant repeated the government’s position in an interview with UTV.

Noah Donohoe inquest jury finds failings

The inquest into the death of Noah Donohue ended after the jury reached a unanimous decision. His mum, Fiona, hit out at the Department for Infrastructure and the PSNI as his long-running inquest found failings over access to a water culvert and in the investigation into his death.

The jury also found there were no police failings that may have contributed to his death after unanimously agreeing that he died before he was reported missing, however jurors identified a series of subsequent investigative errors by officers that impacted on the ability of the jury to reach conclusions on aspects of the inquest.

We look back at the tragedy that touched the world.

Hamill family ‘vindicated’ by inquiry

The long-awaited report into the brutal death of Robert Hamill was also released this week. Our Crime and Security Correspondent, Sharon O’Neill, has followed this case for many years.

The inquiry into the murder found police officers who were in a Land Rover near the scene “did not condone or collude” with the attackers. However, the report said that a number of “wrongful acts and omissions” by RUC officers obstructed the investigation into his murder in 1997. The sister of Robert Hamill said the failings highlighted in the report had “led to those who murdered our brother evading justice”.

Killer on the run

A convicted murderer who was on temporary release from prison remains unlawfully at large.

Police released a fresh photograph of Gary Anderson this afternoon. He failed to return to jail on Monday. The 29 year old was last seen at 11am that morning, in the Eastway area of the Creggan in Londonderry.

Electricity discount for NI households

There was good and bad news for consumers this week as prices on the forecourts continued to rise as an unwelcome side effect of the conflict with Iran.

On the plus side, all households in Northern Ireland will receive a £63 discount off electricity bills in October, Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald has announced. The household electricity discount will be applied automatically by electricity suppliers.

Around 860,000 households will receive the discount, which is not means-tested or based on consumption, from October 6. The scheme applies to both bill-paying and pre-pay/keypad customers. Nathan Hanna has the details.

Joe Wicks surprises his superfans in Co. Down

And if you think you are too busy or too unfit to exercise, take a look at 94-year-old Irvine and 88-year-old Rosie from County Down who keep fit everyday to their hero, Joe Wicks and his videos. Thai week UTV arranged for Joe to go and visit the couple at their home and share top tips. Inspirational and uplifting.

Puppy Pilates

And how do you fancy getting fit while enjoying puppy cuddles? A studio in Portadown is offering an opportunity to do just that in its Puppy Pilates classes.

It’s a wellness trend which combines the physical toning of Pilates with animal-assisted therapy. Apparently it is known to lower blood pressure, and reduce stress hormones. Our reporter Daniel Duffy went to find out more.

Going the Extra Mile

And finally, for more inspiration, check out this week’s edition of our podcast Going the Extra Mile. This week Carol Jordan sat down with medical student, Paddy McClintock who after losing two friends to suicide, set up the Check in on a Mate charity. He also uses sport and physical exercise to encourage people to chat to each other and open up about any mental health issues. Not just that, but to raise awareness for his campaign, Paddy ran the entire length of Ireland, 650km in 14 days.

That’s it from the UTV newsletter this week. Have a lovely weekend.

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]]><![CDATA[Stormont Returns]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/stormont-returnshttps://utvni.substack.com/p/stormont-returnsSat, 12 Sep 2026 07:01:03 GMT

Welcome to another edition of the UTV newsletter as we roundup this week’s major stories across Northern Ireland. Try a taste of our programmes and range of content across ITVX.

It’s been a busy week news-wise with Stormont’s return. We’ve had an exclusive look at the hospice sector and a former Eurovision winner sit down with Alison Fleming.

We’ve also had a look back at the tragic attack on September 11th, 2001, a day which changed the world.

High Stakes and Crunch Talks as Budget Deadlock Deepens

Stormont’s first week back from the summer recess was bookended by intensive, high-stakes negotiations aimed at breaking an increasingly perilous budget deadlock.

Five months into the financial year, Executive ministers remain unable to agree on a spending plan, maintaining that local services cannot survive without substantial additional backing from Westminster.

In the absence of an agreed budget, departments are operating on emergency footing, restricted to spending a maximum of 95% of last year’s allocation.

The week began with intense political maneuvering as the Secretary of State convened with Executive ministers at Stormont Castle on Monday morning, followed by discussions with party leaders at Parliament Buildings and direct bilateral meetings with the five main parties.

Beyond immediate fiscal pressures, the discussions tackled broader structural issues, including proposed institutional reforms at Stormont.

Initial proposals presented on Monday indicated a Government package in the region of £350 million over a three-year period.

The response was swift: a flurry of press conferences in the Great Hall saw ministers and party leaders reacting to the offer on the table, with DUP Leader Gavin Robinson warning it fell ‘well short’ of Northern Ireland’s core requirements.

By Friday morning, the Secretary of State convened a virtual meeting to present a revised offer, understood to total approximately £1.5 billion over three years.

UTV understands £450 million will be made available in the first year, with £400 million in each of the two following years. Extra money will also be made available for public service transformation.

UTV also understands the Executive is being asked to raise £100 million of revenue next year, with a further £200 million the following year.

No agreement was reached on Friday, it’s understood talks will continue at an official level, and the Secretary of State is back in Northern Ireland next week.

Key questions also linger over potential policy conditions, mandatory revenue-raising measures required of local departments, and whether institutional reform will be made a prerequisite for the funds.

Stormont’s finances always throw up difficult challenges and choices but with an election looming in May the political room to manoeuvre is hugely constrained.

Remembering 9/11

This week marked the twenty fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. It’s one of those moments in history where everyone remembers exactly where they were.

We spoke to three people with very different recollections of that terrible day.

The Survivor, Louise Traynor, the Diplomat, Barbara Stephenson and the Journalist, Ivan Little. Three different perspectives on a tragic day which changed the world.

You can watch all the interviews in our online documentary Shattered Lives: 9/11 - 25 Years On or listen / watch the UTV podcast on ITVX or wherever you get your podcasts.

Up Close: Hospice Life

In the latest edition of Up Close, our Health Correspondent Deborah McAleese got an exclusive look into the Northern Ireland Hospice to produce a film which shatters most people’s pre-conceptions of what the work which takes place there.

Yes, they are places of terrible sadness but also of uplifting joy. Think ukuleles, donkeys, music and laughter.

On the serious side Northern Ireland’s hospices have warned that growing financial pressures could put services at risk.

Health Minister Robbie Butler told Deborah the work hospices do goes beyond the money attached to them and says he will now examine how they are funded.

Trevor McCartney, Chair of Hospice Alliance NI, warned the current reliance on charitable fundraising is becoming increasingly unsustainable.

Life Times

By Ali Fleming -

Often, the best part of being a producer/presenter is the amazing people that you meet. Over the years I’ve met some incredible people who have featured on UTV, and while it would be lovely to devote a half hour of programming to each Hollywood star, chart topping musician or national treasure, their contributions are normally limited to a couple of minutes at most.

The joy of Life Times, which is about to start a new run on UTV on Mondays at 7.30, is that we have more time to get to know the person in studio with us. Learning about their lives and careers, and digging down into what makes them tick. And often it’s the little vignettes that linger, the common threads that bind you (normal person) and them (famous) together.

Golden Girl Lady Mary Peters was our first ever guest, and her incredible stories, coupled with some truly 70’s archive footage took her back to the very start of her career. Who knew she was at school with Gloria Hunniford? This was revealed by the TV legend herself when she came to UTV to film an hour long Life Times special . Gloria won a legion of new young fans in the newsroom, and was an absolute delight to be around. She took time for everyone, and spoke poignantly about her family and career. My favourite moment was when she clapped eyes on Paul Clark and said, “Ah! Young Paul”. Of course, he was young when Gloria last worked in UTV

It’s always a privilege to be able to get to know a bit more about our Life Times guests. Already in this latest run we’ve recorded two episodes - one featuring author and screenwriter Colin Bateman who revealed he was so shy at the start of his career he paid an actor to read from his book at a literary festival. A crime comedy genius, and the Godfather of the film industry in Northern Ireland, I can testify that even his emails are laugh out loud funny.

Our second is singer Niamh Kavanagh, who shot to fame in 1993 when she won Eurovision. Now living in Carrickfergus with her family, she had Simon Cowell as her A&R manager at one stage (a whole other programme, I think!!).

Hearing about her career and her love of singing was truly inspirational, and we sat in studio talking long after filming ended. Talk turned to family life, and a mutual passion- drying days. Getting a full load out on the line. The joy.

These are the areas I would never be able to explore in a 30 second soundbite or a 4 minute studio interview. But they’re still a part of what makes us.

And when just a few days later I got a new washing line AND it was a dry day, who did I message?

Never did I think 33 years ago watching Eurovision that I’d be sharing washing pics with the glorious winner. But here we are.

You’ll maybe be relieved to know we DIDN’T talk about washing lines in the programme, instead hearing about her path to stardom, her family and her many triumphs. And you can watch Niamh on Life Times on ITVX.

Irish Open tees off

The Irish Open teed off in Doonbeg this week and a very special guest is expected at the weekend with the Doonbeg owner and massive golf fan, US President Donald J Trump going to make an appearance.

Our Sports Correspondent Ruth Gorman has been braving the rain in Co Clare all week and managed to grab a few words with one of the Irish hopefuls, Shane Lowry.

Pride of Britain winner revealed

This week we met four amazing fundraisers, who have all made a massive difference to charities across Northern Ireland.

After much deliberation, our Pride of Britain judging panel, which included ITV’s overall 2025 winner Joanne Harris, decided Gary Rutherford from Londonderry was this year’s worthy fundraiser of the year.

We surprised Gary at his ARC Fitness gym on Friday morning, when our reporter Paul Reilly presented him with his award.

It’s fair to say Gary was completely gobsmacked by his win and told UTV he plans to take his wife as his guest to the glittering Pride of Britain awards show in London later this year.

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In this week’s UTV Life, music legend Brian Kennedy will be telling Pamela about how he is celebrating 30 years of his A Better Man album.

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]]><![CDATA[A burning issue....]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/a-burning-issuehttps://utvni.substack.com/p/a-burning-issueSat, 05 Sep 2026 07:01:16 GMT

Welcome to another edition of the UTV newsletter as we roundup this week’s major stories across Northern Ireland. Try a taste of our programmes and range of content across ITVX.

Thick smoke dominated the Belfast skyline for much of the day on Wednesday after a major fire erupted at a scrap metal recycling plant in the city’s Harbour.

The operation to deal with the incident on Queen’s Island also involved Belfast Harbour fire tugs as well as an air unit.

The Drumcree parade dispute has continued to make headlines this week as the Portadown Orange Lodge launched a plan for a ‘limited’ parade. Last week the High Court quashed a Parades Commission determination over the march in Portadown. The commission has blocked the order from marching along the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road every year since 1998. On Thursday during a press conference in the Co Armagh town, they said 60 members would take part in the proposed Drumcree parade on Sunday, September 27 but that current members of the Parades Commission have “no credibility” to adjudicate on their application and should resign.

A war of words

Drumcree Church in Portadown. (Credit: PA)

An angry war of words has broken out over the latest development in the Drumcree march standoff. Portadown Orangemen announced plans for a limited parade down the Garvaghy Road in a few weeks’ time, saying it was a rebalancing of rights. Residents have blasted that view.

Nigel Dawson, Portadown District Master said: “We make this notification in the present circumstances which exist, in pursuit of our legitimate aim of returning our standard home, as is our basic human right.”

Leading voice for the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition, Breandán Mac Cionnaith said: “I would say to the Orange Order: go home. Leave this community in peace. Let's get on with our lives.”

Portadown District Lodge has agreed to participate in mediation after it said the Parades Commission indicated it is seeking to appoint an independent mediator.

A final decision is expected just four days before the planned march on September 27.

Dissident chiefs struggle to recruit for terrorists attacks despite three recent bomb attacks

Despite a recent surge in bombings, high-level security assessments reveal the New IRA is struggling to recruit members willing to launch attacks.

Intelligence shows even disillusioned Provisionals are steering clear, following a major crackdown launched after the shooting of Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell in 2023.

UTV has been given insight into the sudden increase in dissident activity after a reassessment of the New IRA was prompted.Senior security sources said terror chiefs are now "struggling’’ to get anyone to "put their necks on the line" for so-called missions.

Teachers turn to take action

The new school year has barely begun and teachers across Northern Ireland have voted overwhelmingly for strike action.

The five main teaching Unions had balloted members on industrial action in a row over what’s been described as “unsustainable workloads.”

Arrests in PSNI probe into PCI

Two people have been arrested as part of the ongoing criminal investigation into safeguarding failures within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI).

UTV News revealed that the number of potential victims who have come forward has risen from 101 back in February to 127.

Moderator, Rev Richard Kerr, said the institution is continuing to improve its central safeguarding policies and procedures and remains saddened by its failures.

Health Minister under mounting pressure

Senior medics have warned Stormont’s new Health Minister that failure to modernise hospital services risks limiting access to care in NI.

Pressure has been mounting on Robbie Butler after he announced that a new independent committee will scrutinise controversial proposals and provide advice on permanent changes to health and social care services.

Dr Alan Stout, who chairs of the British Medical Association’s (BMA) NI Council said the approach will cause further delay and frustration.

Race row in Londonderry sparks antisemitism accusations

A Jewish leader in NI has expressed deep concern following the withdrawal of four Israeli athletes from a triathlon event in Londonderry.

It comes after World Triathlon confirmed it had been asked by the Israeli Triathlon Association (ITA) to “remove all the Israeli athletes entered” for the race and did so “with immediate effect” amid safety concerns.

Michael Black said he was saddened and disappointment by the situation and claimed Ireland and Londonderry have a “reputation of being antisemitic”.

The Derry Anti War Coalition said it is "delighted" the Israeli athletes are no longer participating in the event as it rejected claims of safety concerns and denied allegations of antisemitism.

Titanic victim's pocket watch goes on display

Age Is Just A Number: 82-Year-Old Runner Hits 75th Parkrun

An inspiring octogenarian in Downpatrick has proved that age truly is just a number. Brendan Mulhall completed his 75th park run at the age of 82, all while raising money for Air Ambulance. Locals and family members gathered to serenade Brendan across the line. Watch the report

Meanwhile,

A remarkable Limavady resident is also proving that age is just a number as she approaches an incredible 105th milestone birthday.

Dorothy Cunningham has witnessed five monarchs, two world wars, and the entire history of Northern Ireland and is still going strong .

And finally… the RAF has touched down in Co Fermanagh

There will be live demos and hands on activities, as the RAF takes over St. Angelo Airport, just outside Enniskillen.


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In this week’s Hidden NI, Rita learns the ropes of bell ringing, and explores a Belfast library. Barbara discovers some ancient clocks destined for a new life.

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]]><![CDATA[A parading dispute..]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/a-parading-disputehttps://utvni.substack.com/p/a-parading-disputeSat, 29 Aug 2026 07:01:39 GMT

Drumcree Church in Portadown. (Credit: PA)

Welcome to another edition of the UTV newsletter as we roundup this week’s major stories across Northern Ireland. Try a taste of our programmes and range of content across ITVX.

The Drumcree parade dispute made headlines this week after the High Court quashed a Parades Commission determination over the march in Portadown. A court hearing heard that the commission’s decision to place restrictions on this year’s Orange Order July march at Drumcree had not been considered in its “final form” by all members of the commission. The commission has blocked the order from marching along the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road every year since 1998.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham made his first visit to Northern Ireland - his remarks that a referendum on Irish unity was “off the table” were welcomed by unionists but drew criticism from Sinn Féin.

Also this week there was a special homecoming for Dáithí Mac Gabhann after receiving his heart transplant. The nine-year-old from west Belfast inspired a campaign to change organ donation laws in Northern Ireland.

And fans of Dolly Parton here joined others around the world in mourning the queen of country music, who died this week aged 80.

Bryant will ‘not jump to conclusions’ over Parades Commission

Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant has told UTV he will not “jump to conclusions” about the future of the Parades Commission after receiving a letter about how the body intends to restore public confidence in its work.

The commission was heavily criticised by unionist politicians and the Orange Order following a High Court ruling which quashed its determination over the Drumcree parade in Portadown.

Following the court hearing, Sir Chris gave the commission until 5pm on Friday to provide him with written assurances that it has a “credible plan to enhance public confidence across all communities”. The Northern Ireland Secretary confirmed he had now received the letter and would study it over the weekend.

PM says border poll ‘off the table’

Andy Burnham sparked a political row during his first visit to Northern Ireland as Prime Minister after he stated that an Irish border poll is “off the table”.

He sat down with our Political Correspondent Vicki Hawthorne on Thursday - she began by asking him whether he has confidence in the Parades Commission.

The Prime Minister spoke to the Stormont parties on Thursday evening.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald reacted strongly to the remarks on a referendum, stating that no prime minister has the right to “high-handedly” remove the provision for a unity referendum from the Good Friday Agreement.

However, DUP leader Gavin Robinson welcomed the comments, stating the Prime Minister had “put to bed the nonsense” speculation over a unity poll.

In his interview with UTV on Friday, the Secretary of State said the Prime Minister didn’t make a mistake when he said that a poll on Irish unity is “off the table”.

Sir Chris said Mr Burnham was speaking about the situation “now” and insisted they are both “full square behind every single part of the Good Friday Agreement”.

Dáithí comes home after heart transplant

Dáithí Mac Gabhann has arrived home after undergoing a life-saving heart transplant last month. His eight-year wait for a new heart inspired a campaign to change organ donation laws here, and eventually led to Daithi’s Law coming into effect in 2023. Daniel Duffy went along to this very special homecoming. He was also welcomed by the Belfast Giants as he paid them a visit.

Is your household eligible for £100 oil support payment?

As the summer draws to a close, colder days are not too far away - and with them come more pressures on heating costs. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has announced that the opening date for applications to the home heating oil support scheme will be 9 September. It will allow around 340,000 eligible households to access a £100 voucher to help go towards heating costs, as Jordan Moore reports. Meanwhile a gas supplier has announced a 19% price hike as winter approaches.

Ten barn owl chicks hatched in Co Fermanagh ‘cause for celebration’

Ten barn owl chicks hatched in Co Fermanagh is “huge and exciting,” the conservation charity Ulster Wildlife has said. The barn owl is one of NI’s rarest and locally endangered birds because of habitat loss, rodenticide use and lack of food prey.

It is believed there are now only 30 breeding pairs remaining in NI.

The chicks were discovered in two nests in different locations for the first time in the county for 50 years. They are the largest number ever to be recorded in Fermanagh, as Sara O’Kane has been finding out.

'Get that thing down'

The Secretary of State encountered a factory girl on Londonderry's Peace Bridge during his first visit to the city.

Retired shirt factory worker Margaret McMonagle told Chris Bryant she was unhappy with a £187,000 statue erected in honor of industry workers.

Factories staffed mostly by women once made Derry a powerhouse in the global textile industry.

The exchange between the pair remained good-natured and lighthearted.

Derry City and Strabane District Council said they "engaged extensively" with the public and representatives about the sculpture. They said it’s disappointing that some within the factory girls group felt excluded from the "very open and transparent exercise" and they are "always happy to meet" with them to discuss any concerns.

Northern Ireland mourns Dolly Parton

The world of country music is in mourning following the death of its so called queen Dolly Parton, who died aged 80. The star’s biggest hits included ‘Jolene’ and ‘Nine to Five’. The Tennessee native performed in Northern Ireland over the years and influenced local country stars, one even getting the seal of approval from Dolly herself - as Niamh McMullan reports.

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]]><![CDATA[Dramatic resignation]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/dramatic-resignationhttps://utvni.substack.com/p/dramatic-resignationSat, 22 Aug 2026 07:01:54 GMT

Welcome to another edition of the UTV newsletter as we roundup this weeks major stories across Northern Ireland. Try a taste of our programmes and range of content across ITVX. A fatal crash in Co Kildare sent shockwaves after five teenagers were killed when they drove down the M9 in the wrong direction. Three sisters and a young boy were victims when their vehicle was crashed into. The dramatic resignation of Stormont Health Minister Mike Nesbitt involved a row that played throughout the week. His successor Robbie Butler was quickly appointed as he looks to address the issues within the health service. There were many lighter moments too including a young golfer following in McIlroy’s footsteps and guide dogs for good measure. So have a browse over a brew and catchup on this week’s news……

Mike Nesbitt resigns

Ulster Unionist MLA Robbie Butler was announced as Stormont’s new health minister on Thursday.

The appointment of the Lagan Valley representative came after Mike Nesbitt resigned from the post amid a fallout with UUP leader Jon Burrows over the proposed withdrawal of emergency general surgery from Causeway Hospital in Coleraine, Co Londonderry.

Mr Burrows said he did not support the removal of the services during a townhall meeting last week, making clear his opposition to the plan recommended by health trust bosses.

‘No red lines’ says new Health Minister

The new Health Minister Robbie Butler has told UTV he will not let politics interfere with any decision he makes about services at the Causeway Hospital.

Concerns raised over how police handle dangerous driving after Kildare crash

Questions are being asked about how police handle dangerous driving, after a head-on crash in Kildare over the weekend.

The five boys who died at the scene have been named locally as Joe Carthy, Alex McCarthy, Kamil Pustkowski, Jeremy O’Brien and Jack Kennedy.

Four more people remain in hospital.

The association representing Gardai officers has told UTV that the lack of training is hampering the forces ability to deal with such incidents, and the Police Federation for Northern Ireland says not enough officers are trained here either.

Exclusive: Mother and Baby homes

Watch our Crime and Security Correspondent Sharon O’Neill’s report

GCSE pupils a grade above the rest

Wojciech Sobiecki celebrates his GCSE results with his sister Nikola Sobiecka at Hazelwood Integrated College in Newtownabbey

The percentage of top GSCEs grades awarded in Northern Ireland increased slightly.

Some 31.7% of entries achieved A and A* grades compared with 31.6% in 2025.

The percentage was 30.5% in 2019, the year before the pandemic.

Female students continued to outperform males, with the gap at the top grade level increasing slightly this year.

Iconic cranes set for £3m refurb

Belfast’s iconic cranes Samson and Goliath are to be overhauled at a cost of £3.1m as part of a £98m investment by Harland & Wolff’s new owners. The company made the announcement this week as part of their efforts to bring back shipbuilding to Northern Ireland. The work will involve structural and electrical repairs including replacing the cables that supply them with power, which will bring them back into operation after two decades, as Jordan Moates reports.

School uniform pressures

The new school term is just around the corner but the cost of children going back to the classroom is putting many parents under financial pressure. New uniforms, shoes, gym gear and stationary all come with a price tag - with an expected spend of £1,300 per child at primary school. It’s even more expensive for secondary school pupils, at more than £2,000 over the school year. New legislation is meant to change all that - but will it? Barbara McCann reports.

Strabane culture bid

What springs to mind when you think of culture and Strabane? For some, it’s singer songwriter Paul Brady. For others it might be Hugo Duncan. But there’s so much more which has put Strabane in contention to become the UK’s very first ‘Town of Culture’ in 2028, as our North West Correspondent Gareth Wilkinson reports.

Meet the young golf star hoping to be the next Rory McIlroy

Could Ollie McEvoy be Northern Ireland’s next major champion? He won the club championship at Ballycastle Golf Club last weekend, with a remarkable score of 20 under par - firing an opening round that broke the course record, and then shooting nine under in the second round. Daniel Duffy has been to meet him.

Our programmes:

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]]><![CDATA[The Fleadh legacy..]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/the-fleadh-legacyhttps://utvni.substack.com/p/the-fleadh-legacySat, 15 Aug 2026 07:01:27 GMT
Street performers brought music and joy in Belfast at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026

Welcome to this week’s edition of the UTV Newsletter - a look back at the week’s top stories, programmes and more.

The Fleadh is over but discussions around its legacy continue. This week UTV had a look at the boost it gave businesses, the calls for more of Belfast’s City Centre to be pedestrianised and the incredible visitor numbers of visitors which the city hosted over the period of the festival.

Important to note though that another big talking point from the festival was the way that communities galvanised and came together to propel the success of this celebration of music and culture.

Our presenter, Ali Fleming, had the idea to produce two special programmes around the Fleadh but as she tells Carol Jordan on the UTV podcast Going the Extra Mile, she couldn’t have predicted the enormous reaction and engagement with the event. You can find that podcast on ITVX or wherever you get your podcasts.

If you want to get a sense of how Belfast was transformed for the eight days during the Fleadh, check our Ali’s programmes which you can also find on ITVX. Part two is available to watch below and part one can be seen here.

Law Society controversy

The President of the Law Society says he has “confidence” in Chief Executive David Lavery “in continuing to lead the organisation”.

It’s after over a week of growing calls for Mr Lavery to step-down from his role, after he gave a character reference for his paedophile cousin, William Lloyd-Lavery - for which he has apologised.

William Lloyd-Lavery, 77, of Richmond Avenue in Lisburn, was sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of six counts of indecent assault at a school he taught at in the 1970s.

In a statement, Mark Borland apologised to Society members and victims and said the handling of the matter and “how we communicated...has fallen far short of the standard expected of us” and that “we must now take responsibility for putting that right”.

He said “we should have been more transparent about the independent fact-finding review” but that he is “satisfied that this process was robust and independent”.

Exam results

This week thousands of students across Northern Ireland received their A-Level results and UTV has been exploring the options available to young people around training, further education.

Our Production Journalists Niamh McMullan, Leah McNally and Nathan Hylands have been meeting young people who chose alternative routes rather than university for progression.

The big lesson we have all learned is that there are so many options for further education now and if you don’t get the result you wanted, don’t despair. It’s worth looking at what opportunities companies and colleges have to offer.

You can catch up with these reports on ITVX or on our social platforms and we’ll have more coverage next week when GCSE results are released.

Solar eclipse

Wednesday’s once in a generation solar eclipse certainly excited UTV viewers with dozens of beautiful photos being sent into us from across NI. Here’s a selection of some of the beautiful images that you sent in.

Holiday devastation

It’s holiday season but for Lynn Bryson, her husband, daughter and son-in-law, a plan to spend two weeks in Egypt, including a week-long cruise down the Nile turned into major disappointment when the holiday company didn’t provide the necessary access for Lynn who lives with a disability.

However, the company insisted Lynn did not "explain the full extent of her mobility requirements".

Cricket journey

Following Ireland’s famous victory over World Champions India in June, UTV have been back to where history was made at Stormont to find out what the win has done for the sport here.

We have been following local man Gary Wilson as he starts his journey as Ireland’s new Head Coach in the One Day International series against Afghanistan.

Born less than a mile away in the Ulster Hospital, Wilson is the first home grown coach of the men’s national team in over 30 years.

As one of Ireland’s most capped players with 292 appearances and moving into coaching after his playing career, Wilson has all the experience to take Ireland forward as they aim for World Cup qualification in 2027.

Our programmes:

On this week’s UTV Life, we catch up with The Script’s Danny O'Donoghue ahead of the band’s Belfast concert. As the Open House Festival is in full swing we will be getting an update on what is still to come with Alison Gordon and Ronnie Greer and of course we will have the top entertainment tips for this week.

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]]><![CDATA[Jigs and reels of the Fleadh]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/jigs-and-reels-of-the-fleadhhttps://utvni.substack.com/p/jigs-and-reels-of-the-fleadhSat, 08 Aug 2026 07:01:22 GMT

The Fleadh in full swing in Belfast (Credit: PA)

Welcome to this week’s edition of the UTV Newsletter - a look back at the week’s top stories, programmes and more.

This week saw the world’s largest celebration of traditional Irish music arrive in Belfast as the city hosts Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.

More than 900,000 people have already visited over the course of the festival thus far, as more than 200 events and 180 traditional music competitions take place in venues, pubs and streets, with the hospitality sector reaping the benefits.

It is the first time the annual music festival has been held in Belfast and only the second time it has been held in NI, after being hosted in Londonderry in 2013.

There’s a whole weekend of competitions ahead showcasing the very best in traditional music, song, and dance where the passion of the performers is matched only by the incredible atmosphere on the streets, as Barbara McCann reports.

And in one of the most talked about cross-community events of the week, people lined the Titanic slipways for the Ulster Bands showcase, which was a first for the Fleadh.

You can read Sarah Clarke’s reflections on the Fleadh opening ceremony here.

And you can catch up with the best of this week’s events on ‘UTV at the Fleadh’ with Ali Fleming, which is the first of two special programmes.

Dáithí discharged from hospital

After more than eight years of visits, Dáithí Mac Gabhann has been discharged from the children's heart ward at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle Upon Tyne.

The nine-year-old got life-saving heart transplant surgery last month after waiting for eight years. He will remain in Newcastle for a period of isolation before he returns home to Northern Ireland.

Dáithí's dad told UTV that his son is looking forward to a new life with his new heart.

Tributes to Jimmy Cricket

Tributes have been paid following the death of Cookstown-born comedian Jimmy Cricket, who died after a short illness.

The 80-year-old passed away on Monday morning after spending the last few days “surrounded by his family, love, laughter and songs”, a statement from his family said.

Mela celebrates 20 years

Belfast is preparing to hold another landmark cultural celebration later this month, which is celebrating a milestone anniversary.

The Mela, now in its 20th year, showcases Northern Ireland’s growing diversity and has become one of the biggest multicultural events on the island of Ireland. The nine-day festival kicks off with the Mela Carnival parade on Saturday the 22nd of August.

Commonwealth homecoming

The 65 athletes who travelled to Glasgow to compete in the Commonwealth Games returned home this week.

They scooped a total of 16 medals - including three gold, four silver and nine bronze - which is Northern Ireland’s second largest medal haul at the Games just behind Birmingham four years ago. A special reception was held at Stormont on Wednesday.

Floating oyster reef

Ulster Wildlife says it has introduced the first ever floating oyster reef in NI at a marina along the Antrim coast, in a bid to boost biodiversity and water quality.

Young European flat oysters - which are native to our coastline - were once on the verge of extinction but conservationists are now hoping to help numbers recover.

Going the Extra Mile

In the latest installment of Going the Extra Mile, Carol Jordan is joined by Michelle Bradley, founder of the charity The Parent Rooms, which supports the mental health and wellbeing of parents and carers. Earlier this year the charity was nominated in what's called the Oscars for small charities, a Centre for Social Justice Award, for its work. The awards celebrate the best of the small charity sector who are providing innovative policy solutions to address the root causes of poverty across the UK.

Our programmes:

On this week’s UTV Life, Anna-Jane Casey tells Pamela about her role in the musical Judy - End of the Rainbow, pianist Barry Douglas and flautist Eimear McGeown will be chatting about the 25th anniversary of the Clandeboye Festival and we will have brand new music from American Idol contestant Pia Toscano.

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]]><![CDATA['A real legend who will never die'...]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/a-real-legend-who-will-never-diehttps://utvni.substack.com/p/a-real-legend-who-will-never-dieSat, 01 Aug 2026 07:01:43 GMT

Welcome to this week’s edition of the UTV Newsletter - a look back at the week’s top stories, programmes and more. And this week began with the sad news of the passing of one of the UTV greats - Gerry Kelly. His chat show was shown on Friday night in Northern Ireland for 17 years, featuring some of the biggest names in show business.

The former UTV and BBC Radio Ulster presenter conducted many high-profile interviews, including with an eight-year-old Rory McIlroy as the young golfer chipped balls into a washing machine.

Thanks for reading UTV’s Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Kelly was installed in the Royal Television Society Hall of Fame in 1998 in recognition of his contribution to broadcasting.

In 2018, he revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer two years earlier.

Hundreds attended the service at St Nicholas Church in Ardglass, with The Priests – the band interviewed multiple times by Kelly – performing at the mass.

New role, new challenges...

Northern Ireland’s new Secretary of State Sir Chris Bryant has said he has arrived for his first official visit with a “check list” rather than a “cheque book”.

Sir Chris arrived in the region for his first official visit in post on Friday, and visited defence systems plant Thales in east Belfast ahead of meeting the Stormont parties later.

As Stormont ministers have been unable to agree a budget for the current financial year, with departments operating on contingency budgets since April, Sir Chris expressed his determination to “keep the show on the road”.

Ministers across the four-party Executive have consistently made the point that they need more money from the Treasury to address a funding crisis facing public services in the region.

You can watch the full interview with our Political Correspondent Tracey Magee here.

Sinn Féin warning over future of power-sharing

Sinn Féin has sounded a warning on the future of power-sharing in Northern Ireland, claiming the “behaviour of the DUP” is “frustrating” delivery.

Senator Conor Murphy claimed power-sharing is in a “precarious place”, and that the DUP “don’t have the political will to make it work”.

He insisted his party is “wedded to power-sharing”, but that the DUP “is there because they have to be there”.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson hit back saying he and his colleagues are “committed to not only the institutions but delivering for the people we are proud to represent”.

He said: “We don’t shy away from the challenges.”

What is a ‘professional’ hacker and what do they do?

Ever considered being a professional computer hacker? Queen’s University is running a summer scheme on cyber security for young people who are considering a career in the industry.

On Friday they battled it out with other teams of students across the UK to see it they can prevent an attack on a system.

Experts are warning this is an area which is about to experience a massive growth and schemes like this are ensuring we have a pipeline of talent to work in the sector.

All roads lead to the Fleadh

In the next few days the largest event ever held in Belfast will get underway. The Fleadh is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of people to the city.

With that will come some changes to traffic and public transport within Belfast. Large parts of the city centre will be off limits to cars to allow the events to take place - but that will also impact those trying to get to work.

Translink has expanded its Metro, Ulsterbus, and rail services to handle the surge of visitors while maintaining everyday routes. To keep traffic down, three Park & Ride locations—at Balmoral, Giants Park, and Airport Road West—have also been set up for those traveling into the city.

Team NI bring back gold...

Kate O’Connor secured Northern Ireland’s first gold medal of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

She delivered NI’s first athletics gold since 1986 and has become the games’ first new heptathlon champion since 2018.

“I’m over the moon,” she told UTV. “I think that it’s maybe finally starting to settle in that I’ve got it.

“I was a little bit overwhelmed there for a couple of minutes, but I’m absolutely buzzing with the outcome."

Our programmes:

There was treachery afoot in UTV towers as we welcomed Traitors winner Rachel Duffy for our Life Times show. In her chat with Ali Fleming she talked keeping secrets, life in the castle and what the win on the show meant for her and her family.

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]]><![CDATA[Heartwarming... ]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/heartwarminghttps://utvni.substack.com/p/heartwarmingSat, 25 Jul 2026 07:01:31 GMT

There was news this week that would make the heart sing. Little Dáithí Mac Gabhann who has been at the forefront of reform of organ donation laws in Northern Ireland, finally received a long-awaited transplant.

The nine-year-old Belfast boy was born with the rare hypoplastic left heart syndrome and had been on the waiting list for a heart transplant since 2018. It’s thought to have been the longest wait of any child for a transplant in the world.

His father, Máirtín and the rest of his family campaigned for years for a move towards a soft opt-out law and to promote organ donation.

In June 2023 Dáithí’s Law came into effect, bringing Northern Ireland in line with the rest of the UK.

“Organ donation is the greatest gift anyone can ever give,” his father said.

He spoke about the difference he can already see in his son.

“It’s the freckles… I can’t take my eyes off him, to be honest. And I know his mum can’t take her eyes off him, either.”

Law student in court after car bomb find

A 25-year-old law student has been granted bail after appearing before court in the Republic of Ireland charged with possession of explosives.

Isobella Perrie Sullivan, of Abbeylands Park, Clane in Co Kildare, appeared before a special sitting of Trim District Court in Co Meath on Friday evening after a bomb was intercepted in a car near the Northern Ireland border.

The “extremely significant” device was discovered in an operation targeting dissident republicans, the Republic of Ireland’s police force An Garda Síochána said.

Women’s Rights Network NI begin legal proceedings after Féile an Phobail event cancelled

The Women’s Rights Network in Northern Ireland (WRN NI) has launched legal proceedings against Féile an Phobail after event organisers failed to reinstate their cancelled event.

Féile an Phobail said they are “extremely disappointed” with the decision while the Women’s Rights Network said they felt they had “no choice”.

The Communities Minister Gordons Lyons also weighed in on the controversy.

Tipping point: Owner says drugs are ruining the city centre as cafe window smashed and ransacked

A Belfast businessman has told how a man ransacked his city centre café after smashing the window with a beer keg and says anti-social behaviour is at “tipping point”.

Richard Evans, owner of the Pocket Café, claimed he and others who have invested in the area are facing an “untenable situation” and called for action in an open letter to Belfast City Council.

TV legend’s secrets to long-lasting career

Hello and welcome to this week’s UTV news letter - a sample of our best journalism, programmes and much more.

And this week we are can only begin in one place with Gloria Hunniford.

The broadcasting legend was in UTV towers for Ali Fleming’s Life Times series. And in a fascinating chat for the hour-long special, the two looked back on the career of one of the UK’s most recognisable figures, from her early school days through her 60-year career with some of the most touching moments which shaped her career.

Watch the show here on ITVX. And to whet your appetite we have Ali’s quick fire quiz….

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Residents call for ban on short term holiday lets

A group of Belfast city centre residents have called for short term holiday lets to be banned.

They’ve raised concerns that their residential areas are turning into party zones which are causing the downfall of the community.

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It’s a ‘Bette Midler position’

It’s all change in Downing Street this week as Andy Burnham takes up the reins from outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer. As speculation grew over who would populate the new Cabinet, many in Northern Ireland wondered if Hilary Benn would still be leading the Northern Ireland Office after the reshuffle. But he got his marching orders on Monday evening. By 11.30pm the question of who would replace him had been answered as well - with Sir Chris Bryant leaving No10 as the New Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. UTV’s Sara O’Kane spoke to him on his first full day in a job which he said was a little daunting and “in the Bette Midler position”.

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Curlew chicks released into wild

Four curlew chicks have been released back into the wild in Co Fermanagh after their eggs were rescued from a gorse fire on Sliabh Beagh at the end of April. The eggs were cared for and hatched successfully and weeks later the birds were strong enough to be set free. Curlews are under threat here in Northern Ireland. Sara O'Kane has been out with the team to see if she could spot them in their new home.

Going the Extra Mile

On the latest episode of Going the Extra Mile, Carol Jordan is joined by Kelly Barnes, a baby loss charity volunteer with the charity Sands. Losing a baby is often a difficult topic to talk about but despite her personal loss, Kelly has campaigned for the introduction of baby loss certificates which offer formal recognition to babies lost or miscarried before 24 weeks. Her campaigning helped lead to the beginning of Northern Ireland's Baby Loss Certificate Scheme in June. You can watch the episode here or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

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In this week’s On the Ground we meet the gardening team at Hillsborough Castle, go birdwatching at Castle Espie, and find out how an oyster nursery is flourishing in Bangor. 

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]]><![CDATA[Triple tragedy ]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/triple-tragedyhttps://utvni.substack.com/p/triple-tragedySat, 18 Jul 2026 07:01:19 GMT

A vigil is held in Ballymena after a family of three is found dead in a house in Ballymena. (Credit: PA)

We are over half way through July and the sun has been splitting the stones! Soak up the rays and have a look through UTV’s roundup of this weeks top stories or survey our best programmes. There were many Twelfth celebrations across Northern Ireland at the start of the week. However on the same day a family tragedy was unveiled in Co Antrim with more reaction following in the days after. By the end of the week, we had the incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham set out his government plans for the future.

‘Shocking scene:’ Eight-year-old girl victim in suspected double murder suicide

An eight-year-old girl was one of the victims of a suspected double murder-suicide in Ballymena, in what police described as a “shocking scene.”

The bodies of the girl, a 39-year-old woman, and a 41-year-old man were found at a home on the Old Cullybackey Road on Monday morning. Officers believe the three were members of the same family.

It is believed that the adults of the family were originally from Poland.

PSNI Mid & East Antrim District Commander, Superintendent William Calderwood asked “that the public avoid speculation while we make those who live outside Northern Ireland aware of their deaths.”

North Antrim MP and TUV leader Jim Allister said that the fact that an eight-year-old girl was among those who died “adds an extra dimension of horror to what has happened.”

Jeffrey Donaldson to appeal child sex convictions

Jeffrey Donaldson lodged an appeal of his conviction for child sexual abuse and rape on Friday.

The former DUP leader and MP’s legal team confirmed they had started the process as the deadline loomed.

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Tens of thousands of people march over the weekend of the Twelfth.

Parades marched all over, with communities from the far reaches of Northern Ireland and even Scotland coming together to celebrate the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne.

You can watch coverage of the parades on the Twelfth in full on ITVX.

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Vast majority of parents feel financial and emotional pressure every summer, research finds

More than 90% of parents in Northern Ireland believe that summer holidays bring financial and emotional pressure for their families.

New research commissioned by Save the Children UK as part of its No Summer Break from Poverty campaign revealed that 40% of parents say this pressure leads to stress on family life, with 56% also worrying that their children spend too much time on screens.

The research also revealed that 40% of local parents struggle to afford trips/days out for their children and that 29% are worried about increased bills over the holiday.

Save the Children NI has said that it is working directly with families that exist in areas where child poverty rates are 22% (out of 100,000 children), to ensure childhoods are not missed out on due to poverty.

Bonfire safety sparks debate after man dies and houses destroyed

Calls for greater regulation over bonfire management have been made following the death of a man and houses being burnt in Greenisland over the weekend of the Twelfth.

Firefighters worked over the course of the night over the 11th of July to prevent the worst of the damage in Greenisland as two houses were set ablaze.

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Back to the Bins: Health minister returns to his student job

The Health Minister returned to his summer job which he had half a century ago!

When asked if he was scoping out a new job, Mike Nesbitt said “You’ve sussed me!”

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Lisburn teen makes history by passing piano exam with only one hand

You can watch more of the story in full on ITVX.

Going the Extra Mile: The Road Ahead

Join Carol Jordan this week as she talks with charity founder Monica Heaney about The Road Ahead, a foundation established to help victims, families and witnesses of road traffic collisions.

Watch the full episode on ITVX or your whatever platform you get your podcasts.

Stories you should be reading:

Our programmes:

On Hidden NI this week, Rita gets a captain’s view on the Strangford Ferry, and visits a historic house packed with treasure while Barbara meets a County Antrim man working in miniature.

The On the Ground team are at a microbrewery in the Mourne Mountains, and meet the folks at Hillsborough Castle who keep the historic estate running day to day.

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]]><![CDATA[Emma Little-Pengelly breaks silence..]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/emma-little-pengelly-breaks-silencehttps://utvni.substack.com/p/emma-little-pengelly-breaks-silenceSat, 11 Jul 2026 07:01:11 GMT

Welcome to the UTV newsletter, bringing you a round-up of the week’s top stories.

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly has broken her silence giving her first interview since Jeffrey Donaldson’s conviction, saying that she feels “shaken to the core”. Speaking exclusively to our Political Editor Tracey Magee on Friday, she repeatedly denied knowing anything about the convicted paedophile’s behaviour. Last month Donaldson was convicted at Newry Crown Court of 18 sex offences, including one count of rape, relating to abuse of two women when they were children.

"I feel really sick even saying his name because of that betrayal," Emma Little-Pengelly said.

You can watch Tracey Magee’s interview with Emma Little-Pengelly in full on ITVX.

£10m payout to families of victims killed by unit of IRA informants

The government is to pay out up to £10m to dozens of families whose loved ones were murdered, tortured and terrorised by a notorious IRA unit riddled with state informants, UTV can exclusively reveal. The most infamous one of course was never officially named - Freddie Scappaticci. In a statement, a UK government spokesperson said it would be inappropriate to comment while litigation is ongoing. Our Crime and Security Correspondent Sharon O’Neill has this special report.

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Moygashel bonfire burned

The remains of the bonfire in Moygashel (Credit: Press Eye)

The controversial bonfire in Moygashel which had an effigy of a mosque placed on it was burned before police could move in to remove it. A man appeared in court on Friday charged with incitement to hatred, linked with the bonfire - with the judge saying those behind it have an “agenda full of hate and bigotry”.

Antrim Arms demolition investigated

A council is investigating the legality of the demolition of the former Antrim Arms Hotel in Ballycastle. The structure situated in the town’s Diamond area was demolished in the early hours of Thursday. Cordons have been in place around the building for more than a year due to concerns over its structural integrity.

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Speed trap devices unveiled

A new PSNI pilot programme will see hand-held cameras equipped with laser and video capability used to catch speeding motorists in Northern Ireland. The new mobile cameras can detect a speeding vehicle from a distance of up to one kilometre and can be deployed on any road. Rory O’Regan reports.

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Purr-fect pet

A few months ago, we shared a story about Northern Ireland’s first-ever rescue-led cat cafe. Viewer Desi Craven was watching UTV that night and fell in love with a little cat named Rosie. He applied to adopt her on the spot—and the rest is history! Sara O’Kane went back to meet Rosie and her new owner.

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On this week’s UTV Life, Alison talks to Stuart Neville and Niamh McNally, the Druids perform a new song and Dan Duffy  visited the Steiner School in Holywood.

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]]><![CDATA[Lyra McKee's family vow to continue fight for justice as three cleared of murder]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/lyra-mckees-family-vow-to-continuehttps://utvni.substack.com/p/lyra-mckees-family-vow-to-continueSat, 04 Jul 2026 07:01:33 GMT

Lyra McKee was shot while watching disturbances in the Creggan area of Derry in 2019

Welcome to the UTV newsletter, bringing you a round-up of the week’s top stories. A symbol of peace, Lyra McKee moved to Derry for love but was killed by the violence of hatred and division. On Friday, three men were cleared of her murder in 2019. Outside court, Lyra’s family and friends said they will leave ‘no stone unturned’ when it comes to getting justice for her.

Noah Donohoe inquest adjourned in ‘unprecedented’ move after jury deliberations

The inquest into the death of Belfast schoolboy Noah Donohoe has been adjourned until later this year. The Coroner Mr Justice Rooney took the decision after the jury, having deliberated for 24 hours over three days, were unable to reach a verdict. They have been tasked with agreeing findings on 10 questions, including the date of Noah’s death and whether any errors were made by police. During a late night sitting of the court, it emerged that a number of jurors would not be available to continue the deliberations. Mr Justice Rooney said he had taken the decision to adjourn the inquest until all jurors were available again. No date has been set but the inquest is expected to resume in August or September.

Up Close: The Real Jeffrey Donaldson

After Jeffrey Donaldson's conviction for heinous crimes including child rape, the former DUP leader leaves in his wake many unanswered questions. This week’s episode of Up Close with Niall Donnelly looks at the fallout alongside an expert panel including Suzanne Breen and Allison Morris.

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Remembering the Battle of the Somme

The 110th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme was marked this week. On July 1st 1916, men of the 36th Ulster Division went over the top close to the village of Thiepval, in northern France. A somber service took place in Belfast to remember those who served at the Somme, as Paul Clark reports. Paul has also written about his recent journey to the Somme, you can read his report here.

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History uncovered…

A community archaeology dig just outside Belfast has uncovered a remarkable piece of Northern Ireland’s prehistoric past. Archaeologists have discovered a previously unknown stone circle beside the Giants Ring - a monument dating back at least four thousand years, and it’s believed to have been used for ritual ceremonies. Our reporter Katie Andrews went along to find out more.

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Band ahoy!

A new mural has been unveiled in Cathedral Quarter to mark the launch of the first Sea Shanty festival to be held in venues in Belfast and on the North Coast at the end of July. It's all part of the build up to the Fleadh in August when hundreds of thousands of people are expected here to celebrate our rich traditional music scene. Sarah Clarke went along to find out more.

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This week on UTV Life, Rita sits down with Julian Lloyd Webber and his wife and fellow cellist Jaixin to talk about their tour Bach, Bows and Arrows. Pupils at St Colmcille’s High School also share their secrets to screen success after scooping their third consecutive win at the Into Film Awards.

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]]><![CDATA[Donaldson guilty]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/donaldson-guiltyhttps://utvni.substack.com/p/donaldson-guiltySat, 27 Jun 2026 07:00:46 GMT

Welcome to the UTV newsletter, bringing you a round-up of the week’s top stories. A story which has dominated the news agenda over the last five weeks is the sex abuse trial of Jeffrey and Eleanor Donaldson. Monday saw the downfall of the former DUP leader after he was convicted of a catalogue of historical sexual offences including raping a child. The double life of someone who once was seen as a polished politican, was exposed. Eleanor was found to have committed the acts of aiding and abetting her husband’s offending. On Friday evening, the DUP announced they have commissioned an independent review over issues arising following the conviction including “rumours” about Donaldson’s lifestyle. Take a watch of our coverage including a special edition of our UTV podcast ‘The Donaldson Trial - The Debrief’.

A prison van carrying former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson leaves Newry Crown Court, after being found guilty of 18 historical child sex offences on Monday. (Credit: PA)

Jeffrey Donaldson warned he is facing a “lengthy” prison term after being found guilty

Jeffrey Donaldson was found guilty of all 18 charges in his historical sex offences trial and told to expect a lengthy prison sentence on Monday.

The prosecution case, set out before a jury of seven men and five women at Newry Crown Court, was that the former DUP leader sexually assaulted two women when they were children.

He was been remanded into custody and placed on the sex offenders’ register.

The two women, who both gave evidence during the four-week trial, were known as Complainants A and B to protect their identities.

Donaldson was found guilty of 10 charges relating to Complainant B, the older of the two women, including one count of rape and nine of indecent assault, dating from 1985 to 1991.

He had denied four charges of indecent assault and four of gross indecency relating to Complainant A, dating from 1999 to 2008. However, the jury returned guilty verdicts.

Eleanor Donaldson, who faced a trial of the facts and did not participate in the proceedings on mental health grounds, was found to have aided and abetted his crimes.

Her trial of facts tested the evidence but could not result in a criminal conviction.

Jeffrey Donaldson’s rise to the frontline of Northern Ireland and UK politics

Jeffrey Donaldson was a major figure in politics in Northern Ireland for decades. He rose to the very top of unionism and was a central figure during the Drumcree dispute, the Good Friday Agreement negotiations, the confidence and supply arrangements with the Conservative government, Brexit and, of course, Stormont’s restoration two years ago. Now he is a convicted paedophile. His fall from grace has been monumental. Our reporter Sarah Clarke has been taking a look at his political rise and fall.

Two sides of leading politician Jeffrey Donaldson following his sex offences convictions

Despite being best known as a politician, Monday’s verdict shows that there was a secret, more sinister side to Jeffrey Donaldson. Paul Reilly has been looking into the person whose public persona was at odds with the man behind closed doors.

The paedophile asked to forfeit his knighthood on Wednesday.

The disgraced former MP and DUP leader wrote to the PM through his solicitor offering to renounce his knighthood.

A second letter was sent indicating his resignation as a privy councillor.

Up Close: The Jeffrey Donaldson trial

Niall Donnelly presents a special edition of Up Close

Starmer steps down

The week also began with the resignation of the Prime Minister. Sir Keir Starmer faced growing calls to stand aside since Labour’s poor showing in May’s local and devolved elections. Andy Burnham has been tipped as the forerunner to replace him.

Reacting to the news, the First Minister claimed Sir Keir Starmer treated those from Northern Ireland as “second-class citizens”. Michelle O’Neill said the outgoing PM “refused to meet” with the Stormont Executive in recent years.

Meanwhile DUP leader Gavin Robinson accused Sir Keir of “leaving behind a record of unfulfilled promises” in NI.

Urology inquiry finds Southern Trust patients were ‘seriously harmed’

A public inquiry into urology services at the Southern Health and Social Care Trust has found there were significant risks to patient safety and some were “seriously harmed”.

The Urology Services Inquiry was established by former Health Minister Robin Swann in March 2021 after concerns were raised about the work of Aidan O’Brien.

Oil prices falling but households still waiting on fuel support

The cost of a barrel of oil is now trading under the price it was before the United States launched strikes on Iran.

The conflict in the Middle East caused prices to spike in recent months making running cars and heating homes very costly.

Struggling households are still waiting for fuel support payments, which aren’t due until the end of the summer. Economic Correspondent Jordan Moates reports.

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Early pregnancy loss officially recognised

Grieving parents can now apply for a certificate to formally recognise the miscarriage or loss of their baby in early pregnancy. The Baby Loss Certificate Scheme was officially launched at an event hosted by both the health and finance ministers at Stormont. Barbara McCann was there.

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Swimming the English Channel

For most of us, the idea of swimming in the sea is seen as a relaxing activity to either cool off or freshen up - but for one Belfast man it is anything but. Thirty-year-old Michael Magee is training to become the first person with autism to swim the English channel non-stop and without a wet suit, while raising money for charity. Jordan Moore went down to meet him while he was training.

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On UTV Life this week Pamela talks about the author of a book on serial con artist Samantha Cookes, young actor Ezra Carlisle and a new art installation at Riddel's Warehouse.

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]]><![CDATA['It's the measure of a society'...]]>https://utvni.substack.com/p/its-the-measure-of-a-societyhttps://utvni.substack.com/p/its-the-measure-of-a-societySat, 20 Jun 2026 07:02:09 GMT

Welcome to the UTV newsletter bringing you a round-up of the week’s top stories. This week saw the publication of the findings of a public inquiry into one of the biggest adult safeguarding scandals in the UK.

The report found serious and sustained failures in the care and protection of vulnerable adults at Muckamore Abbey Hospital.

Over a period of two decades, patients were found to have been abused, bullied and humiliated by some members of staff while leadership, governance and safeguarding systems repeatedly failed to identify and stop what was happening.

The long-awaited findings also concluded that restrictive practices were used inappropriately, and that “as needed” medication was overused leaving “some patients zombified”.

The Chief Executive of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust apologised “sincerely and wholeheartedly”. Meanwhile, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said it will not take his department six months to decide if they accept all 106 recommendations outlined in the report, saying some can be “progressed immediately”.

Inquiry Chair Tom Kark ended his summary with a phrase attributed to Mahatma Ghandi:

“The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members”

He added that those with learning disabilities and autism deserve to be supported to live ‘full lives with dignity, care, kindness and humanity’ sharing his hope that the report will assist those responsible for their care to bring that into reality.

Deliberations in Sir Jeffrey Donaldson sex offences trial to resume on Monday

Jurors in the Sir Jeffrey Donaldson sex abuse trial at Newry Crown Court have been sent home and will return after the weekend on Monday to continue their deliberations. The former DUP leader and his wife Lady Eleanor Donaldson, who is facing a trial of the facts, deny a combined total of 23 charges allegedly involving two victims.

Businesses impacted by Belfast disorder

A Belfast restaurant has told UTV that the disturbances in the city have wiped out its profits for the month of June. Normal businesses has now resumed after they were forced to close, but the reality is there will be a lasting impact.

NI reacts to social media ban

Parents and young people in Belfast have been giving their reaction to the Prime Minister’s proposed social media ban for under-16s.

Sir Kier Starmer announced the restriction on Monday as he warned social media was having an impact on children’s happiness and mental health.

Education Minister Paul Givan has welcomed the announcement as “the right thing to do”, however, First Minister Michelle O’Neill questioned the timing of the announcement and described the issue as a “complex conversation”.

Middle aisle to Middle Ale…

The first ever Lidl pub - named The Middle Ale - has opened its doors in Dundonald. The new public house features a 60-seat bar alongside its off-licence area, set up as a product of Northern Ireland's strict licensing laws. Niamh McMullan had a look inside.

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Shining a light on the family courts process

In the past few months, UTV has been part of a transparency pilot to let reporters into family court proceedings. The pilot has been running under strict rules, but is part of efforts by the Office of the Lady Chief Justice to improve open justice and transparency within the system. UTV’s reporter Sarah Clarke attended a case in the Court of Appeal in which a woman in Northern Ireland, whose wife gave birth to a child through a private sperm donor, is not entitled to be legally recognised as a second parent. Sarah joins Carol Jordan for this latest edition of the UTV podcast.

Up, up and away…

Amelia Earhart remains one of the most famous female pilots ever to take to the air. Nearly a century after her record-breaking, single-handed transatlantic flight landed in Londonderry, she continues to inspire.

A group of Year 9 pupils have been given the chance to retrace the final few miles of one of the most significant flights in aviation history as part of an inter-school competition. Gareth Wilkinson was there as they took off.

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Going the Extra Mile

When in the throes of grief, it is normal to search for help and guidance wherever you can find it. For Gillian McCann, the death of her 33-year-old son Jay, sent her to the darkest place she had ever experienced, somewhere from which she thought she might never return. Seeking out advice from people who had experienced something similar, methodically she started researching grief, watching podcasts, reading expert analysis and eventually forming her own group to support other women who had lost children. Watch or listen to Gillian’s story on this week’s episode of Going the Extra Mile.

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On UTV Life this week, Pamela talks to acclaimed author Maggie O’Farrell about her new book LAND. Rita meets the pets and their humans being celebrated at an upcoming awards ceremony - and singer songwriter Chris Boldt is in studio talking about his new album and upcoming tour.

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