Retro

The Heritage Room at the Harbour Office, Belfast Harbour

Harbour looks to the future while marking its past after significant investment

A solemn salute at Sunday's Remembrance service in the grounds of Belfast City Hall. Photo: Pacemaker Belfast

'One of the biggest crowds in years' as Belfast solemnly pays tribute to fallen

The News Letter reports the death of Czar Nicholas of Russia at the start of March 1855. Picture: News Letter archives

‘The Disastrous Campaign in Crimea’ and sudden death of the Czar (January 1855)

A UDR passing out parade at Palace Barracks in Co Down in September 1984. Photo: Pacemaker Press 826/84/C

Red tape ties up UDR memorial bench

The title image of Ulster-Scots series of shorts horror films 'Haleve'. Photo: Beyond Visible Films/BBC

Ulster-Scots haunts Halloween with new horror series streaming on BBC

Plans have been filed that could see this former RAF control tower become a two-bed holiday let. Photo: Carolyn Edgar Homes

Plans to turn World War Two air base tower into holiday home take off

Lower Lough Erne is one of the most dramatic natural landscapes in Northern Ireland. Formed by a deep glacial trough with extensive open waters, offshore islands and the bold escarpment of the Magho Cliffs to the south, it stretches for 20 miles from Enniskillen to Rosscor.

‘An appalling state of affairs through ruined crops and flooded homes’

Spooky kids on the prowl in 'Ferntickle Weechil', one of four Ulster-Scots horror short films under the 'Haleve' banner. Photo: Josh Strang/Beyond Visible Films/BBC

Hamely tongue takes a spooky turn for Halloween with Ulster-Scots horror movies

Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner David Johnston places a remembrance cross at Belfast City Hall. Photo: Liam McBurney/Press Association

Brave fallen of Northern Ireland remembered as poppy appeal under way

Mrs Marie Gourley pictured in September 1987 in the household department of the new Menary's department store which was opened in Newtownards. Picture: News Letter archives/Darryl Armitage

Opening of new Menary’s department store in Newtownards (September 1987)

Belfast and County Down Railway at Newcastle

Ulster Railway begins operations and steams into a Biblical row (August 1839)

Jumping for joy in the Fairhill Shopping Centre in 2009 were the cheerleaders of Newtownabbey All Stars, who put on a display as part of the centre's Summer Fun series. BT32 - 821H

Ballymena's Fairhill Shopping Centre through the years

Royal Belfast Hospital: the courtyard. Watercolour. Credit: Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images

Founding of the Belfast Fever Hospital and the 1st Cholera Pandemic (1817)

The entrance to Friar's Bush Cemetery on the Stranmillis Road. Photo by Google

Belfast's oldest cemetery to host Remembrance Day service

The historic stained glass being retained as part of the £72m Ballycastle Shared Education Campus development

‘A nod to the past’: Historic stained glass gets new home in £72m NI campus

The 'Bendy Tree' in Newcastle, Northern Ireland, which has won UK Tree of the Year 2026. The wych elm in County Down is the first ever tree in Northern Ireland to be crowned the winner of the Woodland Trust's annual competition. Issue date: Thursday October 8, 2026.

‘Bendy’ wych elm in NI wins Tree of the Year contest
The ‘Bendy Tree’ in Newcastle, Co Down has won this year’s UK Tree of the Year contest, organisers have announced.
By Rebecca Speare-Cole, Press Association Sustainability Reporter

Rev. Jonathan McFarland, Branch Chaplin, Royal British Legion, pictured with Anne Carlin, DC&SDC Regeneration Project Officer and fellow Legion Members, Pearl Harron, Gareth Harpur, Poppy Appeal Organiser for Sion District, Roy Monteith, Chairman of British Legion, Castlederg, George Harron, and Crawford McCann.

Sion Mills War Memorial restoration work commences

The exterior of the newly restored Superintendent’s House at Silent Valley

Historic Silent Valley building restored to former glory

A section of a large gathering in Botanic Gardens in Belfast for an inter-denominational Pentecost rally held at the end of May 1982, they represented churches from all over Ireland. Picture: News Letter archives/Darryl Armitage

Ormeau district expands and aeronauts at Botanic Gardens (1890)

Nicholas McCrickard of County Down Rural Community Network, Peace Maze designers Michael and Beverley Lear, President of Ireland Catherine Connolly and her husband Brian, Daera minister Andrew Muir and councillor Doire Finn at the maze.

Irish President visits 'testament to the peace process' maze on 25th anniversary

Bessbrook resident John Davis ay Bessbrook Mill with the petition.

Plans for £60m redevelop of former British army base in Co Armagh bring objectio...

The Drumcree stand-off between security forces and the Orange Order in 1996. Photo: Alan Lewis/Photopress Belfast

Garvaghy Road stand-off a return to 1990s Drumcree flashpoint

Once a teenage regular at Dundonald Ice Bowl who caught bands performing major shows there, councillor Sharon Lowry now oversees its future. Photo: Iain Gray/News Letter

Forty years of spills, thrills, rock stars and raves at Dundonald Ice Bowl

Gordon Lucy has been credited as 'a very able historian with a phenomenal intellect and depth of knowledge'.

Gordon Lucy was ‘a very able historian with a phenomenal intellect’

Lisburn Fusiliers Flute Band putting on a show during a previous Lisburn Tattoo in the city centre.

Lisburn Tattoo prepares to mark Ulster Day - anniversary of Ulster Covenant

The old Belfast Telegraph offices. Picture: Pacemaker Press archives

Settlement in Belfast Telegraph case as Canadian takes control (1961)

Sam Henry with Mrs Brownlow, a traditional singer, taking down a song Photo courtesy of Coleraine Museum

Coleraine folk song collector honoured for preserving Ulster’s musical heritage
Sam Henry collected around 850 traditional songs from across Ulster and will be honoured with a blue plaque in his native Coleraine
Claire Cartmill

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 23rd September 2026 The Parades Commission holding a final round of meetings today before coming to a decision on Drumcree dispute. The commission must decide whether to allow an Orange Order parade from Drumcree church in Portadown along the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road on Sunday. Portadown District Grand Master Nigel Dawson leaves Andras House on Great Victoria Street, in Belfast City Centre, after meeting the Parades Commission. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye

Drumcree: Orangemen issue statement after meeting Parades Commission

28th September 1912: Leader of the Unionists and founder of the paramilitary Ulster Volunteers Edward Carson (1854 - 1935) signing the Solemn Oath of the Covenant in Belfast, in protest against the Home Rule Bill. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Preparations under way for Ulster Day celebrations of signing of Ulster Covenant

The 13th Belfast International Tattoo attracted some 10,000 people over two days to the 02 Arena earlier this month.

Belfast Tattoo criticises Tourism NI and Belfast Council for lack of support

A band saluted military veterans as they paraded through the centre of Newtownards at the weekend.

'Courage, professionalism and commitment' of veterans honoured

A blue plaque honouring Thomas Sinclair was unveiled at Sinclair Seamen's Presbyterian Church in Belfast in 2016

Thomas Sinclair was a towering presence as both Presbyterian and Unionist

The book launch took place in the Orange Museum at Schomberg House in East Belfast this week.

Authors launch book branding American Revolution the ‘Glorious Revolution 2.0’

Clipping from the News Letter from January 1835.

Shock as Tory grandee is defeated by liberal Whig linen merchant (January 1835)

Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, Andrew Murray, will welcome the DUP delegation to Edinburgh for the summit on Thursday this week.

Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland welcomes DUP to summit on strengthening UK ties

Big Tom, as pictured on the sleeve to his second album with the Mainliners. Image: Emerald Gem

Birthday bash honours Big Tom: Late 'king of country' remembered

Surveying the damage to Hazeldene Gardens, Bangor, in the aftermath of a 1941 air raid that killed five people. Photo courtesy of North Down Museum.

Memorial to honour forgotten victims of the Blitz

Stevan Patterson man has carefully restored an original Ferguson TE20 – “the most successful British-built tractor of all time” – just in time to mark its 80th anniversary.

Stevan restores iconic ‘Little Grey Fergie’ for 80th anniversary

Judith Owens MBE, CEO of Titanic Belfast (centre) is joined by Niaobh Beatty, founder of NIAO Knitwear (left) and Sarah O’Neill, founder of Éadach who will both feature in the event. Tickets are priced at £65pp, for more information and to book go to www.titanicbelfast.com

Top fashion designers panel event at Titanic Belfast

The Downshire Guiding Star Flute in the major annual competition in the town last September.

Excitement builds for one of Northern Ireland's biggest parades of the year

Centenary of the News Letter (September 5, 1837).

News Letter reaches its first centenary since foundation (September 1837)

Top UK and European food company Pilgrim’s Europe is celebrating a remarkable 100 years of operations at its Randalstown Feed Mill in Northern Ireland

Top UK and European food company celebrates 100 years in NI

Frank Crossley was an intellectual giant and an engineering genius of the highest order

Letter: Recognition for pioneering engineer

Leeds, Park Square, 31st August 1979 - Hundreds of people turning up at the Leeds Immunisation Centre for cholera jabs after the recent outbreak in Spain

Chilling News Letter headline signals start of Cholera epidemic (January 1832)

Welcoming the new display of artefacts are Titanic Belfast’s Associate Director of Operations Denise Kennedy (left) and Head of Marketing and Engagement, Claire Bacon.

Tragic Titanic passenger's watch goes on display in Belfast

Orange marchers accompanied by a band and guarded by the RUC walk down the Garvaghy Road in 1992, amid shouting and stone-throwing; the parade route has been blocked to Orangemen solidly since 1998

Ulster Covenant anniversary mooted for new Drumcree parade

Royal Black Institution members celebrating the Last Saturday in Loughgall, Co Armagh, in 2023. Pic: Graham Baalham-Curry

Last Saturday of August to be ‘wonderful spectacle'

The Duchess and Duke of Sussex during the Wheelchair Basketball in the Vancouver Convention Centre (VCC) during the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver, Canada. Photo: Aaron Chown/PA Wire

Duke and Duchess of Sussex land back in UK on private jet

Thousands enjoyed the traditional street market at the Ould Lammas Fair in Ballycastle on Monday 24 August, 2026. Pic: Steven McAuley/McAuley Multimedia

Ould Lammas Fair 2026 ‘drew on success of All-Ireland Fleadh’ in Belfast

The Jesters pose for a photo during the Ballymena 400 celebrations in the town on Tuesday 25 August 2026.

Commons recognises Ballymena reaching 400 while town celebrates

Wrightbus seeks public’s help to preserve eight decades of busmaking history. Pictured is Paul Savage with Christian Reynolds in front of the 80th anniversary mural

Wrightbus calls on public to help piece together 80 years of history

Tributes have been pouring in from across Moira, Co Down and much further afield following the death of much-loved businessman William George Eric McCartney

Tributes pour in for NI butcher whose corned beef won global acclaim

Royal Black Institution members celebrating the Last Saturday in Loughgall, Co Armagh, in 2023. Pic: Graham Baalham-Curry

Last Saturday brings down curtain on parading season

Loughkillygreen Accordion Band’s hall marked 100 years with a special celebration on Friday night.

‘It's more than just a band, it's a community,’ says bandmaster on centenary

Live music from the main stage at last year's Ould Lammas Fair in Ballycastle.

Mayor welcomes everyone to ‘soak up’ the 2026 Ould Lammas Fair

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