
Balmoral Show: Popular celebration of NI farming and food underway at Eikon Centre
Thousands of visitors are flocking to the 156th edition of the Balmoral Show, being held across the next four days at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn.
Organised by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, it is Northern Ireland's largest agri-food event and will feature over 600 trade stands.
Balmoral show returns for 2025
Over 100,000 people are expected to enjoy the show, which also includes livestock competitions from showjumping to sheepshearing, vintage machinery and live music, between Wednesday and Saturday, 14-17 May.
Catch some of today's highlights by following our live blog below.
6 minutes ago
NI Secretary makes an appearance
12 minutes ago
National Show Jumping 🏇
It's over to the main horse ring now as 'Tokyo Drift' and her owner make leaps and bounds.
18 minutes ago
Beef Shorthorn podium time!
Beef Shorthorns secure podiums spots at the cattle ring breeding competition with first (#313) and second (#321) place.
24 minutes ago
The cattle judging has begun!
Dexter cattle, once an endangered species, are now lining up to be analysed by a judge.
He's the looking for the proportions and mannerisms of the cow to match the breed.
29 minutes ago
Our reporter is on the ground
Our man Abdullah Sabri has arrived and will be keeping us up to date with all the going on!
31 minutes ago
The gates are open!
PressEye
PressEye
Today 07:46 AM
What should I do at the Balmoral Show?
The 156th Balmoral Show is promising four days of farming, food and fun at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn and we're bringing you some of today's highlights.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Belfast Telegraph
9 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Top NI food producers to descend on Belfast Maritime Festival
Visitors to this year's Belfast Maritime Festival on September 6 and 7 will be treated to a new quay-side, championing the best of Northern Ireland's food scene. Slipways Street Food and Sounds will bring entertainment, music and street food, alongside an Artisan Producers Market – shining a spotlight on producers from across the region. The market will also host a series of interactive experiences, including Lough Neagh Fishman's Co-operative and Ben Vista CSA, a Community Supported Agriculture pilot. It's being supported by funding secured by Maritime Belfast Trust from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) through the NI Regional Food Programme. Some of those goods and dishes include bread and pastries, seafood, handcrafted jams, spirits and sweet treats. The Artisan Producers Market will be complemented by the Street Food Market, with vendors serving up freshly prepared dishes made with NI sourced food. "The Belfast Maritime Festival continues to grow as one of the city's signature events, attracting tens of thousands of visitors,' Maeve Moreland, destination experience manager at Maritime Belfast Trust, said. 'This year, we are building on the success by offering even more for festivalgoers, with the Artisan Producers Market as an exciting new addition. Thanks to support from DAERA, we can showcase the talent, quality and sustainability of our local food producers while creating a vibrant experience along our waterfront. The 2025 festival promises to be its most exciting yet with local food and drink firmly on the menu.' And Lord Mayor of Belfast, Tracy Kelly, said 'Belfast City Council is delighted to have support from DAERA for the Belfast Maritime Festival's Artisan Producers Market. 'Championing Belfast's authentic food and drink offering is a key priority in our 10-year tourism plan and local produce is a unique selling point for our city. 'It strengthens our local economy and showcases the incredible quality of our homegrown ingredients that visitors will get to sample over this year's festival.' Robert Hull from DAERA's NI regional food programme said: 'DAERA is delighted to be actively involved in supporting our Agri-Food industry by promoting high quality and award-winning local produce at Belfast Maritime Festival. This support from the NI Regional Food Programme, will enable people visiting the festival from near and far, to sample freshly prepared, high quality street food. The artisan producers' market will also provide the perfect opportunity for festival goers to taste, shop and support local'. In addition to Slipways Street Food and Sounds, visitors can enjoy a wide range of activities across the Maritime Mile including tall ships, kid's zones, live street theatre, music performances, family zones, hands-on maritime-themed activities and a ticketed evening performance by the Hothouse Flowers.


Telegraph
10 hours ago
- Telegraph
Late Queen refused to open airport terminal because cousin couldn't bring gun on plane
The late Queen refused to open an airport terminal after her relative was banned from boarding a plane to Balmoral with his guns, he has claimed. Lord Ivar Mountbatten, Elizabeth II's third cousin once removed, was on his way to the Scottish Highlands for a shooting weekend when he was told he could not bring his shot guns onto the plane. After arriving at Balmoral without his firearms, he told the late Queen of his attempts to negotiate with a 'sweet check-in lady' and her 'pig-headed' manager – to no avail. The late Queen, who summoned her equerry to arrange for the guns to be brought up in time for the next day's shoot, is alleged to have told Lord Ivar: 'They want me to open their new terminal. I don't think I will now.' It was, he said, opened by the Princess Royal in 2015 instead. Appearing on the Rosebud podcast with host Gyles Brandreth on Tuesday, Lord Ivar said: 'We got on the flight and we turn up at Balmoral, ushered into the drawing room and immediately go in to tea. 'I'm sitting on the right hand side of the Queen and I'm kind of irritated by this story. 'So I repeat it to Her Majesty. And I could see that she was getting rather irritated as well. 'So she turns to her equerry. I think it was Simon [Brailsford] at the time. She said, 'Simon, I would like Lord Ivar's guns to be up here tomorrow morning. Please see to it'. 'Whereupon she turns back to me and she looks at me over her glasses with a glint in her eye and she says, 'They want me to open their new terminal'. 'She says, 'I don't think I will now'.'


Wales Online
14 hours ago
- Wales Online
How many years you need to work to get full new state pension
How many years you need to work to get full new state pension The full New State Pension payment is £230.25 a week but to get this you'll need to have paid a certain amount of National Insurance contributions - find out how many years you need to work here The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has released the latest figures showing that the State Pension currently provides a steady financial income for 13 million elderly people across the nation. This benefit is available to those who have reached the UK Government's eligible retirement age, which presently stands at 66 for both men and women, and have made at least 10 years' worth of National Insurance (NI) contributions. However, many individuals nearing retirement age may not realise that to receive the full New State Pension payment of £230.25 each week, they will need approximately 35 years' worth of NI contributions. This figure is merely an average as some people may have been 'contracted out' and will require more NI contributions to qualify for the full amount - further information about this can be found on For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here . Workplace and private pensions will supplement the State Pension in retirement, but many people may be depending on the contributory benefit as their sole income in retirement, so it's vital to understand how many years you will need to make NI contributions to receive the maximum payout. The State Pension age is scheduled to rise to 67 between 2026 and 2028, with a further planned increase to 68 set to occur in the mid-2040s, reports the Daily Record. If you're concerned about the number of years you need to work - whether retirement is a distant prospect or just around the corner - our helpful guide below should clarify how National Insurance contributions influence the amount of State Pension you'll receive. Article continues below How to qualify for any New State Pension payment You'll need at least 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record to be eligible for any State Pension, but these don't have to be 10 consecutive years. This means that for at least 10 years, one or more of the following applied to you: you were employed and made National Insurance contributions you received National Insurance credits, for instance if you were jobless, ill, a parent or a carer you made voluntary National Insurance contributions Even if you've lived or worked overseas, you might still be able to receive some New State Pension. You may also qualify if you've made married women's or widow's reduced rate contributions - learn more about this on the website here. How to receive full New State Pension payments The first thing to understand is that 'full' refers to the maximum amount of New State Pension a person can get. You'll need approximately 35 qualifying years to receive the full New State Pension if you don't have a National Insurance record before 6 April 2016 - this could be more if you were 'contracted out', find out more here. For individuals who have contributed between 10 and 35 years, they are entitled to a portion of the new State Pension, but not the full amount unless they purchase additional NI years. Qualifying years if you're working When you're employed, you pay National Insurance and earn a qualifying year if: you're employed and earning over £242 a week from one employer you're self-employed and paying NI contributions You might not be paying National Insurance contributions because your earnings are less than £242 a week. However, you may still earn a qualifying year if you earn between £123 and £242 a week from one employer - find out more here. Qualifying years if you're not working You may receive National Insurance credits if you're unable to work - for instance due to illness or disability, or if you're a carer or unemployed. You can receive National Insurance credits if you: claim Child Benefit for a child under 12 (or under 16 before 2010) receive Jobseeker's Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance are in receipt of Carer's Allowance If you're not working or receiving National Insurance credits You might be able to make voluntary National Insurance contributions if you're not in one of these groups but wish to increase your State Pension amount. Find out more on the website here. What if there are gaps in your National Insurance record? Even with gaps in your National Insurance (NI) record, you can still be eligible for the full New State Pension. A State Pension statement can provide information on how much State Pension you might receive. You can also request a National Insurance statement from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to verify if there are any gaps in your record. If your National Insurance record has gaps that could hinder you from receiving the full New State Pension, you might have the option to: Article continues below Acquire National Insurance credits Make voluntary National Insurance contributions Verify your State Pension age Use the free online tool on the website to check your State Pension age and determine when you can retire and start claiming your State pension.