Skip to content

Northern Ireland reflects on the significance of VE Day

The 80th anniversary of VE Day has been marked at events across Northern Ireland.

Belfast, Lisburn, Londonderry and Enniskillen were among the cities and towns taking part.

Read more here.

8 May 2025

Northern Ireland

Londonderry-Derry

A black minke whale lies on a water ocovered beach

'It's quite an amazing creature' - whale washes up on beach

The National Trust has asked the public to keep a distance from the carcass while it works with other agencies and experts "to determine next steps".

Northern Ireland

Archaeologists in a field with axes digging.

Community digging up history in Downpatrick

The Cistercian monastery is near Downpatrick and was known as Erenagh.

Northern Ireland

A honey bee resting on a yellow flower. It is mainly black with faint yellow stripes, golden at the top and with clear wings.

'We really need our bee inspectors back'

Beekeepers warn their hives are at risk unless an anti-illness inspection service is reinstated.

Northern Ireland

Two parakeets in a tree, one is sitting on a branch and the other is peeking out of a hole

Birdwatchers embrace Belfast parakeets

Most of the UK's wild parakeet population can be found in south-east England - but some have come to Belfast.

Northern Ireland

The lady captain of holywood golf club

'You can see how much Rory McIlroy's win means to everyone here'

Supporters watched the drama from Holywood Golf Club, where Rory learned the sport as a child.

Northern Ireland

Professor in lab in white coat. He has grey hair. There is machinery behind him.

Warning over dangers of fake weight loss injections

Prof Panagiotis Manesiotis, from Queen's University Belfast, says there could be serious health effects.

Northern Ireland

Two people are posing to the camera - on the left is a young boy, with short curly dark hair and wearing a grey polo shirt with horizontal yellow stripes. On the right is a woman with braided hair and wearing a dark red top. It is daylight and they are posing in front of the Pyramids in Egypt

'I will never stop looking for my son'

Lobna Yakout's son Zayn was taken by her abusive ex-husband while she was living in Egypt.

Northern Ireland

A woman is sitting in a room. We can see her from the shoulders up. She has shoulder-length blonde hair and is wearing a black top, which comes up below the shoulders. We can see two tattoos on her chest. In the background is the green walls of the room and pink seats

'The man is an animal - an absolute animal' - trafficking victim

Courtney Smith was abused by 71-year-old Oliver James MacCormack, who has been given a seven-year sentence.

Northern Ireland

Firefighters on a hill tackling fire. The firefighters are in full uniform and wearinf red and yellow hats.

Firefighters say conditions make wildfires harder to tackle

Most of the 214 wildfires in Northern Ireland in recent days were started deliberately.

Northern Ireland

Mourne Mountains with gorse in foreground and mountains with smoke rising out of them in background. The sky is blue with white clouds.

Firefighters continue to tackle Mournes wildfires

NIFRS says it has dealt with 146 wildfires since midnight on Thursday.

Northern Ireland

A man with shaved dark hair in a sand coloured fire jacket stands with a white helmet under his left arm. He has yellow stripes across the jacket. A road is directly behind the man and beyond that a large light brown hill.

'One of the most significant wildfires in 25 years'

A major incident was declared on Saturday after a large gorse fire broke out in County Down.

Northern Ireland

A farmer in a bright jumpsuit and hat stands in front of a byre full of cows

'Our lives have been turned upside down,' say farmers

From April 2026, a 20% inheritance tax rate will apply to agricultural assets over a £1m threshold.

Northern Ireland

A woman with short blonde hair framed at the side of the camera shot looks at an unseen interviewer. She has a dotty blouse on

'People can express how they feel in song in community choir'

An hour-long radio special of BBC Sing! will be broadcast on BBC Radio Ulster on Sunday at 16:00 GMT.

Northern Ireland

Maeve Bradley has blond hair down below her shoulders and is wearing a fawn coloured top

'All I did was have a baby' - says woman who settled discrimination case

Maeve Bradley alleged alleged she was excluded from a promotion opportunity at Citibank in Belfast during her maternity leave.

Northern Ireland

Three people stroll down a small country lane as large beech trees with long branches hang over their heads.

'We'll try to keep The Dark Hedges around as long as we can'

The Dark Hedges, made famous after appearing Game of Thrones, are coming to the end of their 250-year lifespan.

Northern Ireland

Joe Lynskey

'We will keep trying to find Joe's remains'

Human remains exhumed from a grave in County Monaghan four months ago are not those of Joe Lynskey.

Northern Ireland

Bekki has blond hair, tied back in a middle parting. She has a wooly neutral coloured scarf on and a brown trench coat. Behind her is a harbour.

'I was in severe pain' from cheap filler injection

Bekki Burns said she developed vascular erosion after getting a "cheap deal" on a lip filler procedure.

Northern Ireland

John Lemon of East Belfast Men's Shed looks behind the camera. He is standing in front of a white wall with a blue object behind him. John has short, white hair and is wearing a pair of silver framed glasses, a blue jumper and a purple plaid shirt.

Connswater tenants left 'panicked' over quick closure

John Lemon of East Belfast Men's Shed says the group "couldn't believe it" when they heard the centre would close.

Northern Ireland

Mark Easton standing on a street wearing a suit and tie

Will happier people return your lost wallet?

The BBC's Mark Easton tests the theory that happier people do good things like returning lost property.

Northern Ireland

Martina Tierney sits in her living room and looks at the camera. She has shoulder-length, light coloured hair and is wearing a black shirt. She is sitting in front of a grey sofa with a patterned wallpaper.

'I was angry after my pregnancy concerns weren't listened to'

Martina Tierney says her and her husbands concerns were ignored for many hours.

Northern Ireland