Belfast News

05/03/2025

Greysteel-based fuel company has seen its turnover fall by over £85m in the most recent accounting period, however, it has stayed profitable.
Fuel oil supplier Nicholls Fuel Oils experienced an 80% drop in pre-tax profits to around £1.4m in the 12 months leading up to May 31, 2024, according to its recently published accounts.

27/02/2025

Hello my name is lloyd i recently had my lung removed due to cancer no… Lloyd Thompson needs your support for Please Donate to help with private medical costs

09/02/2025

Man charged over 'pointing gun at train passengers

52-year-old man has been charged with impersonating a police officer and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
He was arrested at a train station in Belfast on Thursday following reports of a man armed with a gun approaching young female passengers.
Police said the man, who claimed to be a police officer, approached two teenage girls at the train station in Holywood, County Down, at about 15:30 GMT.
He is due to appear at Belfast Magistrates Court on Saturday 8 February.
It was reported to police that at the station, the man moved his coat, revealing to both teenage girls what they believed to be a gun tucked in his waistband.
The man then boarded the same train carriage as the girls, took a seat next to another teenage girl and placed the weapon on his lap.
'Truly deplorable'

The "extremely frightened" girl got off the train at the next stop, police said.
Train staff had been alerted and the man was escorted off at Lanyon Place Station.
While being detained by security staff at the train station, he pointed the gun at them.
The man was searched by responding police officers and he was found to be carrying a BB gun.
"This was a disturbing and upsetting ordeal for all of the young women involved. No one should be subject to this kind of harassing and intimidating behaviour anywhere, at any time. It is truly deplorable," Det Sgt McCartan said.
Detectives have appealed for witnesses to contact them.

09/02/2025

Woman arrested in Belfast after stealing delivery driver's car and colliding with parked vehicles

At around 12.30am, it was reported to police that a woman assaulted the driver of a delivery vehicle at College Heights before driving off in his car. A short while later, the car was involved in a number of collisions on Hatfield Street in the Holylands area.

A video circulating on social media shows the car driving up and down Hatfield Street, colliding with a number of parked vehicles.

Police said a 37-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of a number of offences including driving when unfit due to drink or drugs, and no driving licence in relation to the incident. She remains in police custody at this time.

08/02/2025

Missing Person

Police are growing concerned for 14 year old Ciara Quigley who was last seen in the Derry area at 3pm on Thursday 6th February.

Ciara is described as 5ft 2, slim build with long straight brown hair with highlights. She has a small nose piercing and blue eyes.

If you see Ciara or know of her whereabouts please contact police quoting ref 1451, 06/02/25

08/02/2025

Boxer Cooney dies after title fight defeat !

Super-featherweight boxer John Cooney, 28, has died after his defeat by Welshman Nathan Howells in Belfast last Saturday.
The Irish boxer suffered an intracranial haemorrhage and had surgery to relieve pressure on his brain following the bout at the Ulster Hall.
Galway man Cooney was assessed by the medical team in the ring before being stretchered out and transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
"It is with complete devastation that we have to announce that after a week of battling for his life John Cooney has sadly passed away," MHD Promotions said on behalf of the Cooney family.
"Mr and Mrs Cooney and his fiancee Emmaleen would like to thank the staff at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital who have worked tirelessly to save John's life and for everyone who has sent messages of support and prayers.
"He was a much-loved son, brother and partner and it will take us all a lifetime to forget how special he was. RIP John 'The Kid' Cooney."
The contest was stopped in the ninth round at the Ulster Hall in what was Cooney's first defence of his Celtic super-featherweight title.
The Galway boxer won the Celtic title with a first-round win over Liam Gaynor in November 2023 at a sold-out 3Arena in Dublin, on the undercard of Katie Taylor's revenge win over Chantelle Cameron.
Cooney then spent a year out of the ring recovering from a hand injury before returning to beat Tampela Maharusi of Tanzania in October 2024 in London.
Former double WBO European champion Conrad Cummings paid tribute to Cooney.
He said on X: "John Cooney the warrior gave up his fight & passed away this evening. I am deeply saddened, I can't begin to think of the hurt his poor fiancee & family are going through. I pray they find the strength

28/08/2024

Pineapple Energy Stock … ticker Pegy..!
In a release issued under the same headline earlier today by Pineapple Energy Inc. (Nasdaq: PEGY), please note that the figures in Highlights from Pineapple’s New York Subsidiary SUNation and Pineapple Energy’s financial highlights in Q2 have been amended. The corrected release follows:

Pineapple Energy Inc. (Nasdaq: PEGY) (Pineapple Energy) (“Pineapple” or the “Company”), a leading provider of sustainable solar energy and backup power to households, businesses, municipalities and for servicing existing systems, is providing an update on the performance of its ongoing business activities, with the goal of giving context to the Company’s recently filed earnings report.

“Our results for the second quarter of 2024 reflected the lingering impact of certain industry-specific headwinds that have affected the renewable energy sector across the United States,” said Scott Maskin, Interim CEO of Pineapple. “These headwinds – which masked progress across various aspects of our operations - are beginning to diminish,” Maskin said.

“While we are not satisfied with some of the metrics captured within our recently filed earnings statement, including seeing some disappointing news in the performance of our battery attachment rate within our Hawaii business as the Battery Bonus Program is in redesign at the utility and state level, and the delayed start to projects within our commercial pipelines of our New York business, some of these factors have already, or are likely to, abate as of writing.”

“We also incurred cash and non-cash charges and expenses related to our ongoing corporate restructuring efforts, as well as charges and valuation adjustments related to previously issued debt and equity instruments. We fully expect that the second half of the year, notably on the commercial side of the business, will show marked improvement when compared to the first six months of 2024. Over time, our recent and continuing restructuring efforts across Q2 will bear fruit as overhead is reduced, and OpEx is driven lower,” Maskin added.

Mr. Maskin noted that the performance at SUNation, Pineapple’s New York subsidiary, produced favorable comparisons in several key regional metrics during the first six months of 2024 compared to the same period last year, as well as in comparison to the full year 2023.

Highlights from Pineapple’s New York Subsidiary SUNation include:

SUNation systems sold up 22% year over year
Overall kilowatts (KW) sold, up 21% year over year
Systems sold via client referrals, up 19% year over year
Total invoice value per sale, up 11% year over year
Overall client acquisition cost (CAC), down 4% year over year
Operating expenses, down $553k year over year
Mr. Maskin continued, “Our commercial and industrial solar projects often take longer to materialize when compared to our residential work, as was reflected in our results for the first half of the year. A number of material commercial projects that had been delayed in the first half of 2024 are now fully underway and the positive financial impact of these projects on our financial results should start to be reflected beginning in the third quarter. Our efforts to diversify our revenues via a mix of business is also evolving in a positive manner, as evidenced by a 46% increase in commercial contract sales during the second quarter when compared to the same period last year.”

“These figures highlight the opportunity within this growing segment of our business, as well as the volatility of the pipelines.”

Overall, Pineapple Energy’s financial highlights in Q2 included:

Quarterly Revenues of $13,549,420
Operating expenses decreased 20% from Q2 2023
Gross Profit decreased 33% from Q2 2023
Operating losses increased 43% from Q2 2023
Net loss of $6.9M
Pineapple's complete financial performance for the second quarter of 2024 can be found in our quarterly report on form 10-Q here.

“I’m incredibly thankful to our shareholders for their constant notes of encouragement and arming me with the tools necessary to address the industry pressures affecting our Company,” Mr. Maskin continued stated. “The increased share authorization announced in July provides the Company with the opportunity to potentially access the capital markets to fund our future growth initiatives, with a focus on acquiring the best regional solar companies in the industry,” he noted. “The authorization also had a material positive impact on the accounting for certain outstanding debt and capital instruments, with these changes likely to be reflected in our third quarter results and future periods.”

“As a veteran in the solar space, my team and I have capitalized through the highest peaks of the “solar coaster” and have sustained our position through the absolute lowest points. We are laser focused on cleaning up every single obstruction that is preventing us from executing on our corporate strategy. We remain committed to elevating our corporate governance, aligning our operations, and refining our strategy to most effectively and efficiently address the significant long-term market opportunities we believe exist in our industry. The reimagined Pineapple Energy comes with amazing new board members, corporate leadership changes, OpEx reductions, and capital stack modifications.”

“What will never change is our dedication to you our shareholders, our employees, and our customers. We believe that Pineapple Energy is uniquely positioned to emerge as a national industry leader. I have never been more excited about the future and our place in it.”

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding future financial performance, future growth, and future opportunities. These statements are based on Pineapple Energy’s current expectations or beliefs and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the statements here due to changes in economic, business, competitive or regulatory factors, and other risks and uncertainties, set forth in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Pineapple Energy does not undertake any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, except as required by law.

About Pineapple Energy

Pineapple is focused on growing leading local and regional solar, storage, and energy services companies nationwide. Our vision is to power the energy transition through grass-roots growth of solar electricity paired with battery storage. Our portfolio of brands (SUNation Energy, Hawaii Energy Connection, E-Gear) provide those within the Residential and Commercial sectors an end-to-end product offering spanning solar, battery storage, and grid services.

28/08/2024

05/07/2024

02/07/2024

Get down to the last week of summer fest
Custom House square
It’s country and western vibes 👌
Massive selection of beverages available and a great offers brought to you by the guys who do October fest
The best entertainment going free !!

28/02/2024

UVF recruiting ground’ row over controlled schools overshadows integrated education hearing at Westminster

A row over controlled schools being a “UVF recruiting ground” has overshadowed a discussion on integrated education at Westminster.
The controversy arose towards the end of today's meeting of the NI Affairs Committee.

MPs are examining the benefits of integrated education, the challenges of developing the sector, and the impact of the Integrated Education Act.

But the DUP’s Carla Lockhart took exception to some comments made during the session by integrated education campaigners.

Dr Matt O’Neill, chair of Integrated AlumNI, recounted his own education and told MPs of how his brother’s friend once arrived home talking about a careers class he had taken during his time at a controlled school.

“One day my brother came home from school talking about a careers class,” he recalled.

A friend had said he wanted to be a commander. The teacher asked: ‘The Air Force? The Armed Forces?’ He replied: ‘No, the UVF.’

“I am just very lucky my mother told us to think about other options. It was a big moment for me and changed my life.”

Peter Osborne, chair of the Integrated Education Fund (IEF), also told how he had gone to a controlled school in the 1970s, the number of Catholics at which he did not know.

“They would have been a small minority,” he said.

“They would have kept their heads down. That should not be what happens in our education system.”
Responding, Ms Lockhart said that some of the panel’s remarks had been “somewhat disappointing”, adding: “I feel they have been very derogatory towards the controlled sector. I feel they have been dismissive.

“And I would absolutely refute (sic) the characterisation around controlled-sector schools that you ‘had to keep your head down’ if you are from another religious background.

“I’m actually still in shock around the comment recounting ‘commander of the UVF’, giving a perception that controlled-sector schools are recruiting grounds of that nature.”

Ms Lockhart said NI had “amazing controlled schools”.

“I refute (sic) as well the preconception that has been given that controlled schools are closed shops for other people,” she added.

With the hearing closing, Mr Osborne attempted to respond to what he called “a totally unfair reflection” of what had been said.

“I feel I must take 20 seconds to reiterate the respect we have for the quality of education in other sectors,” he said.

“What they do is incredibly good. I’ve said that several times.”

MPs were told of hopes that a quarter of children in NI should be enrolled in integrated schools within the next decade.

If the Government is to back up the support voiced for the sector and for parental choice, parental votes should be held at every NI school on transforming to integrated status, Mr Osborne said.
Mr Osborne had told MPs a distinction had to be made between integrated and shared education: “Integrated is about children in the same class all the time, wearing the same uniform, learning, accepting, respecting each other in a constructive, positive way.

“Shared education is different schools maybe on the same site, but in different buildings, using sports facilities at a different time. It can accentuate the division.

“We are all in favour of parental choice, but let’s make it real: it takes £2,000-3,000 for an independent ballot to be held in any single school.

“The Prime Minister has said integrated schools should be the norm, not the exception. Over the next 25 years, let’s require every school in NI to have a ballot on integrated status; let’s give parents that choice. Savings overall will be way more than what it would cost to pay for that. It’s a bargain.”

He also said his organisation received no advance notice that 10 integrated schools and shared education projects would lose £150m in funding for capital building works as money from the Government’s Fresh Start programme was reallocated after the restoration of the Assembly.

Dr Keir Bloomer, chair of the Independent Review of Education, which published its report last December, said the focus must be on children learning together, promoting cohesion in a post-conflict society after finding “the atmosphere undesirable, competitive and adversarial”.

“A substantial number of schools transforming to integrated were threatened with closure,” he added.

“A significant part of the recent expansion in integrated schools is based on the number of schools on the margin of viability. Frankly, that’s not the way forward. We need something a bit more dynamic than that.” ​

Roisin Marshall, CEO of the NI Council for Integrated Education, responded that of 14 schools currently in pre-decision to transform to integrated, 10 of those are sustainable.

She added: “Just starting a desire to be diverse isn’t enough. All schools must think about how they can do that better.”

28/02/2024

We really made a difference’: Belfast shop to close as customers express regret

Belfast’s first dedicated zero-waste shop is to close its doors, it has been announced.
Refill Quarter, based in the east of the city, sold products without any disposable plastic packaging.

But they said on Wednesday that “quiet times” had led them to make the decision to close.

In a social media post, they said: “The time has come for us to say farewell.

“Five years ago we decided to open up Belfast’s first zero waste shop. It’s been a crazy journey, we’ve had the good times, the challenging times and, more recently, the quiet times and now we have reached the time for Refill Quarter to close

“But thanks to all of you, we really made a difference. Every single purchase was a choice to create change, to support personal values, to kick back at unsustainable systems, to make the world just a little bit less clogged. You did that. Together we made a difference.

The venture on Belmont Road was the brainchild of yoga teacher Susan McEwen and her two Refill Quarter co-founders, Alice Wilkinson and Phillip Rankin.

They are also the faces behind Yoga Quarter, a studio in Ballyhackamore which offers yoga classes.

The idea for Refill Quarter was born while running the yoga classes and opened in 2019 after the owners grew frustrated with the consumption of single-use coffee shops and bottles at the studio.

They were met with sadness from customers when the news of the closure was announced.

"So sorry to hear this and a little ashamed that I didn't go more often. We can all (or just me) become a little complacent and then this happens,” one said.

Loved my trips here and very sorry to see it close. Best of luck for whatever lies ahead and thank you for giving us the opportunity to shop in a more sustainable way,” said another.

It’s not yet clear whether the owners of Refill Quarter will return with another venture