MY TOP 10

JIM NEILLY MBE

Sports commentator and broadcaster

6. Do you have any tips for staying positive during this time?

I’ve lived on my own for a long time so the current regime of isolation hasn’t meant much of a change for me. I’m not a great fan of Zooming and things like that, but I like blethering away on the phone to my closest friends on a regular basis, and as long as my television is working, I’m happy.

7. What do you think is the best thing about living in Northern Ireland?

Despite the frustrations of local politics, which I fi nd annoying and embarrassing in equal measure, it’s a great place to live. Some of the scenery, especially the Antrim Coast, is spectacular and the sense of humour of the Northern Ireland people is second to none.

8. What is your mantra or favourite quote that you live by?

I’ve always related to what the great heavyweight champion Joe Frazier said in reference to the importance of roadwork as the basis of all preparation: ”If you cheat on that in the dark of the morning, you’ll get found out when the bright lights come on”

9. Who has been your biggest infl uence?

My mother. Clever, witty, supportive and critical in a positive way. When I was piling on the pounds, she observed:”I notice that every stitch seems to be doing its duty!”

1. What do you love most about your job?

At the end of my very fi rst rugby international commentary in January 1979, the great Peter West, with whom I shared a microphone, said, “Its not a bad life, Jimbo. Here we are in the best seat in the house, talking about the game we love, and someone’s paying us to be here!” – Sums it up!

2. What has been your career highlight to date?

Rugby-wise, Ireland’s Grand Slams in 2009 and 2018 and, of course, Ulster’s European Cup Final victory in 1999. Lots of great boxing memories, especially Michael Carruth and Wayne McCullough winning Olympic gold and silver respectively within an hour in Barcelona in 1992.

3. What are your favourite hobbies/ activities outside of work?

I’ve no particular hobby, but I’m an avid movie fan though that’s been totally missing from my life for the last while. When asked which I prefer, rugby or boxing, I always say “Neither - what I’m really good at is going out for lunch or dinner”. I’ve missed the social contact with close friends over the past fi fteen months or so but intend to make up for it!

4. What is your daily routine?

Unless I’ve a reason to get up, I never set an alarm. Whenever I’ve a commentary to do at the weekend, I start thinking about it in the middle of the week and begin formal preparation on Thursdays. It probably seems very laborious, but I get a lot of satisfaction from going through the familiar routine and it wouldn’t be the same unless I put it all together even though my team notes are pretty indecipherable to anyone but me.

5. Do you have a specifi c fi tness regime?

It’s been a long time since I ran or went to the gym, but I walk every day with my dog who has been a godsend since I got her as a puppy seven years ago. She means that I get plenty of modest exercise and has been a wonderful companion, making more sense than most of my two-legged friends!

10. FAVOURITE

Movie: The Last Picture Show directed by Peter Bogdanovich Band/Musician: Steely Dan/Bob Dylan Book: Cannery Row and it’s sequel Sweet Thursday by John Steinbeck Restaurant: Mother India in Glasgow and Shu and James Street South in Belfast

Holiday Destination: Loved the couple of visits I had to Barbados but getting to my little retreat in Donegal is hard to beat.

Drink: A slow poured pint of Guinness/Jameson Crested Ten Meal: Rare Roast Rib of Beef. Hardest thing in the world to get right!

Aaron Irvine, Stacey Lynn Orr and Jessica Burton.

.Bill Robinson and grand children

Lucie and Daniel.

Linzi, Daniel and Rosie Gillis and Chris Green.

CASTLE ESPIE

The award winning Castle Espie Wetland Centre on the shores of Strangford Lough recently reopened its tranquil and friendly visitor centre for all the family.

The centre where almost the entire world’s population of Brent Geese resides during the winter months was recently selected as a brand new live location to host Springwatch, BBC Two’s popular and long running wildlife programme.

.Michelle Long (2nd left) with Katie, Zoe and Katie Beth.

.Jennifer Courtney with James

and Isaac Bell. Ashton Mark and Rebecca Laffi n.

Andrew and Rachel Crothers with daughters. Katie and Nicky McMeekin.

.Nikita and Mac Hill.

. Sisters Aileen Gardner and Catherine Reilly with

grandaughter Eva Reilly and Caroline Palmer.

. Artist Richard Kerrigan.

Velvet cupcakes bakers Rebecca Holmes and mum Louise Hull.

URBAN MARKET AT CONNSWATER

The Urban Market is brand new to Connswater and made its debut on May Day bank holiday located on the car park roof of Connswater Shopping centre,

Families and shoppers enjoyed browsing the outdoor market safely with lots of local suppliers producing fantastic foodie delights.

. ‘Where to go NI’ bloggers Michelle

and Rick Bridge with Fred.

.

Chris, Meredith and Rachel Graham.

Maxine and Emily Black. Stephen and Jacky Higgon.

Mum and son Margaret and Keelan McRoberts. Electric pup at the rooftop market at Connswater. Jean Duggan and Lorna Kennedy.

NI FAVOURITES ON THE MENU WITH EXCLUSIVE THE CHEF RANGE

A great chef combines culinary flair and quality ingredients to produce the best results, and our CHEF is no different.

“The lasagne is monument to Johannesson’s skills: intense, dense, very meaty with a great balance of sauces and pasta.” Joris Minne, Food Writer, Belfast Telegraph

The CHEF range of prepared favourites, created in partnership with SPAR and local Chef Carl Johannesson, marries Carl’s 25 years’ experience in restaurants around the world, with ingredients such as beef from Ballymena butcher McAtamney’s and fish from Lisburn’s Elmore Seafood to make up every meal.

The range of over 30 lines, available in 190 SPAR, EUROSPAR, ViVO, ViVOXTRA and ViVO Essentials stores across Northern Ireland, is made by a team of cooks in Carl’s Kitchen in Co. Antrim, using quality ingredients to create handmade mains and sides, meals for one and wellrounded Under 500 calorie options.

Carl says, “Good food should be available to everybody. The CHEF range is wholesome and homecooked, we all know, recognise and love the dishes, but maybe we don’t have the time to cook them ourselves. Northern Ireland produces some of the most delicious ingredients from our shores to our soil, so we use everything we can to pack flavour and local produce into our meals.”

The all-new-look CHEF range includes new dishes in the Under 500 Calories line including beef strips with mushrooms, mustard, crème fraiche, rice and green beans as well as a luxurious roast chicken with bacon and leek sauce and baby potatoes. The popular Meals For One have four new additions including roast pork and leek sausages with champ and onion gravy, macaroni cheese with cooked ham and chicken with creamy tomato sauce and penne pasta.

Carl continued; “When you buy The CHEF, you’re buying delicious, restaurant quality meals that have been made by a team who love cooking international flavours with a taste of home.” June, pick up a promotional leaflet at a participating SPAR, EUROSPAR, ViVO, ViVOXTRA or ViVO Essentials store for a £2 coupon off any of the range.

Carl finished; “It’s now even easier to taste The CHEF range; our top selling dishes are available in hundreds of stores across the country, we have even more recipes being cooked up in our kitchen and we have a fantastic promotion running from 7 – 27 June which brings further value to our shoppers. Shoppers can also follow the story of The CHEF on Instagram @thechefni for all the latest recipes.”

GOOD FOOD SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY

Pick up a promotional leaflet in-store and save £2

David and Michelle Stirling.

Mid and East Antrim Mayor Cllr Peter Johnston with wife Victoria and children Lucas and Jacob.

CARRICKFERGUS ARTISAN MARKET

The historic Market place in Carrickfergus was home to the Urban Market NI team who were happy to welcome back all their artisan food and non-essential traders to the outdoor market on the May Day bank holiday weekend.

.Sisters Beryl Patton and Pamela Cushley.

Gail Kelly (Mid and East Antrim Council) and Thomas Ferris (Urban Markets NI).

zzzz Connor Kerr and Becky Bellamy from humanitarian

charity Another World Belfast. Blackfi re sauce maker Tim McCarthy.

World Superbike Champion receives Freedom of the Borough

World Superbike racing champion Dr Jonathan Rea MBE has been conferred with the Freedom of the Borough at a special ceremony held by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.

To mark this special occasion a ‘perpetual’ bursary has been launched by Council in Dr Jonathan Rea’s name. The purpose of this is to provide additional support to sporting individuals within the Borough who will act as effective ambassadors for Mid and East Antrim in their chosen sporting activity, with funding up to £2,000 per individual.

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough, Councillor Peter Johnston said: “The Freedom of the Borough is the highest accolade that Council can award and it was an honour to present it to World Superbike Champion Dr Jonathan Rea MBE.” A past pupil of Larne Grammar School, Dr Rea has won the Superbike World Championship a record six times. He is the first rider in the history of the Championship to achieve six world titles consecutively from 2015 until 2020.

Cllr Johnston continued: “Jonathan’s career to date has been nothing short of incredible. He is one of the greatest sports people our country has ever produced. He is a wonderful ambassador for our area and an inspiration to so many throughout Northern Ireland, and around the world.”

While it is customary to have an exchange of gifts at Freedom events, Jonathan asked that rather than presenting him with a gift, to explore options which would assist individuals within our Borough who excel in individual sports so that they can enhance their sporting development. This bursary is a fitting tribute to Dr Jonathan Rea and we thank him for this lasting legacy, which will benefit many recipients from across Mid and East Antrim.

1. What do you love most about your job?

I am a plumber by trade and I loved the people in the building industry, from the labourers to the tradesmen – all good people. Nowadays I am kept busy with corporate work and of course the BBC Sport N.I. Radio Ulster SportsSound team and the Sunday Life sport team. Sport, in my opinion, is this country’s greatest asset and it’s great to be a part of it.

2. What has been your career highlight to date?

Probably my fi rst ever senior medal in football, winning the Irish league with Crusaders in 1972/73 season and also scoring the fi rst goal for Coleraine in the 1977 Irish Cup Final when we beat Linfi eld 4-1. As most people know my other love besides football is motorcycle road racing and being with my late great friend Robert Dunlop when he won the 1996 Isle of Man TT after he almost lost his life there in 1994, when the rear wheel of his R.C.45 disintegrated, that was special. Robert was the toughest sportsman I’ve ever known and over our 20 years together as a team he gave me countless great memories.

3. What are your favourite hobbies/ activities outside of work?

My favourite past time outside of work is a game of golf with my friends. I have been a member of Galgorm Golf Club, Ballymena, for several years now and there is nothing more I enjoy than a few hours on the golf course. I’m also lucky that I get invited to several golf corporate days all over the country so I get to play all the top courses in the country. Most of my best friends are golfers so the craic is mighty even if the scores are sometimes manure.

LIAM BECKETT MBE

Football pundit and radio presenter

4. What is your daily routine?

Most days are diff erent. I still do plumbing and heating for the family, plus other building works when the need arises, which is usually non-stop. I do my Sunday Life sports page column, which takes me a considerable time because I’m slow and pretty rubbish at typing on a laptop, my deadline is a Thursday which is diffi cult as you are hoping to make sure no-one else repeats your stuff before Sunday. Then most weekends are taken up by BBC Radio Ulster Sportsound, either on commentary at the football or at the motorbike races. After dinner speaking or hosting events, yes even for a countryman like me, keeps me busy as well – so my days and weeks are pretty hectic most of the time.

5. Do you have a specifi c fi tness regime?

Not really, but I do try to do a brisk 4-mile walk every day, when possible, plus the golf. I don’t smoke and I never was any good at drinking, a couple of pints of ice cool beer once a month would be plenty for me. I’ve never drank spirits in my life, I’d much rather have a big mug of tea most of the time.

6. Do you have any tips for staying positive during this time?

I do appreciate the past year has been really diffi cult for many people, but personally I haven’t had a problem because I had a tough childhood. My father Jim died suddenly with a brain haemorrhage when I was only 2 years old (he was only 27 years old) and my mother Maud was left to rear my big brother Lawrence and I with very little. My mother had to take two jobs, one as a farm labourer during the day and the other as a cleaner of people’s homes at night, just to make ends meet and put a loaf of bread on the table. I’m proud of my up-bringing and although it was tough it has stood me in good stead for times like this. But always remember if you’re feeling lonely or depressed that it’s ok not to be ok. I am an ambassador for the Samaritans and they do a fabulous job, so please just call if you need someone to talk to.

7. What do you think is the best thing about living in Northern Ireland?

Northern Ireland is the country of my birth and I am always proud to say where I’m from, the vast majority of the people are just honest and genuine, plus the North Coast in particular is just one of the world’s most beautiful and spectacular coastlines. Thankfully for such a small country we continue to produce world class sports people and that continues to bring the proper type of global headlines to Northern Ireland.

8. What is your mantra or favourite quote that you live by?

I have a couple, “Dare to Dream” which the world-famous Manchester United and Northern Ireland goalkeeper Harry Gregg swore by. No harm whatsoever in following your dream, Harry did and the rest, as they say, is history. Also, I like, “total respect, but no fear”. As a footballer player, manager or motorcycle mechanic/mentor to Robert Dunlop I always felt the need to show “total respect” to all opponents, but have “no fear” for any of them. Simple sayings but crucial if you aspire to succeed.

9. Who has been your biggest infl uence?

Firstly, my mother who taught me good manners and to show respect to those who earned it. My mother also taught me not to want anything I couldn’t aff ord, and to always live within my means. In later years if I needed guidance or advice, I talked things over with the late Harry Gregg. Harry always gave me good advice regardless of whether it was what I wanted to hear or not, he was like a father in many ways.

10. FAVOURITE

Movie: I don’t really watch fi lms but honestly, I really enjoyed “Paddington” Band/Musician: UB40 and Bruce Springsteen Restaurant: I’m not one for these “designer” type meals or restaurants, so my favourite eating house is Longs Fish & Chip shop, Belfast – it’s class Holiday Destination: Orlando, Florida Drink: A big mug of hot tea Meal: My number one meal is my porridge for breakfast, it is without doubt my favourite.