Balmoral Show: No poultry competitions for fourth time in five years

Poultry competition classes have been cancelled again at this year's Balmoral Show. The organisers say uncertainty over when bird flu restrictions may be lifted mean the classes cannot go ahead at the Show in May. It is the fourth time in five years that the classes have been unable to proceed. Instead, as in previous years, there will be a display of birds from a single flock during the four days of the show. The egg and decorated egg classes will happen as normal. Under bird flu restrictions, bird gatherings are not allowed to take place and a housing order has been in place since November 2025. Four outbreaks of the disease have been confirmed in commercial poultry settings during the 2025/26 season. Thousands of birds, including a thousand pheasants, have been culled. Bird flu poses a serious risk to Northern Ireland's economically significant poultry industry. The Balmoral Show will take place at the Eikon centre near Lisburn from Wednesday 13 May to Saturday 16 May. Thousands of people are expected to attend. An expanded service means the time of day or night a stroke occurs is no longer a barrier to treatment. The deadlock over the Orange Order march in Portadown - opposed b