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NI Electricity provider Share Energy is calling for greater transparency across the energy sector citing widespread confusion among consumers about who supplies their electricity.
Despite the retail arm of NIE ceasing operations in 2007, Share Energy has found that many people across both rural and urban areas, particularly among older demographics still believe NIE is their energy supplier. In reality, NIE no longer supplies electricity; it now operates purely as the network operator, responsible for maintaining the grid.
The confusion often stems from the mistaken assumption that NIE and Power NI are the same — or that Power NI is still a locally owned company. In fact, Power NI is owned by Canadian investment firm Emera Inc. While it remains the most recognisable name in the market, Share Energy says this perception of safety and familiarity may be holding people back from exploring better-value alternatives.
“Let’s be clear, all energy suppliers in Northern Ireland use the same infrastructure, and all must meet the same consumer protections,” Damian Wilson, CEO of Share Energy explained. “The only real differences are in price, service, and values. At Share, we believe in putting people first — not shareholders.”
Share Energy is urging the Utility Regulator and wider industry to do more to address ongoing confusion, and to help consumers better understand their options in an open and accessible way.
The firm believes that the current confusion is limiting the benefits of a competitive energy market. Customers who could benefit most from switching, including those on tighter budgets are missing out due to misplaced loyalty and lack of clear guidance.
“There’s a real opportunity here to support people particularly in areas where household budgets are under pressure by helping them make informed choices,” Damian added. “We’re not here to point fingers. We’re here to advocate for fairness and give people a better, simpler way to manage their energy.
"The system is designed to create choice, but too many people don’t know that choice exists or they’re led to believe the legacy provider is doing them a favour, when in reality they’re being charged more than they should be."
“Energy providers have a duty to be clear and honest about who they are and what they offer. And if a company has changed hands or is now owned overseas, that should be transparent too,” said Damian.
“We need to make sure people in Northern Ireland are equipped to make informed decisions not stuck in the past paying more than they should.”
As a local company with a growing footprint, Share Energy offers Northern Ireland’s lowest standard unit rate and a unique profit-sharing model that returns 50% of future profits to customers. Their mission is simple: to make energy fairer, more transparent, and truly local again.
See share-energy.com for more
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Three private healthcare clinics locally have picked up awards at the inaugural Private Healthcare Excellence Awards, which took place in Belfast recently.
Newry Private Clinic won Medical Clinic of the Year while Gentle Dental & Implant Clinic in Warrenpoint won both Dental Practice of the Year and Excellence in Patient Care in the Cosmetic Dental category. Dr Finbar’s Skin Clinic based in Camlough also won Dermatology Clinic of the Year.
The local clinics fought off competition from healthcare providers from across the island of Ireland, with winners decided by a panel of independent medical and business professionals who sat on the judging panel, chaired by Dr Tom Black.
The Awards recognised the exceptional clinics, practitioners, service providers and private hospitals providing outstanding care throughout Ireland.
Vhi picked up the award for Excellence in Patient Care while Mark Regan, CEO of Kingsbridge Healthcare Group, was also recognised for his outstanding contribution to the healthcare sector across the island of Ireland.
The Private Healthcare Excellence Awards were founded by NHS GP and owner of two private health clinics, Dr Carla Devlin and Sarah Weir, Managing Director of Weir Events, with expert guidance from clinical advisor Dr Jenny Addley.
Dr Devlin commented; “We set up the Awards to facilitate collaborative, cross border shared learning opportunities, and help shine a light on practices and individuals who are delivering outstanding care and sharing improved medical knowledge North and South of Ireland.
The judging panel was made up of healthcare professionals and leaders within their respective fields including: Professor Ken Addley OBE MD, Dr Tom Black FRCGP, Dr Tham, Professor Rita Devlin, Mark Taylor, Dr Nick Young, Dr Aideen Keaney, and Dr Joe McEnhill. Also on the panel from the health and business sector was Amy Kelly, Chief Operating Officer at Crohn’s & Colitis Ireland; Suzi Murtagh, Principal Product Leader at Allstate and John Healy OBE, Chair at Invest NI.
Chair of the panel, Dr Tom Black FRCGP says it was an educational opportunity for all in the industry to learn about innovations, services and facilities for even more collaboration in the future.
“As we have witnessed throughout this process and for many years previous, there should never be borders when it comes to access to healthcare, and all of our finalists and winners tonight have shown their commitment to working with their local NHS and HSE colleagues to provide a robust service that is driven by patient care.”
Sarah Weir, MD at Weir events added; “On behalf of myself and fellow co-founder, I would like to say a huge congratulations to all of our finalists, highly commended and winners from Saturday night. We are delighted to highlight their professionalism and passion for their services and patients and are proud to bring the incredible care they bring to millions of patients each year into focus."
The Awards were supported by gold partner, Carson McDowell; event partner, Ebrington Medical and category partners, Visit Belfast, Church Pharmacy , Body Talk Live, Berkeley Healthcare Group and S3 Creative.
The awards were hosted by Pamela Ballantine MBE, with a stand up set from comedian and broadcaster, Andrew Ryan, while a DJ set from Q Radio’s Ibe Sesay rounded off the evening.
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JMK Solicitors have announced the appointment of their new Associate Directors across multiple departments within the business. These appointments reflect JMK’s ongoing commitment to developing and deepening their leadership team, to help support their business growth as well as the people themselves.
The new Associate Directors bring a wealth of experience and industry knowledge, which will act as a support to the JMK Solicitors Board to help them achieve their strategic vision and mission of helping clients who have faced traumatic events while securing the best possible outcomes with the least amount of stress.
Louise Mone, Managing Director at JMK Solicitors commented: “Now in our 21st year and having held the title of Northern Ireland’s number one personal injury practice for over a decade, our ongoing success relies on having a strong, capable team committed to delivering the highest standards of service.
"We are delighted to announce the appointment of: Steven Gilliland & Karl O’Hagan as Legal Services Associate Directors, Amy Bradford, Paul O’Brien, Colleen Ward, Laura Lynn, Ciara Mackin and Sinead Sinclair as Operations Associate Directors, Amy Goss and Una O’Neill as Finance Associate Directors, Lorraine Murphy and Karen McKee as Risk & Compliance Associate Directors and Cieran Marshall as Legal Technology Associate Director."
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MJM Marine, a leading global marine outfitting company headquartered in Newry has launched a pilot ‘Mini Navigators’ programme with three local schools.
The initiative for children aged 10-11 gives young people a practical project which introduces them to the skills required to pursue a variety of careers on their doorstep with a local business. MJM Marine, part of the Rathbane Group is a global specialist in cruise ship refurbishment, refit and interior fit out services, offering comprehensive and turnkey solutions to clients in the marine sector. They have an existing student engagement programme ‘The Navigate Programme’ which delivers graduate, placement, Higher Level Apprentices (HLA), Apprentices and Work Experience opportunities. Mini Navigators seeks to extend this programme to younger people in Primary schools to inspire future career choices.
Elizabeth O Connor, Director of People and Governance at MJM Marine said, “It is very important for people of all ages to know that careers which allow you to travel the world; and be involved in really exciting, multi-million-pound projects are available in Newry.
We want to inspire the next generation to think about their future career and where it could take them. We are investing in digital transformation and the latest technology for people interested in these roles; while there are opportunities open from Joinery, Quantity Surveying to Project Management. There really is something for every interest and ability.”
Elizabeth continued, “Our Mini Navigators programme allows us to get out initially to young people in Drumilly, Burren and Annaclone and talk to them about future opportunities related to the type of things they enjoy doing.”
During the Mini Navigators session, Primary 7s are tasked with an activity which involves the students building a bridge, which allows for our cruise ship model to pass through. This interactive model was created inhouse by our current joinery apprentices. The teams must design and cost the bridge and deliver a solution within the timeframe. This fun, interactive activity is designed to make them think about which skillset they most enjoy within the group.
MJM Marine is currently recruiting for a number of new roles. Details are available on their website mjmmarine.com
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More than 150 business representatives gathered at the Canal Court Hotel in Newry last week for an intensive exploration of the digital marketing strategies driving today's most successful enterprises.
The NI Digital Marketing Conference, organised by Newry Chamber with support from Southern Regional College and IRP Commerce, brought together industry experts and local entrepreneurs on Thursday 12 June for a comprehensive examination of cutting-edge digital practices.
The digital marketing landscape is constantly evolving at an unprecedented rate, and the conference provided the large gathering of local businesses in attendance with practical information on the latest trends in this area and the steps they can takeaway and implement within their own businesses.
Attendees heard from an incredible line-up of specialists who delivered informative presentations and took part in interactive Q&A sessions across a wide range of areas including social media strategy, creating content, eCommerce, AI, email marketing, paid ads as well as the support available from the Southern Regional College.
Speakers on the day included: Margaret McNamee, SRC; David Dickson, IRP Commerce; Richie Reynolds, RR Marketing; Manus Loughran, Go Click Media; Tommy McKeown, Kukoon; Adrian Markey, Adrian Markey Chartered Accountants and Lauren Toal, Lauren Toal, Brand & Marketing.
The conference also featured a fantastic panel discussion centred around the theme of 'Building a Global Community from a Local Base' with four individuals from businesses who have built a truly incredible community, amassing hundreds of thousands of followers across social media in the process, Neil Cole, Nine Squared Coffee, Lee Quinn, LM Hair & Beauty, Grainne McCoy, Give Us Beauty and Charlotte McAteer, Jack Murphy Jewellers.
Edwina Flynn, President of Newry Chamber commented: "Newry Chamber is absolutely delighted we had a packed house in the Canal Court for this year's NI Digital Marketing Conference, illustrating the importance of this area to local businesses, an area that continues to constantly evolve at an unprecedented rate."
"We are extremely grateful to our Principal Sponsors, Southern Regional College and IRP Commerce. Without their support we could not run events such as this important annual conference."
"The conference was all about providing our local businesses, who are the lifeblood of our economy, with the information they need when it comes to all things digital marketing, keeping them up to date with all the latest trends in this area and giving them practical steps they can start to implement right away within their businesses."
"The conference included a top line-up of speakers, and I would like to thank all of them for taking the time out of their busy schedules to come and speak at the event on topics including social media strategy, creating content, eCommerce, AI, email marketing, paid ads and much more."
Tracy Rice, Head of Business Engagement at Southern Regional College said: "Southern Regional College was delighted to sponsor the NI Digital Marketing Conference, in partnership with Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade and IRP. This annual conference continues to provide SMEs with useful information and tips on sound digital marketing practices and associated technologies. The line-up of speakers did not disappoint with lots of key takeaways for attendees. The College offers many skills and mentoring programmes to support SMEs to establish and build effective digital marketing strategies."
Brian McLaughlin, Partner Development Manager at IRP Commerce added: "IRP Commerce is proud to support initiatives that drive the online economy forward. As a sponsor of the NI Digital Marketing Conference, we were delighted to see a strong turnout and high-calibre discussion on profitability, performance and innovation in eCommerce. Events like this are vital for sharing knowledge, sparking new ideas and building a connected digital ecosystem in Newry and Mourne region."
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The Skin Health Clinic in Newry has been awarded Skincare Clinic of the Year 2025 at The Northern Ireland Beauty Excellence Awards which were held in Belfast earlier this month.
The Awards on 7 June were devised to recognise, celebrate and encourage those individuals and businesses that have gone above and beyond for their customers, employees and local communities over the past year. They celebrate the achievements made across the entire aesthetics, beauty and hair industries in Northern Ireland.
Based in Lower Catherine Street in Newry, The Skin Health Clinic is led by award-winning Skin Therapist, Skin Educator, and International Speaker Victoria Shields.
The corneotherapy skin care clinic, offers a 360-degree approach to transforming skin health, from personalised acne and blemish programmes to bespoke treatments for hydration, sensitivity, rosacea, dullness, ageing, and advanced laser therapies.
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Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald visited S&W Wholesale in Newry where she announced that her Department is providing almost £100,000 of funding to Employee Ownership Ireland (EOI) to increase awareness of the employee ownership trust (EOT) model across the north.
Employee ownership is a transformative approach to business where employees hold a substantial financial and decision-making stake in the organisation. S&W Wholesale became an EOT in January 2023.
Minister Archibald said: “The benefits of employee ownership are well documented and are strongly aligned with my economic plans. Employee-owned businesses pay, on average, a higher wage. They are more likely to remain in the same location and invest in their local economy and importantly, they are 8-12% more productive.
“Today’s funding announcement will help increase awareness of employee ownership and support businesses transitioning to employee ownership through funded feasibility studies.”
The transition to employee ownership often happens when business owners are looking for a succession solution. Instead of selling to external buyers, they transfer ownership to their employees, preserving the company’s legacy and keeping it rooted in the local community.
Anthony McVeigh, CEO of S&W Wholesale, added: “It was wonderful to welcome Minister Archibald to S&W Wholesale today and speak to the many positives of being a business operating for the benefit of the employees. Since S&W made the transition back in 2023, we have experienced significant growth and are supported by a highly engaged and committed workforce. We have a very positive story to tell and are grateful to the Minister for taking the time to visit our offices and meet with many of our brilliant colleagues who are now playing an even greater role within the business.”
Aidan O’Neill, Board Member, Employee Ownership Ireland, said: “We welcome the Minister’s announcement today and are encouraged that this funding will now be available for businesses across all sectors who are interested in becoming an EOT. Much of this funding will be directed towards providing feasibility studies for firms who at the beginning of the EO journey and will enable the EOI board to continue offering mentorship, peer to peer support and a bank of resources at crucial early stages.
“It is particularly welcome that this announcement was made on Employee Ownership Day when the EO community across NI is coming together and celebrating the momentum behind the movement. There are now around 1,000 employee-owners working in this region and as a board, we are working hard to increase this figure even further and to showcase the many benefits EO brings to both businesses and the local economy.”
Newry and Armagh MP Dáire Hughes welcomed the announcement of £100,000 investment in employee ownership initiatives by Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald.
“Minister Archibald’s investment in Employee Ownership Ireland is a very positive development, and one which I hope will lead to increased numbers of businesses and workers adopting this approach," said Mr Hughes after the announcement in Newry.
“This exciting practice brings immense benefits to both employees and businesses, leading to higher wages, increased morale and improved output.
“This in turn benefits the local economy as businesses are more likely to stay in the same location and support the local community.”
Continuing, Dáire Hughes MP said: “It was great to have Minister Archibald in S&W Wholesale, Newry, to make this important announcement.
“S&W Wholesale is a powerful local example of a flourishing business operating for the benefit of its workers, while also enjoying huge success itself.
“Since adopting the employee ownership model, S&W Wholesale have experienced significant growth, and I wish them well for the future. I will continue to work with local businesses to promote this initiative.”
The MP concluded by encouraging local businesses to explore this model and engage with Employee Ownership Ireland for further advice and support.
To learn more about Employee Ownership Ireland and the support they can offer businesses visit employeeownershipireland.com where you can also find information on how to apply for a fully-funded feasibility study.
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The House of Lords Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee was in Newry earlier this month to hear firsthand from local businesses, retailers, and community representatives about their practical experiences of operating within the Windsor Framework and how it has impacted business.
The visit formed part of Committee’s ongoing inquiry into Strengthening Northern Ireland’s voice in the context of the Windsor Framework and will help shape the Committee’s conclusions and recommendations to the UK Government in its final report, expected to be published late Summer 2025.
Chair of the Committee, Lord Carlile said: “The purpose of the Committee’s visit to Newry has been to help inform our ongoing inquiry, which is looking into strengthening the voice of Northern Ireland in the context of the Windsor Framework.
“We are aiming to bring fresh clarity to the complexities of the Windsor Framework so that everyone—from local businesses to community stakeholders and political leaders—can better understand both the opportunities and challenges it presents and to ensure that Northern Ireland’s voice is not only heard but strengthened in the process.
“For the Committee, an essential part of understanding the practical implications of the Windsor Framework has been getting
out of Westminster to Northern Ireland and hearing first-hand about the experiences on the ground."
The committee met members of the Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade and local community organisations. They also took the
opportunity to look around the impressive local manufacturing facilities at MJM Marine.
Lord Carlile concluded “A key thing we have learnt is that the Windsor Framework remains complex, and experiences on the ground differ according to sector, location or background.
“Our inquiry comes at a time of change in Europe and in the UK’s relationship with Europe. In this context it is crucial
the voices of Newry and all Northern Ireland’s communities are represented and heard, and their best interests protected.”
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Advertorial
A new startup business, Life Insurance Northern Ireland has officially launched and it has strong roots right here in Newry.
Founded by Noleen Curran, a well-known face in the Newry community, the innovative company is already making waves in the Northern Ireland financial services sector. Noleen’s journey is a true local success story and one that speaks to the spirit of Newry’s entrepreneurial community.
From Hill Street to High Streets Across NI
Noleen's connection to Newry runs deep. A former pupil of St. Mary’s and Newry High School, she’s known to many locals from her time working in Boots Chemist on Hill Street. Her professional background and passion for helping people were clear from the start, and it was no surprise when she decided to take her career a step further by becoming a protection adviser in 2016.
Over the years, she has helped hundreds of individuals and families across Northern Ireland protect what matters most, their loved ones, their homes, and their futures.
It’s About Trust
Noleen was also a key part of the Newry Running Club, where she built strong relationships and became a familiar and trusted figure in the community. That same commitment to connection and care has become the foundation of her business.
With the launch of Life Insurance Northern Ireland, Noleen brings a personalised, transparent, and jargon-free approach to life insurance, critical illness cover, and income protection. Her mission is to ensure people across Newry and Northern Ireland (NI) have access to honest, easy-to-understand advice when it comes to protecting their families and their futures.
A Newry Business Aiming to Make an Impact Across NI
Life Insurance Northern Ireland is not just another financial service, it’s a homegrown company led by someone who understands the values and needs of local people. By supporting Noleen’s business, clients aren’t just getting top-quality advice, they’re backing a local entrepreneur who’s invested in the well-being of her community.
For many in Newry, navigating the world of insurance can feel overwhelming. That’s why Noleen is passionate about offering free, no-obligation consultations and a caring, client-first service that makes financial protection accessible to everyone from young families to small business owners.
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Whether you’re in Newry, Armagh, Belfast, or beyond, Life Insurance Northern Ireland is here to support you with expert protection advice tailored to your life and goals.
Website: lifeinsurancenorthernireland.co.uk
Located: Newry Northern Ireland (NI)
Contact Noleen today for a friendly, confidential chat about your insurance options
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