Cool FM - Northern Ireland's Number 1 for Music! Follow us on Instagram & TikTok @officialcoolfm

Belfast, Northern Ireland
Joined April 2010
💥⛔️ BREAKING GARVAGHY: Secretary of State Sir @RhonddaBryant has BANNED the parade. Statement from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Sir Chris Bryant MP: “Everyone wants to see an end to the stand-off between the Portadown District Loyal Orange Lodge and the residents of the Garvaghy Road as soon as possible. “I have spent the last fortnight trying to get a mutually acceptable agreement between the two sides, hosting several rounds of negotiations at Hillsborough Castle last week and maintaining frequent contact with both sides since then. “Unfortunately it has not been possible to achieve a local resolution. I have therefore been intensively considering all options for bringing this dispute to an end. “I don’t think anyone wants to see the stand-off continue into another weekend, with the consequent risk of protests spreading to other parts of Northern Ireland and the further deterioration of community relations. Nobody wants a return to the past, which is why people want this stand-off to end - and end soon. “Earlier today the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland made an application to me under Section 9 of the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act. “As required by law, I have now reviewed the initial determination made by the Parades Commission relating to the application made by the Portadown District for 27 September, 2026. “I have consulted the Chief Constable and the Parades Commission. “The Chief Constable has advised me that it would not be possible to enable the procession to happen without a major intervention which would carry an unacceptable risk of serious injury, disorder and a wider contagion effect across Northern Ireland. “The Parades Commission have also advised me that ’While ultimately a matter for the courts to determine, the Commission is of the view that, in light of this current assessment by the Chief Constable, the original determination does not now have enduring legal effect. “Consequently, and in the interests of wider public interest and safety, I’ve come to the conclusion that the circumstances under which that decision was made have now changed considerably. “As a result, the procession cannot go ahead as it was determined. “I have not taken this decision lightly. As the courts affirmed, the Portadown District had a lawful determination from the Parades Commission allowing the procession. I want to thank the Portadown LOL No 1 for their peaceful and law-abiding approach and their co-operation at all points with the PSNI. “Respect for the rule of law is fundamental to our society and I am grateful to those who have behaved peacefully and legally and sought to ease tensions in their respective communities. Those who have acted unlawfully should face the consequences of their actions. “I am also grateful to all those who took part in good faith in the negotiations at Hillsborough. I heard the concerns of people on all sides and I only regret that we could not reach a compromise on a way forward and that many residents across Portadown have felt anxious and worried. “With this in mind, I call for all protests, rallies and demonstrations to be stood down. There is no excuse for a continued ratcheting up of tensions. “The community in Portadown has been on the sharp end of intense attention for a number of weeks. It will take time to rebuild relations. The least we can all do now is give them breathing space. Looking ahead we will need to work together to help repair the damage that has been done and to resolve this issue. "I will continue to do all I can to bring the community together over the coming weeks and months."
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Tune in to @coolfm this morning 📻 Casey and Aimee will be chatting to Pete about our upcoming fixtures 🎤 #GAWA #TogetherWeThrive
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🚨🗣NEW GARVAGHY: 'If it takes 10 days, Portadown District will walk home.' - Orangemen remain at Drumcree 🎤🎥@JamieBrysonLLB, who is acting as an adviser to Portadown District Orange Lodge, says Orangemen are going nowhere until they “walk home.” He is joined at Drumcree by @duponline MP @carlalockhart. Garvaghy Road remains blocked. More on-air and online.
🚨❗️BREAKING: Two mothers have walked towards the PSNI line asking “why” as protesters link arms and block the Garvaghy Road Fireworks have also been set off at a location on the Garvaghy Road. The two mothers approached the police line carrying placards, while residents and protesters remain linked arm-in-arm across the road. More on-air and online from Chief Reporter @jamesgould23.
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Cool FM retweeted
⛔️UPDATE: Orange Order in talks with PSNI after being told the march on Garvaghy Road cannot be facilitated Orangemen had formed up at Drumcree Church but have now gone back inside as talks continue. The Garvaghy Road remains blocked, and it’s understood there will be no movement any time soon, with the Orange Order still planning to march.
⛔️UPDATE: Orange Order in talks with PSNI after being told the march on Garvaghy Road cannot be facilitated Orangemen had formed up at Drumcree Church but have now gone back inside as talks continue. The Garvaghy Road remains blocked, and it’s understood there will be no movement any time soon, with the Orange Order still planning to march. More on-air and online from Chief Reporter @jamesgould23.
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🚨❗️BREAKING: Two mothers have walked towards the PSNI line asking “why” as protesters link arms and block the Garvaghy Road Fireworks have also been set off at a location on the Garvaghy Road. The two mothers approached the police line carrying placards, while residents and protesters remain linked arm-in-arm across the road. More on-air and online from Chief Reporter @jamesgould23.
🚨 BREAKING: Major security operation at Drumcree as Garvaghy Road is blocked ahead of this morning’s parade ⛔️The parade has now been cleared to go ahead after a late-night Court of Appeal ruling overturned an earlier decision which had stopped it. Thirty-five Orangemen are permitted to leave Drumcree Church at 8am, with no bands or supporters allowed. Residents and protesters have now blocked the Garvaghy Road. 🎤 Chief Reporter @jamesgould23 is there for us.
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The Downtown team are deeply sorry to hear of the passing of our former colleague Gerry Kelly. Along with his popular weekly programme on Downtown, Gerry was one of Northern Ireland’s most loved television broadcasters on UTV. Our thoughts are with his family at this time.
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🚨🔥BREAKING: Police car set on fire in Portadown as disorder breaks out across Northern Ireland Numerous protests have been taking place. Chief Reporter @jamesgould23 understands the incident happened within the last half hour. Police and political leaders are appealing for calm.
🚨BREAKING: 30-year-old Sudanese man charged with attempted murder as protests begin across Northern Ireland tonight 🎤Chief Reporter @jamesgould23 is in north Belfast. Police say the man has also been charged with possession of an article with a blade or point in a public place and making threats to kill. The victim remains in a serious condition in hospital. PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has outlined the route the man took to enter Northern Ireland in 2023, where he claimed asylum upon arrival. He was granted leave to remain in the UK until 2028. The PSNI has declared a "critical incident" in response to the attack, which was captured on video and appears to show a man stabbing at the victim's head and neck while he was lying on the ground. The footage shows members of the public, including one person carrying a hurling stick, intervening to stop the attack in the Kinnaird Avenue residential area, close to the busy Antrim Road in north Belfast. A kitchen knife was recovered from the scene. Police said the suspect lived close to where the attack took place. There have been calls for calm as protests begin across Northern Ireland tonight.
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🚨🔥BREAKING: Fire in Belfast Harbour area. It’s understood fire crews are currently tackling a major blaze, with an update from the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service expected shortly. (Video: Neal McClelland)
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A new programme ‘Downtown 50 years on’ that chronicles the final hours of Downtown Radio’s broadcasts from Kiltonga Industrial Estate is now available to watch 🎥 🍿 👇 hellorayo.co.uk/downtown/loc…
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How @downtownradio defied the odds to make broadcasting history and remains one of Northern Ireland favourite radio stations 50 years on. 👇 youtu.be/EygKb_nDUZE?si=U6Sk…
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With 815,000 weekly listeners in Northern Ireland, Bauer Media NI stations now reach an unrivalled 52% of the adult population here. Cool FM leads way with 496,000 listeners -remaining the biggest radio station in the country, Downtown is the Number 2 commercial station with 288K
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CONFIRMED (again) The biggest radio show in the country is……… 👇 #Rajar Q1/26
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36 years after first hitting the airwaves the Cool FM team arrive in Belfast to start broadcasting from new studios at City Quays
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SOLONGA KILTONGA! 👋 The moment Cool FM went live from its new Belfast studio after 36 years in Newtownards 😭 @coolfm
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Thankyou to @jordan_utv @UTVNews for this lovely bit to welcome us to the neighbourhood at City Quays Belfast @downtownradio
It has been the backbone of Northern Ireland broadcasting for the last 50 years and Downtown Radio claims that it has set the record for transmitting continuously from the same studio. However, this week that came to an end as the final hit was played at the long-serving headquarters in Newtownards, as Downtown along with sister station Cool FM moved to a new broadcasting facility in Belfast.
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As Downtown / Cool FM prepare to close the doors on these studios after 50 years - there is ‘somebody’ who won’t be invited to the new building in Belfast! 👻 @coolfm @downtownradio
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🚨BREAKING: Slow-moving protest on the Sydenham Bypass, close to Belfast City Airport. That’s on the M3, heading towards the city. It’s understood around 10 tractors are involved. More updates as they come.
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🕊️Huge crowds have gathered for the funeral of 28yo Amy Doherty in Londonderry. The mum of two died at the weekend after being found with injuries in a house in Derry. 💐Two white horses with feathers pulled a carriage with the coffin, which had pink and blue “Mammy” flowers. Our North West Reporter @ChelsieKealey is at Holy Family Church in Ballymagroarty.
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📸🇺🇸 NEW: Emma Little-Pengelly meets US President Donald Trump. 🤝Deputy First Minister @little_pengelly is pictured meeting the President today in Washington DC. Also pictured is Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
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