Background
Ahoghill is a large rural village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The village originally
served the local farming community, but nowadays many residents commute to Belfast.
Local traders were concerned about the village’s gradual decline. Roughly eight business
premises were vacant and the air of dilapidation was affecting business. They formed a
voluntary association to regenerate the commercial heart of the village: among their fi rst
steps towards regenerating their environment was taking part in Ulster in Bloom in 2007.