The decade was a time of great social and economic change across Northern Ireland, and Ballymena was no different.
Join us in our time machine as we leave 2025 and head back to Ballymena in the 1980s – let us know which photos surprised you the most.
1. Life in 1980s Ballymena
A busy Tower Centre pictured in the 1980s - long before the days of online shopping. Photo: Old Photos of Ballymena
2. Life in 1980s Ballymena
The People's Park has been a beloved green space in the town since the 1800s, with many changes to its layout over the years. This photo, thought to have been taken in the 1980s, shows the park's play area looking very different here compared to the modern-day offering next to the Pavilion. Photo: Old Photos of Ballymena
3. Life in 1980s Ballymena
Seasonal events looked different in 1980s Ballymena too, with the annual Christmas tree seen here next to the Town Hall. Photo: Old Photos of Ballymena
4. Life in 1980s Ballymena
This view from the Larne Road Link in the 1980s shows us just how much the area around the Seven Towers Leisure Centre has been developed in the intervening decades, with the IMC Cinema and Braidwater Retail Park not making an appearance until the 1990s. Photo: Old Photos of Ballymena