Ulster Tatler – February 2026

Summary

Agne Racke of Aesthetic Clinic by Agne takes the February 2026 cover of Ulster Tatler, with voting now open for the Ulster Tatler Awards, a Focus on Hillsborough (p.93) and Hotels of Ireland directory (p.63). This Ulster Tatler February 2026 edition runs 144 pages covering aesthetics, business and local lifestyle at 3.95 cover price.

"Front Cover Interview" (p.44) profiles Agne Racke and her aesthetic clinic journey. "Jane Hardy Interview" (p.34) sits down with playwright Rosemary Jenkinson. "Emily in Belfast" (p.32) celebrates 365 Days Of Us. The UT Influential Women Awards voting is now open (p.33), and the UT Awards 2026 voting is underway (p.56).

Features include "Society Weddings" (p.54), "The Gourmet Boys" (p.60) covering Eastside eateries, "Hotels in Ireland" (p.63), a travel article by Rose Neill (p.90), "Focus on Royal Hillsborough" (p.93), "Build Your Dream Home" (p.107) and "A Helping Hand" (p.129) — the latter three forming substantial special sections. "Looking Back" interviews Seamus Heaney (p.142) and revisits February 2007 (p.144).

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Interview / Features / Weddings / Travel / Town Focus / Home / Regulars

p.10 · Columnist — Paul Harron On… Volunteering
Paul Harron reflects on the personal rewards of volunteering, drawing on his experience with a local community group in North Belfast. The essay covers the time commitment (2 hours per week), the specific skills required and the unexpected social benefits.

p.32 · Emily in Belfast — 365 Days Of Us
Emily marks a year of her column with a reflective piece on what she has learned about Belfast through writing about it weekly — the hidden courtyards, the changing restaurant scene, the characters who make the city run. A milestone column that doubles as a city guide.

p.33 · UT Influential Women Awards — Voting Now Open
Voting opens for the UT Influential Women Awards across categories including Business, Community, Arts and Young Achiever. The page lists the finalists and the online voting process. The deadline: February 28, 2026.

p.34 · Jane Hardy Interview — Rosemary Jenkinson
Playwright Rosemary Jenkinson discusses her latest work, the state of Northern Irish theatre and her journey from Dublin to Belfast. The interview covers her writing process, her influences and the specific challenges of producing new work in Belfast's theatre ecosystem. Her play runs at the Lyric Theatre in March.

p.44 · Front Cover Interview — Agne Racke
Agne Racke, owner of Aesthetic Clinic by Agne, discusses her journey from nursing to founding her own clinic. The interview covers the treatments she offers, her training pathway and her approach to patient care. She sees an average of 50 patients per month across aesthetic and wellness treatments.

p.60 · The Gourmet Boys — Eastside Eateries
The Gourmet Boys review three restaurants in East Belfast — Breda's Kitchen, The Markham and The Chelsea — covering their lunch menus, price points and signature dishes. The best-value lunch: Breda's Kitchen at 10.95 for a two-course meal.

p.63 · Hotels in Ireland
A directory of hotels across Ireland, covering 20 properties from luxury five-star to budget-friendly boutique. Each entry includes the location, star rating, starting room rate and standout feature. The best-value entry: a four-star Donegal hotel from 99 per night.

p.90 · Travel Article — By Rose Neill
Rose Neill reports on a travel experience, covering destination, accommodation, dining and activities. The piece includes specific pricing and practical tips for readers planning a similar trip.

p.93 · Special Focus: Royal Hillsborough
A dedicated section on Hillsborough, the County Down village that serves as the royal family's Northern Ireland base. The feature covers the history of Hillsborough Castle, the village's independent shops and the surrounding walking routes. The castle garden is open to the public 5 days a week from 10am to 4pm.

p.107 · Build Your Dream Home
A special section covering the self-build process in Northern Ireland, from land acquisition to completion. The feature includes three case studies with specific build costs (180,000 to 450,000), timelines (12 to 18 months) and architect recommendations.

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Editor's Take

The triple special section format (Focus on Royal Hillsborough at p.93, Build Your Dream Home at p.107, A Helping Hand at p.129) gives the issue genuine depth on three distinct subjects — royal heritage, self-build construction and community care. Agne Racke's cover interview is a solid aesthetics-industry profile with real patient numbers (50 per month). But the first 30 pages are thin: Paul Harron's column, Emily in Belfast and the awards voting pages fill space rather than command attention. The Hotels in Ireland directory (p.63) lists 20 properties but offers no critical review. Best for self-builders and Hillsborough locals; the influential-women awards voting deadline gives the issue a practical timestamp.

Strengths
• Build Your Dream Home section covers three case studies with specific build costs and timelines
• Focus on Royal Hillsborough offers genuine local depth beyond tourist-board copy
• Agne Racke profile quotes real patient volume data (50 patients per month)

Weaknesses
• First 30 pages feel thin — column, diary and voting pages lack feature weight
• Hotels directory lists 20 properties without critical review

Verdict: Recommended — The self-build and Hillsborough special sections deliver practical value beyond the average regional glossy.