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The BelTel brings you some of Northern Ireland's top journalists, Allison Morris, Sam McBride and Suzanne Breen to name but a few, giving you the inside stories behind what is in the news. Presented by Ciarán Dunbar, the Bel Tel investigates, debates and informs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
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657 Episodes
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Two members the Burke family have confronted the education minister Paul Givan accusing him ‘promoting sodomy’ and ‘deceiving the people of Northern Ireland’. The Burkes have also confronted Edwin Poots, Mervyn Storey, and Free Presbyterian minister Roger Higginson recent weeks. So, who are the Burkes, what have they been up to in Northern Ireland, and why are they targeting the DUP? Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Kurtis Reid and Shane Phelan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The funeral of 65-year-old Mark Lenaghan in Castlewellan attracted a large crowd and plenty of well-wishes for the beloved local deacon, but not everyone present knew about his former life as an IRA gunman. How did Lenaghan find faith and leave the Troubles behind?Host: Tabitha Monahan Guest: Hugh Jordan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sam McBride sits down with Stephen Walker who has published a biography on the Nobel Peace Prize winner, entitled ‘Peacemaker’. ‘David Trimble: Peacemaker’ is based on 100 interviews, including with many members of the Trimble family. Later Lord Trimble, he was one of the key architects of the Belfast agreement, leading the largest unionist party at the time, the UUP. Stephen Walker worked as a journalist for the BBC for 34 years. He sat down with the Belfast Telegraph’s Northern Ireland editor, Sam McBride. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A Crossmaglen man with Republican family connections has plead guilty to drug and money laundering. The so-called ‘B-Man’, 37-year-old Brendan O’Callaghan, who has links to prominent republicans, admitted 16 charges at the last minute after denying the charges for 5 years. O’Callaghan was caught after French intelligence hacked the secret Encrochat phone network used by criminals. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by the Sunday Life’s Ciaran Barnes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
There are billions of pounds worth of gold under the Sperrin Mountains in County Tyrone. A US-based company, Darlriadan Resources, wants to mine it. But local people are divided over whether the mine would benefit or harm them, some are mounting legal challenges against it. Sinn Féin is struggling with the decision and with its policy on mining. Will the gold ever be brought out of the ground and it is – who will benefit from it? Ciarán Dunbar is joined by the Belfast Telegraph’s Northern Ireland editor, Sam McBride. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The trial of Soldier F has begun in Belfast. The former paratrooper is accused of murdering James Wray and William McKinney, two of the thirteen civil rights protests shot dead on Bloody Sunday in 1972. He is also charged with five attempted murders in Derry’s Bogside area. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Sunday World’s Investigations Editor, Nicola Tallant, who was in court. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Michael Briggs has a famous scientist but as it turns out he had faked some of his qualifications. He also faked research that supposedly showed the safety a brand of oral contraceptives. His daughter Joanne has written a book about him - ‘The Scientist Who Wasn't There’ She joined Ciarán Dunbar to tell her incredible story and to try and answer the question, who really was her father? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Marianne Smyth had a long career on both sides of the Atlantic as a swindler and a con-woman. Smyth has now been convicted in Downpatrick of swindling more than £115,000 from four victims, including Derry GAA player Dermot McNicholl. Born in Maine, Smyth claimed she had ordered IRA killings, been the heir of a multi-million dollar fortune, and survived cancer, among many other absurd lies. Smyth had even had her pet dogs euthanised before she fled Northern Ireland. The Belfast Telegraph’s Kurtis Reid joined Olivia Peden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Thirty-one-year-old conservative activist and father-of-two Charlie Kirk was fatally shot during a public event on Wednesday. With an intense manhunt underway, US president Donald Trump has blamed the “radical left” for the gruesome killing. How is an already splintered America responding to the murder of Charlie Kirk? And what happens next in a bitterly divided county awash with guns? Host: Kevin Doyle Guests: Terry Sheridan and Gina London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Riots were a familiar feature of the Troubles, but with political violence now almost a thing of the past, rioting is rare. However, sparked by a decision not to allow the Orange Order to parade on west Belfast’s Springfield Road, the September 2005 riots were complete mayhem. Loyalists rampaged for three nights causing two thousand police and soldiers to be deployed. Belfast Telegraph’s security correspondent Allison Morris was there, she joins Ciarán Dunbar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sean Hegarty is a brutal double murderer. He is currently in Northern Ireland’s maximum-security prison, Maghaberry. But he is somehow updating a Facebook account from behind bars. Hegarty murdered his ex-girlfriend Caron Smyth and her friend Finbar McGrillen in December 2013. Hegarty had just days before been released on bail for domestic violence charges. An inquest found that the PSNI’s decision to release the prolific abuser was flawed. How was someone so dangerous let loose on the streets and how can he be on social media? Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Allison Morris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Twenty-five years ago, as a long summer drew to a close, a night out ended in tragedy. It changed the lives of four young men forever, ending another’s far too soon. It happened in the leafy, affluent suburb of Donnybrook in south Dublin. A fight broke out among a group of young men outside Anabel’s nightclub. When it was over, 18-year-old Brian Murphy lay on the ground. Hours later, he was pronounced dead. What followed wasn’t just a murder investigation - it was a case that exposed a deep divide in Irish society, focusing on the Dublin southside rugby schools and Blackrock College in particular. Host; Fionnán Sheahan, Guest; Sarah Cadden Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Irish man Graham Linehan is one of the brains behind one of TV’s finest ever comedies – Father Ted. He is now a self-described ‘gender critical’ activist, causing much controversy and offence to those who believe in trans rights. In the latest twist, he was arrested by five armed police over posts made on X in April of this year. How did Graham Linehan go from comedic genius to such a divisive figure, and where exactly is the line between free speech and hate speech? Ciarán Dunbar joined by the Belfast Telegraph’s deputy features editor, Gillian Halliday, and from our news desk, Brett Campbell. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
When an IRA Stormont spy ring was alleged in 2002, devolution quickly plunged into crisis. A PSNI raid on Sinn Féin's Stormont offices discovered a map of castle buildings with instructions on bypassing security, and intelligence on the prison service, including personal details of prison officers. But in 2004, Denis Donaldson – the most senior republican arrested during the raids – admitted he had been a British agent all along. Months later he was murdered in Donegal. Belfast Telegraph’s Northern Ireland Editor Sam McBride has been back in the archives and has unearthed fresh details on the Stormont spy ring scandal, he joins Ciarán Dunbar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In March 1994 the IRA attacked Heathrow Airport with mortar bombs, they were high profile and highly symbolic acts. One of those involved was Glasgow-born IRA man Michael Gallagher. He was eventually arrested and charged but he managed to convince his English partner Mary Attenborough that he was innocent. Mary then campaigned for what she thought was justice for Michael. But when he was convicted and given a twenty-year sentence, he decided he had to tell her the truth. Amazingly, they are still together – and have written a book about their experiences – it's called ‘Unbroken: Secrets, Lies and Enduring Love’. Mary Attenborough and Michael Gallagher joined Ciarán Dunbar in the BelTel studio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Lord Alderdice is a former leader of the Alliance Party in Northern Ireland who still sits in the House of Lords. He has a background steeped in Presbyterian in Northern Ireland but resigned from the church in 2018. Having heard about allegations of bullying and harassment within the Presbyterian Church, he commissioned a dossier outlining the experiences of some whose claims included being falsely accused of inappropriate sexual relationships, being subjected to kangaroo court style systems as well as being shunned and gaslighted. Sunday Life journalist Angela Davison is joined by Lord John Alderdice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The death of a man in Newcastle brings the number of people murdered in Northern Ireland in the past nine weeks to nine, with twelve people murdered so far this year. 84-year-old pensioner Sean Small was found dead in his Newcastle home on Sunday night. The week before, a west Belfast father was stabbed to death in his home. Named locally as Shane Lowry, the 32-year-old's brother has been charged with the killing. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by the Belfast Telegraph’s Liam Tunney and our Crime Correspondent, Allison Morris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Donaldson walked away from the Good Friday Agreement talks but formerly secret files show that he was far from a staunch hardliner, Hours before the deal was signed, the then Lagan Valley MP famously left Castle Buildings in protest at what the UUP was about to sign up to. Jeffrey Donaldson was the political hardliner – at least in public. But newly declassified documents reveal that in private – Donaldson was a very different politician – a moderate, a man with ambitions to lead unionism. Sam McBride joins Ciarán Dunbar with the story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
"Im convinced Michelle O'Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly aren't working off their on agenda and their own mind" - that’s the verdict of a leading female loyalist. The ‘PUL’ Community – Protestants, Unionists, Loyalists. There is sometimes debate over what those terms actually mean. That debate is suggested as being a factor in a reluctance of loyalist figures to speak to the media – especially loyalist women. What is a loyalist, are members of the PUL community media shy and is it worse for loyalist women? Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Leanne Abernethy is the creator of Herstory: Women in Loyalism and Academic consultant Joanna McMinn who is part of the National Womens Council. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On the 4th of January 1976, UVF gunmen burst in to a house in Whitecross, in South Armagh. They shot three young brothers, John Martin, Brian, and Anthony Reavey. John Martin and Brian died at the scene – Anthony died almost a month later. Their brother Eugene Reavey has now written a book - ‘The Killings of the Reavey Brothers: British murder and cover-up in Northern Ireland’. Eugene Reavey believes loyalist Willie Frazer played a role in the murders. Eugene Reavey joins Niamh Campbell in the studio to tell the story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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There's barely anyone in ireland that supports putins' war in ukrsine. Mick Wallace snd Claire Daly were dumped.