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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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668 Episodes
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Mike Nesbitt has set out his vision for unionism at the UUP conference – but is he ready to pass the baton? Meanwhile at Stormont, arguments over cultural issues take centre stage once again, with the DUP and TUV seemingly at loggerheads. And as Unionist anger grows over Belfast City Council’s new Irish language policies, with an east Belfast sign vandalised, we take a look at the stats and surveys behind dual language signage. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by The Belfast Telegraph’s political editor Suzanne Breen and journalist Liam Tunney. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Hunger Strike of 1981 saw a surge in violence that left scores killed. With no end to the Troubles imaginable and Sinn Féin emerging as a serious electoral force, constitutional nationalism decided it had to do something. Taoiseach Garrett Fitzgerald and the SDLP leader John Hume had a meeting of minds resulting in The New Ireland Forum. What does the Forum recommend? Was it more than just a talking shop? And did it lead to the later Anglo-Irish Agreement? Ciarán Dunbar spoke to historian Séan Ó Duibhir. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Malcolm McKeown was shot dead at point blank range in August 2019. McKeown was a career criminal, from a family steeped in violence - both his brothers had convictions for involvement in sectarian killings. Two men have now been convicted of his murder – linked to the Lurgan based organised crime gang the ‘Firm’. McKeown had been shot previously, and he knew he was under threat, his enemies were many, but a botched drug deal with the Firm sealed his fate. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by the Belfast Telegraph’s crime correspondent, Allison Morris Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Domestically, NI politics has been consumed by Irish language issues this week and unionists reel in the wake of Belfast City Council’s new bilingual policy – is it just the result of demographics? October is party conference season – why did Starmer not mention us in his speech? The SDLP is presenting itself as both an alternative to Alliance and pushing Irish unity, can they do both? And finally, an MLA says the current Stormont executive is the worst one since devolution returned in 1998 – is he right? Ciarán Dunbar is joined by the Belfast Telegraph’s Liam Tunney, political commentator Alex Kane and by Ulster University lecturer David McCann. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The so-called Nama trial is underway in Belfast, more than a decade after police first began an exceptionally complex and significant investigaton. Frank Cushnahan – a former banker and senior businessman - and Ian Coulter, a former top solicitor, face charges linked to an allegedly vast fraud at the heart of Northern Ireland’s biggest ever property deal. They deny all the charges. The Belfast Telegraph’s Northern Ireland Editor Sam McBride has been in court for the first four days of what could be a three-month-long trial. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The peace process saw the release of paramilitary prisoners from HMP Maze, aka the Maze, the H-Blocks, Long Kesh, an Cheis Fhada. The maximum-security prison held thousands during the Troubles. It closed 25 years ago. Whilst some of the site has been redeveloped, political deadlock means much of the old prison lies derelict. Unionists fear that a museum on the site would become a “shrine to terrorism”. Allison Morris has been talking to former staff and inmates – some of whom continued to try and escape even during peace negotiations. She joins Ciarán Dunbar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
50 years ago, a pair of desperate Provisional IRA members etched their names in history as a crime driven by personal passion went astray. Their victim however would be a much shrewder hostage than they expected, Dutch industrialist turned adopted Irish son; Dr Tiede Herrema. Herrema was held for ransom for 36 days, with the pair believing that the crime would put pressure on the British and Irish governments.Fionnán Sheehan is joined by Irish Independent Journalist Ralph Riegel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
An Onlyfans model married to John George’s alleged killer has been arrested after allegedly being found with drugs in Spain. Belfast man John George’s body was discovered in January near Torrevieja. Madison Allen, now Madison Smyth, married murder suspect Jonny Smyth while he was on the run. Now, the 20-year-old Newtownabbey woman has been arrested after crystal meth and cannabis resin was found in the car she was driving. Belfast Telegraph crime correspondent Allison Morris joins Ciarán Dunbar with the latest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Northern Ireland’s education system has no idea how many children it’s responsible for and there's no legal requirement for parents to tell education authorities they have a child. Stormont doesn’t know how lots of children are being educated – or whether they’re being educated at all. Documents show some senior Stormont officials fear these ‘missing children’ are vulnerable to “sexual exploitation”. The Belfast Telegraph’s Northern Ireland editor Sam McBride has been investigating this story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The terrorism case against Kneecap rapper Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh has been thrown out. The magistrate dismissed the case over a technical error. Ó hAnnaidh said the case “was always about Gaza”. The 27-year-old, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was accused of displaying a flag in support of proscribed terror organisation Hezbollah in November last year. Belfast Telegraph reporter Niamh Campbell was in court. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Guinness dynasty is the subject of a new Netflix series ‘House of Guinness’. Ned Guinness, the Earl of Iveagh, is the great-great-great-great grandson of Arthur Guinness himself and the author of the book ‘Guinness: A family succession’. He joined Olivia Peden to talk about his family history and pints. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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.
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There's barely anyone in ireland that supports putins' war in ukrsine. Mick Wallace snd Claire Daly were dumped.