The BelTel

Don Anderson was one of the BBC’s TV reporters in Saigon during the final days of the Vietnam War. He joins Ciarán Dunbar to tell his incredible story of his time in Vietnam, including accidentally finding himself in a minefield, his near-death experiences on the front line, and the fall of Saigon in April 1975.    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

UVF chief Winston “Winkie” Irvine is facing jail time after pleading guilty to firearms charges. It means the well-known loyalist Irvine’s dual-career has a tax-funded community worker and paramilitary is well and truly over.  Who’s Winkie Irvine? How did he get caught? What does this mean for his role in loyalist transitioning?  Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Allison Morris.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1913, Ireland, the whole of Ireland, was an integrated and peaceful part of the UK – albeit one with a strong home rule movement and a strong counter-home rule movement. It had two private and opposing armies and a secret underground brotherhood dedicated to winning an Irish Republic by force. A world war, a rising, a guerilla war and a civil war later, most of Ireland had left the UK by 1923, becoming the Irish Free State, and of course, Northern Ireland was born. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Professor Mike Cronin of Boston College Ireland.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What are the allegations being made against Gregg Wallace that have led to him stepping down as host of the BBC’s flagship show MasterChef and doe sit mean for the BBC and the MeToo movement? Host: Fionnán Sheahan Guests: Enda Brady & Niamh Horan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Newry millionaire money launderer ‘Mr-Fix-it' is now facing lengthy jail time. Rory Trainor was snared following a Europe-wide investigation into the EncroChat phone network. After spending almost 5 years fighting 39 charges he admitted guilt to drug and illegal cash charges, confessing to laundering almost £1.4 million. Sunday Life’s Ciaran Barnes joins Ciarán Dunbar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Sam McBride went investigating a massive cannabis operation in Hillsborough he was confronted by an angry poultry farmer, Clive Weir. Not only did Weir deny knowledge of the weed growing in his shed, he lambasted the PSNI for not catching the perpetrators. His denials seemed ridiculous and eventually he plead guilty. The PSNI said somebody approached Weir - a Chinese ‘Triad-like’ crime gang - and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Sam McBride joins Ciarán Dunbar to tell this unlikely story.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Loyalist Ian Ogle was murdered just yards from his east Belfast home in an attack compared to an attack from a “pack of hyenas”. Five people have now been found guilty of his murder The killing effectively brought down the leadership of the East Belfast UVF, leading to huge PSNI task force pressure which resulted in over 30 drug dealing convictions. Ciaran Barnes tells Ciarán Dunbar the story of the brutal murder of Ian Ogle.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One week on from the verdict in Nikita Hand’s civil rape case against Conor McGregor, the Irish MMA fighter’s career is in freefall. Since last Friday, products associated with McGregor, including Proper No. Twelve whiskey, have been removed from shelves, murals have been whitewashed over and marches have taken place in solidarity with victim Ms Hand. What next for the Dublin MMA star who once had it all? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Remains exhumed from a grave in County Monaghan are being DNA tested to determine whether they include those of Joe Lynskey. One of the ‘disappeared’, the former monk turned IRA man was abducted, murdered and secretly buried in 1972. Lynskey is understood to have tricked a fellow IRA man into shooting a love rival – also a member of the IRA. The IRA ‘court martial’ sentenced him to death Allison Morris joins Ciarán Dunbar to tell Joe Lynskey’s story.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gary ‘Smickers’ Smith was Johnny ‘Mad Dog’ Adair’s deputy on the Shankill. As a UFF hitman, he was involved in over 20 sectarian murders. Smith lived in exile in Scotland upon his release from the Maze prison. Last year he was convicted of sexual communications with a 12-year-old boy – he narrowly avoided jail. He died at the start of this month aged 60. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Sunday World Reporter Hugh Jordan.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Say nothing’ focuses on the lives of IRA members Marian and Dolours Price, Brendan ‘The Dark’ Hughes, and their interactions with future Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams. Each episode features a denial from Adams that he had any involvement with the IRA. The murder of Jean McConville is a major part of the series - along with the disappearances of Kevin McKee, Seamus Wright, and Joe Lynskey.  Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Belfast Telegraph reporter Kurtis Reid, who has reviewed the show, and Allison Morris, who features in the final episode, to talk about her real-life encounter with Dolours Price.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Ruthless. Psychopath. Dangerous.” These are just some of the words used to describe Robbie Lawlor, a formerly leading figure in the notorious Drogheda feud. Crimeworld's Nicolla Tallant discusses her new book Web of Betrayal and podcast series Double Cross – The Murder of Robbie Lawlor, to shed new light on the chaos and violence that consumed Drogheda leading to Lawlor’s death in Ardoyne in April 2020. Host; Tessa Flemming, Guest; Nicola Tallant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Under boxing legend Barry McGuigan’s guidance Carl Frampton won world titles in 2014 and 2016. However, their relationship fell apart in a legal battle over fight profits, leading to a £6 million lawsuit. As McGuigan enters the “I’m a Celebrity” jungle, Ciarán Dunbar is joined by boxing Journalist David Mohan and reporter Niamh Campbell to unpack the rise, fall, and aftermath of the fallout.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Incoming US Vice President JD Vance is a self-professed ‘Scots-Irish Hillbilly’. He first made waves in US politics with his best selling memoir ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ on his poor upbringing, which was later adapted into a film. How did JD Vance get from the Applachians to the White house, what does he have to do with Ulster Scots, and how important is the Ulster Scots community in the US? Ciarán Dunbar is joined by director of the Clinton Institute for American Studies at University College Dublin, Professor Liam Kennedy.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Martin O’Hagan was a former IRA prisoner who eventually rejected violence and became an investigative reporter with the Sunday World. He was murdered by the LVF in Lurgan on 28th of September 2001. No-one has ever been convicted of the killing. The National Union of Journalists wants an independent inquiry into the killing and the subsequent investigation into it.  Ciarán Dunbar is by joined by Anton McCabe, Seamus Dooley, and by Jim McDowell, Martin O’Hagan’s editor at the Sunday World. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.