Shows / The BelTel
The BelTel
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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Episodes
The BelTelSam McBride’s hunt for Stormont’s secret civil servant on a vast salary
There is a very senior, well-paid civil servant, working in the higher echelons of the Northern Ireland Civil Service. Only a handful of officials work at that…
The BelTelDavid McCann on the challenges facing Sinn Féin and a United Ireland
Sinn Féin are still top of the polls north and south – but all polls show the party has lost ground. Many commentators think Sinn Féin have lost their…
The BelTelPSNI slammed by review of Katie Simpson murder investigation
A report has lambasted ‘institutional misogyny’ in PSNI over failings in the Katie Simpson murder investigation. Police officers on the case were responsible…
The BelTelKew Files: How DUP tried to get back into Agreement talks – right after walking out
In the 1990s, DUP leader Ian Paisley railed against the peace process, denouncing it as a sellout. But newly declassified documents reveal that some of his…
The BelTelBonus: Olympic Swimmer Conor Ferguson: How to How to turn setbacks into business lessons | In Good Company
This is a bonus episode of In Good Company with Cathy Martin, The Belfast Telegraph's new business and lifestyle podcast. Conor Ferguson is an Olympic swimmer…
The BelTelJulia Holmes: The Castlederg woman, her many aliases, and the lives she destroyed
Julia Holmes was born as Cecilia McKitterick in Castlederg, County Tyrone. After leaving Northern Ireland when she was 19, she eventually settled in Texas…
The BelTelNoah Donohoe: Laptop thief denies photo of hand on teen’s phone is his
The inquest into the death of Noah Donohoe, which is being heard before a jury, has now heard 13 weeks of evidence. The 14-year-old’s body was discovered in…
The BelTelDissident Republicans strike again as bomb explodes at west Belfast PSNI station
Dissident republican bombers have struck twice in recent weeks. On Saturday a bomb exploded at Dunmurry PSNI station in Belfast. The bombers used an almost…
The BelTelKew Files: Spooks tried to suppress Stakeknife story – and feared McGuinness article
Today we know that Stakeknife existed, and that he was Freddie Scappaticci. We know that Scappaticci, at the top of the IRA unit hunting informers was himself…
The BelTelStormont backed CIA-linked firm's software used by Donald Trump’s ICE
Stormont, through Invest NI, is funding a CIA-linked firm whose secretive and powerful tech is being used by Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown force - ICE…
The BelTelNoah Donohoe: Daryl Paul says he’s telling the truth
The Noah Donohoe inquest has been hearing evidence from Daryl Paul – the man convicted of stealing the teenager’s rucksack. It had earlier heard in evidence…
The BelTelLucidTalk: Majority believe Gerry Adams was in IRA – but don’t care
A majority of those polled in from the latest Belfast Telegraph / Lucidtalk polling believe that Gerry Adams was a member of the IRA. The former Sinn Féin…
The BelTelKew Files: What happened when the Garda arrested the SAS men
When a lone Garda decided to arrest a squad of SAS men found in the Republic of Ireland on 1976, little did he know he had sparked an international incident…
The BelTel“I didn’t kill my little brother” - Brian McDermott’s brother says he can’t move forward because family blame him
The chief and only suspect in a Belfast satanic-style murder of a 10-year-old schoolboy is maintaining his innocence. Billy McDermott says he did not kill his…
The BelTelNoah Donohoe: Expert believes teen likely died the night he went missing
The jury at the inquest on the death of Noah Donohoe has now heard an 11th week of evidence. Noah had been missing for six days after leaving his home in south…
The BelTelKew Files: Gerry Adams the focus of declassified docs – including Workers Party sectarian claims
Gerry Adams features heavily in now declassified documents and reveal that the British considered him, along with Martin McGuinness, to be the leaders of…
The BelTelHow Rory McIlroy compares to golfing greats after another Masters win
Rory McIlroy has joined Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods in the exclusive club of men who have won the Masters back-to-back. At Augusta National on…
The BelTelSex, lies and video tape: Julie McGinley and the murder of husband Gerry McGinley
On a spring morning in June 2001 an eight-year-old girl gathers moss for her grandmother’s hanging baskets in a forest near Ballinamore in Co Leitrim. The…
The BelTelBlack Widow Part 2: The trial of Catherine Nevin and the media sensation that followed
30 years on from the violent killing of publican Tom Nevin, part two of this special podcast looks at how Nevin's wife, Catherine Nevin, emerged as the prime…
The BelTelBlack Widow Part 1: The murder of Tom Nevin and one of Ireland’s most notorious criminal cases
Thirty years ago, Wicklow publican Tom Nevin was shot dead as he counted the takings following a busy day at Jack White’s Inn. Initially, the incident appeared…
The BelTelRoger Casement: Protestant British hero who became a 'rebel and a traitor'
Roger Casement was hanged in August 1916 for treason against the Crown. Formerly Sir Roger, his assistance to Germany during the First World Ward was…
The BelTel‘Among Communists’: Belfast poet, Sinéad Morrisey tells her family and political story
Belfast poet, Sinéad Morrisey, was brought up in a Communist family. Hers was a childhood lived in the little world created by the party, a world apart from…
The BelTelNoah Donohoe: Witness denies phoning cops over teen’s laptop
Members of the jury in the Noah Donohoe inquest have been asked to indicate their availability for the month of May. The inquest officially began on the 19th…
The BelTel‘Boston Tapes’ Troubles archive ‘closed’ but not forgotten
It was supposed to be an oral record of the Troubles, made by the paramilitaries, and initially the ‘Boston Tapes’ project seemed like a really good idea…
The BelTelStephen McCullagh: What we couldn't report while Natalie McNally murder trial was ongoing
Murderer Stephen McCullagh has been aptly described as “a monster hiding in plain sight”. A week on from his conviction there has been a lot of reaction to the…
The BelTelNoah Donohoe: Jury hears ninth week of evidence
The jury at the inquest into the death of Noah Donohoe has now heard nine weeks of evidence – the process could last until May. This week they heard more on…
The BelTelStormont’s extreme censorship of Famine remarks – and how we unravelled it
‘How I stumbled on Stormont’s new policy of extreme censorship - which means we’ll understand NI’s past less fully’. That was the stark headline on a recent…
The BelTelYoutuber Stephen McCullagh guilty of murdering of Natalie McNally
Stephen McCullagh has been found guilty of murdering Lurgan woman Natalie McNally. The jury unanimously convicted 36-year-old McCullagh, of Woodland Gardens in…
The BelTelRory O’Connor: The Anti-Treaty IRA leader executed by his former friends
IRA leader Rory O’Connor was once a close comrade of fellow republican Michael Collins and Kevin O’Higgins - indeed he was O’Higgins best man. But just over a…
The BelTelInside the Gerry Adams landmark £1 IRA court case
UPDATE: Victims drop High Court claim against Gerry Adams over IRA bombings For decades, Gerry Adams has denied being a member of the Provisional IRA. Now, for…
The BelTelStephen McCullagh trial: Prosecution says accused “lied and lied again”, defence says evidence points to “another killer”
The man accused of murdering Natalie McNally “lied and lied again”, a barrister has told Belfast Crown Court. Delivering his closing statement in the case…
The BelTelNoah Donohoe: No evidence of drugs in teen’s system at the time of death, witness says
A witness says the unusual behaviour exhibited by Noah Donohoe prior to his disappearance could be associated with synthetic cannabinoids or a mental health…
The BelTelWhat sort of St Patrick's Day will Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin have in Donald Trump's White House?
This time last year, Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin was grasping an American-flag emblazoned short straw, playing second fiddle to Conor McGregor as our…
The BelTel'The Child Snatcher': Who was serial killer Robert Black?
Serial killer Robert Black is now the subject of Netflix documentary 'Manhunt: The Child Snatcher'. Black was a monster, an abuser and murder of little girls -…
The BelTelMusk’s AI Grokipedia makes a mess of NI history
Elon Musk has built an encyclopedia which contains countless errors about Northern Ireland and its history. Grokipedia, which was launched in October last…
The BelTelStephen McCullagh Trial: Court outbursts as witness denies murdering Natalie McNally
An ex-partner of Natalie McNally has told a court that he did not kill the Co Armagh woman. Ms McNally, 32, was 15 weeks pregnant when she was killed at her…
The BelTelStephen McCullagh Trial: Natalie McNally’s ex-boyfriend arrested last week ‘over threats to kill woman’
A former partner of Natalie McNally was arrested last week on suspicion of making threats to kill a woman he had been seeing at the time of Ms McNally’s death…
The BelTelNoah Donohoe: Pathologists agree teenager’s cause of death was drowning with ‘no indication’ of assault
Pathologists at the inquest into the death of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe have agreed that his cause of death was drowning, with no indication of assault. All…
The BelTelDesmond Boomer: The mystery of Malta plane accident, and the Belfast Engineer who never came home
In the early hours of December 3, 1995, a small aircraft vanished over the Mediterranean. On board was Belfast-born engineer Desi Boomer, travelling home from…
The BelTelStephen McCullagh Trial: Man accused of Natalie McNally murder ‘recorded ex’s counselling sessions after she lost child’
The trial of Stephen McCullagh for the murder of Natalie McNally is continuing at Belfast Crown Court. In court today, a former partner of the murder accused…
The BelTelNoah Donohoe: Jury shown transcript of phone call involving man selling teen’s possessions
The inquest into the death of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe has concluded its sixth week. Today in court the jury was shown a transcript of anonymous phone call…
The BelTelJohn George Murder Suspect killed in Spain
One of the main suspects in the murder of west Belfast man John George has been shot dead in the Costa Blanca. Michel Maly, a former soldier from the Czech…
The BelTelMan abused at NI ‘Christian nightclub’ accuses Presbyterian Church and PSNI of failing him and ‘other victims’
A man who was abused at a so-called ‘Christian nightclub’ has accused the Presbyterian Church and the PSNI of failing him and other potential victims. Ross…
The BelTelStephen McCullagh Trial: Murder accused told police Natalie McNally was “having problems with her ex” when arrested in connection with killing
The trial of Stephen McCullagh for the murder of 32-year-old Natalie McNally has entered its second week. Today in court a transcript was read out of…
The BelTel'Within seconds it turned violent': The ‘Love Ulster’ riots 20 years on
Twenty years ago this week, Willie Frazer's planned ‘Love Ulster’ march ended in some of the worst riots ever witnessed in Dublin city centre. So how did a…
The BelTelNoah Donohoe: People who ‘inserted themselves’ into the search caused difficulties for police, witness tells inquest
Individuals who ‘inserted themselves’ into the search for Noah Donohoe caused difficulties for police, the inquest into the 14-year-old's death has heard. On…
The BelTelStephen McCullagh trial: Jury shown YouTube ‘live stream’ from night Natalie McNally was killed
The trial of the man accused of murdering Natalie McNally is continuing in Belfast. 36-year-old Stephen McCullagh of Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, denies…
The BelTelNoah Donohoe: Inquest hears there was no interaction between Noah and Daryl Paul
Police received an anonymous tip-off that Daryl Paul had Noah Donohoe's backpack, the inquest into the 14-year-old's death has heard. The inquest also heard…
The BelTelStephen McCullagh trial: Prosecution describes Natalie McNally murder as “planned, calculated and pre-meditated”
The murder of a pregnant woman in Co Armagh a week before Christmas in 2022 has been described in a Belfast court as “planned, calculated and pre-meditated”…
The BelTelHow Irish ICE detainee Seamus Culleton went from “perfect victim” to public scrutiny
Seamus Culleton and his harrowing story of life inside an ICE detention centre in Texas made a big impact in Ireland. The Kilkenny man quickly gained the…
The BelTel‘Don’t call Jeffrey Epstein a paedophile’ - top Northern Ireland lawyer part of 2011 effort to defend Epstein’s reputation
‘Don’t call Jeffrey Epstein a paedophile’ – that was the demand of a top NI lawyer to a London newspaper in 2011. Paul Tweed was brought in to try and limit…
The BelTelAndrew Mountbatten Windsor arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Vehicles believed to be unmarked police cars arrived at his home in…
The BelTelNoah Donohoe: Former PSNI officer said search as 'professional and as urgent as possible'
A former PSNI officer who searched the culvert in which the remains of Noah Donohoe were ultimately found has indicated felt the search operation had been as…
The BelTelNoah Donohoe: Conditions in pitch-dark tunnel would have be ‘challenging’ to survive in
Conditions inside the pitch-black tunnel in which Noah Donohoe’s remains were found would be a very challenging place to survive if you were naked – a PSNI…
The BelTelStephen McCullagh goes on trial accused of murdering Natalie McNally
The trial of the man accused of the murder of Lurgan woman Natalie McNally has begun. 32-year-old Natalie McNally was 15 weeks pregnant when she was stabbed to…
The BelTelThe Firm out for revenge after Armagh City attack on alleged enforcer
The North-Armagh crime outfit ‘The Firm’ will take matters into its own hands after convicted double killer Stephen Smith died in January. Smith passed away…
The BelTelNI culture director: "People perceive our cultures to be competing... they’re not"
Dr Katy Radford MBE is Northern Ireland’s first ever director of the Office of Identity and Cultural Expression. The office, created as part of the ‘New…
The BelTelTurning Point: Widow of Charlie Kirk expected to visit NI
Erika Kirk is rumoured to be visiting Northern Ireland as part of a tour to recruit young people to the conservative organisation founded by her murdered…
The BelTelClaire Hanna: SDLP leader says united Ireland is ‘likely’ but not ‘inevitable’
Stormont should not be treated as a “soft-play area” for politicians, the SDLP leader Claire Hanna has said in an in-depth interview with the BelTel podcast…
The BelTelEpstein files: Keir Starmer on the brink, and Irish connections explored
It’s been a rough week for prime minister Keir Starmer. First, the Labour leader offered a direct apology to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking…