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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
- The BelTel
All-Ireland Football Final 2024: Armagh alive with excitement as ticket scramble continues
Armagh will face Galway in the Orchard County’s first All-Ireland final since 2003. Armagh only ever won once, back in 2002. Galway's last Sam Maguire was just…
- The BelTel
Gusty Spence and the brutal beginnings of the modern UVF
Since the UVF’s formation, the paramilitary group has went on to kill over 500 people. Gusty Spence became infamous for leading the organisation and deciding…
- The BelTel
Whitney Hughes jailed – what next for Newry’s ‘Cocaine Queen’?
31-year-old Whitney Hughes has been handed a 4-year sentence for drug offences. The so called ‘Cocaine Queen’ of Newry took over her father, Mark ‘The Chicken’…
- The BelTel
"The Falls Road started it, the Village will finish it": Children encouraged to riot in south Belfast disorder
A 38-year-old man has been arrested last night as violence continued in south Belfast. The past two nights have seen disorder in the village area. On Monday…
- The BelTel
The Border Fox: Allison Morris reports as former INLA gunman Dessie O’Hare walks free
The so-called ‘Border Fox’, Dessie O’Hare, has been released from prison. He is best known for kidnapping a dentist and chopping his fingers off. Originally an…
- The BelTel
Denis Bradley: Hume, McGuinness, dissidents just “stone in the shoe” filling jails - but Irish must talk to them
Former priest Denis Bradley played a key role in the peace process as part of the ‘back-channel’ between the IRA and the British. His decision to become…
- The BelTel
BONUS: “A dingo’s got my baby” – The story that divided Australia
In August 1980, a pastor, his wife and their three children went on a camping holiday that would change their lives forever and become one of the biggest…
- The BelTel
The deaths of the Quinn children, the UVF murder which changed Northern Ireland
The petrol bomb attack happened at the height of bitter disputes over parading Even by the standards of the Troubles the murder of the Quinn brothers on the…
- The BelTel
Ian Paisley: At just 57, what will ex-MP do after shock defeat?
Sam McBride on why Ian Paisley Jr lost his seat and if this is truly the end of Paisleyism. And could he head off and work for Farage or even Trump? Host…
- The BelTel
Suzanne Breen: Fantastic election for Jim Allister, Robin Swann and Sorcha Eastwood
A quiet general election campaign turned into an incredible results night resulting in seismic changes. The Belfast Telegraph’s political editor Suzanne Breen…
- The BelTel
General Election NI: DUP disaster – Paisley loses North Antrim, Lagan Valley falls
The DUP have suffered a series of defeats in the general election including Ian Paisley's North Antrim seat. Alliance have won Lagan Valley with Sorcha…
- The BelTel
Jeffrey Donaldson: Sex abuse case goes to trial as charges increase to 18
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson will return to court in the autumn to formally answer historical sex offence charges. He and his wife Lady Eleanor appeared in Court in…
- The BelTel
General Election ’24: BelTel / LucidTalk polls show strong SDLP and Alliance but DUP struggling
NI will elect 18 new MPs on Thursday. Most of the seats seem easy to predict but the pre-election Belfast Telegraph / LucidTalk poll suggests there will be…
- The BelTel
The Falls Road Curfew: The raid on the Official IRA which turned west Belfast against the British Army
On the 3rd of July 1970 the British Army sealed off the lower Falls. A ‘curfew’ is announced. Troops go in, searching for IRA weapons. But the use of CS gas…
- The BelTel
BONUS: Taylor Swift - The dark side of fandom
As Taylor Swift brings her Eras Tour to Ireland, we look at how her fans have made her a global success and created an army of followers - some of which have…
The BelTel‘Walter Mittys’: Why men like Nick Adderley lie about military careers, and Northern Ireland's 'Walts'
A ‘Walter Mitty’ is someone who lies about, or exaggerates, their military service. Being a so-called ‘Walt’ is technically legal in the UK but vigilante ‘Walt…
The BelTelNigel Farage: The controversial politician’s near-death experiences, failed campaigns, and what he thinks of Northern Ireland
The man once known as the face of Brexit is back. Nigel Farage claims that after the election, his party Reform UK will be the head of opposition in…
- The BelTel
Sam McBride grills Alliance’s Stephen Farry as he fights to keep North Down
Sam McBride sat down with Stephen Farry, asking him the tough questions on his vision for North Down, on his views about gender issues and why his his first…
- The BelTel
West Belfast UDA Boss Mo Courtney and the £10,000 extortion of Shankill ‘Granny Bingo’
Convicted Killer and West Belfast UDA boss Mo Courtney has blamed on trying to extort cash from a local pensioner who runs an online ‘granny bingo’. Loyalist…
- The BelTel
Allison Morris: UVF men bused in to east Belfast and Ardoyne parade dispute re-emerges from hibernation
A 1,500 strong UVF show of strength has raised questions about what is going on in the organisation. What’s going on with the UVF and why are parade tensions…
The BelTelGeneral Election 24: Suzanne Breen and Peter Donaghy on the polls and a focus on Foyle
With the Westminster Election looming, Northern Ireland’s parties continue to fight their traditional battles. To catch up with what’s been happening on the…
The BelTelOut of fashion? Amnesty International's Patrick Corrigan makes the case for human rights
Ciarán Dunbar sits down with Patrick Corrigan of Amnesty Internation to discuss whether human rights apply to everyone equally, what’s happening in Israel /…
The BelTelBONUS: French Alps quadruple murder - The family, the cyclist and the DNA tests
12 years ago, a cyclist in the French Alps made a gruesome discovery one sunny autumn afternoon. The bodies of 4 adults, each of whom had suffered gunshots to…
The BelTelColonel Tim Collins: “I’m going to win - there's no doubt about that” - Outspoken UUP candidate sits down with Sam McBride
Colonel Tim Collins was the commanding officer of the Royal Irish regiment, who led them into battle in Iraq. Now he’s the UUP candidate for North Down…
The BelTelSinn Féin takes hit, Farage endorses DUP candidates, and concerns over lack of female candidates
Mary Lou McDonald is “sorry” this week after disappointing results in Irish local elections. In Northern Ireland, Nigel Farage has disappointed the TUV by…
- The BelTel
20 women murdered in NI since 2020 - why do men keep killing?
20 women who have been murdered in Northern Ireland since 2020. Three of these murders have been in the last 7 months, with the latest being 81-year-old…
- The BelTel
Lyra McKee Trial: Court told rioting was orchestrated to ‘put on a show’ for MTV camera crew
The trial of three men charged in relation to the murder of Lyra McKee is continuing. The court has heard that rioting on the night she was killed was…
- The BelTel
2024 General Election: Suzanne Breen on what happens if DUP’s Gavin Robinson loses his seat and if Sinn Féin can make gains
The campaigning has begun, the posters are up, and soon Northern Ireland will be going to the polls. Where can Sinn Féin make gains, could Belfast end up…
The BelTelUVF, UDA and ‘Russians’ in gun panic - arms allegedly held by loyalist could be linked to unsolved murders
Loyalist Billy ‘Beachball’ McCune is facing charges of possessing firearms in suspicious circumstances. He doesn’t deny having the guns but claims he was a…
- The BelTel
Murdered in her own home: Belfast Man given life sentence after brutal murder of Caoimhe Morgan
Caoimhe Morgan was a 30-year-old mother of four. She was brutally murdered by her partner in her North Belfast home whilst two of her children were present at…
The BelTelEamonn Holmes: Shock divorce, ‘bitter’ tax bill and those Philip Schofield comments
The shock divorce of Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford have left viewers to wonder where it all went wrong for the TV double act. It’s not the first showbiz…
- The BelTel
MTV footage of accused shown as Lyra McKee trial opens in Belfast
The trial of three men charged in relation to the murder of Lyra McKee has begun. The 29-year-old died after being shot in the head by a new IRA gunman in the…
- The BelTel
GE 2024: David McCann and Lee Reynolds on the NI seats to keep an eye on
On 4th July, Northern Ireland’s 18 parliamentary constituencies will decide who they will send to Westminster. A number of constituencies will see change in…
The BelTelThe Kew Files: Sam McBride on IRA decommissioning and how it almost collapsed the Good Friday Agreement
IRA decommissioning was an historic political event that has been clouded in secrecy for decades. Files uncovered by the Belfast Telegraph, in The National…
The BelTel"People were buried outside my house": Irishman on escaping Ukraine
In February 2022, business consultant Brendan Murphy was living in Irpin, a small city near Kyiv. That month, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine…
The BelTelGE 2024: What's Sunak thinking and can the Tories avoid a wipe-out?
Outside a rainy Downing Street yesterday, Rishi Sunak set the date for the summer general election for the 4th of July. He says it is now time for Britain to…
The BelTelLucidTalk: Should Donaldson resign as MP and is a United Ireland inevitable?
The Belfast Telegraph’s latest LucidTalk polling reveals opinions on whether Sir Jeffrey Donaldson should resign as an MP, party support, and how well the…
The BelTelEx-Ulster rugby player Paddy Jackson voices ‘concerns’ over TV dramatisation of 2018 rape trial
Ulster Rugby player Paddy Jackson, who was one of the key people at the Belfast rape trial of 2018, has expressed his concerns over a proposed six-episode TV…
- The BelTel
Jonathan Creswell, the murder of Katie Simpson and the three-woman cover-up
Jonathan Creswell was a showjumper, philanderer, abuser, and eventually, a murderer. He murdered a young woman, Katie Simpson, claiming she took her own life…
- The BelTel
Arlene Foster 'roasted' as she's accused of deflecting questions in tetchy day at Covid Inquiry
Arlene Foster has been accused of deflecting questions at the Covid Inquiry. The former first minister was grilled about her role during the pandemic. In…
- The BelTel
Michelle O’Neill left 'flapping' under Covid cross-examination , Sam McBride reports
First Minister Michelle O'Neill has apologised for attending the funeral of IRA leader Bobby Storey at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. She had long said…
- The BelTel
Allison Morris: PSNI accused of ‘Stasi’ tactics over keeping tabs on ‘troublemaker’ journalists
The PSNI had journalists they considered “troublemakers” under surveillance. It’s led to the force being accused of acting like the Stasi. But who was being…
- The BelTel
Sam McBride: Covid Inquiry reveals Stormont’s ‘rotten system’
The Covid-19 pandemic was an unprecedented event all over the world. NI Officials and ministers are now under scrutiny as they appear before the Covid-19…
The BelTelLordship: The murder of Adrian Donohoe and the runaway Co. Armagh suspect - part two
After the murder of Adrian Donohoe, the main suspect Aaron Brady boarded a one-way flight to America. He had no intention of ever returning to Ireland. His…
The BelTelLordship: The murder of Adrian Donohoe and the runaway Co. Armagh suspect – Part One
What goes in to catching a garda killer? In January 2013, Detectives Joe Ryan and Adrian Donohoe from Dundalk garda station were tasked with escorting credit…
The BelTelEXTRA: The extraordinary life of Stephen Grimason, the journalist and top Stormont Spin doctor who broke news of Good Friday Agreement
Stephen Grimason was the journalist who waved the Belfast Agreement on our television screens with the iconic quote: “I have it in my hand”. The former BBC…
The BelTelBelTel Sport: Linfield and Cliftonville set to face off in tense Irish Cup Final
This Saturday's Irish Cup Final sees Cliftonville play Linfield at a sold-out Windsor Park. It’s set to be one of the most eagerly anticipated cup finals in a…
The BelTelSunningdale and the Ulster Workers Strike (Part Three): Who really won?
Loyalism stood triumphant. The Ulster Workers Strike succeeded. It brought down the Sunningdale executive, the council of Ireland binned, power-sharing shelved…
The BelTelSunningdale and the Ulster Workers Strike (Part Two): The loyalist ‘revolt’
Northern Ireland had never seen the like of the Ulster Workers Strike – a rebellion against the state – by loyalists. The strikers wanted an end to the…
The BelTelSunningdale and the Ulster Workers Strike: The forgotten power-sharing ‘experiment’
In 1973 the ‘Sunningdale Agreement’ established power-sharing in Northern Ireland, preceding the Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement by 25 years. It…
- The BelTel
Warrenpoint-based Michael O’Loughlin breaks gangster code by admitting crimes
Michael O’Loughlin was arrested in Co Down in 2020 as part of a Europe-wide crackdown on organised crime. He was one of the first criminals arrested in the…
The BelTelJeffrey Donaldson in court over historical sex offences
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and his wife Lady Eleanor Donaldson have appeared at Newry Magistrates Court to face historical sex charges. He was escorted into the…
The BelTelCol Tim Collins ruffles Alliance feathers, Irish signs ‘traumatise’
Andrew Madden and Ursula Savage join Ciarán Dunbar to discuss the week in politics. Colonel Tim Collins has been in the news after branding the Alliance Party…
- The BelTel
Newtownards Falklands and Troubles veteran on the reality of war
Graham Eve boasts a military career which spanned over 8000 miles. A member of the 2nd Parachute Regiment in NI he witnessed 16 of their men being killed in…
- The BelTel
Suzanne Breen on Jeffrey Donaldson’s potential replacement in Lagan Valley
The arrest of DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson at the end of last month came as a shock to those in the party and beyond. Although he is now an independent MP…
- The BelTel
Middle East on the brink after Iran's unprecedented revenge attack on Israel
As the death toll in Gaza reaches 35,000, there has been a dangerous spike in tensions across the Middle East. In a serious escalation of the crisis in the…
- The BelTel
The Kew Files: Sam McBride on the secret papers on Peter Robinson, Ulster Resistance and Emma Little-Pengelly's father
The Kew Files have revealed some of Northern Ireland's hidden secrets on unionism and loyalism. In part 2 of a 2-part special of the BelTel, Ciarán Dunbar is…
- The BelTel
The Kew Files: Sam McBride and the secret files on Martin McGuinness, the IRA and SDLP
Thousands of declassified files on Northern Ireland and the troubles have been deposited, not in Belfast, but in the Kew Archives in London. In part 1 of a…
- The BelTel
A United Ireland: Inevitable or a fantasy?
Nationalists continue to campaign for planning a united Ireland, but Unionists seem assured it’s a pipe dream – where does the truth lie – or is it impossible…
- The BelTel
Gerard ‘Hucker’ Moyna: From killing Lenny Murphy for the IRA to IPLO feuds
Prolific republican gunman Gerard ‘Hucker’ Moyna has died aged 69. He has been linked to several murders – including that of Shankill Butcher Lenny Murphy. He…