The BelTel

19-year-old Columba McVeigh was living in Dublin in 1975. The Tyrone man left his flat on Halloween night to buy some cigarettes and was never seen by his family and friends again. He had been kidnapped by the IRA, before being murdered and secretly buried. Why did the IRA murder Columba McVeigh, why did they hide his body and what role did MI5 play in his story? Ciarán Dunbar spoke to Columba’s b...

Twelve years ago, Michaela McAreavey was murdered in her hotel room while on honeymoon in Mauritius. She had married John McAreavey just 12 days earlier. Two hotel workers went on trial but were acquitted of the crime. Tabitha Monahan speaks to yhe Belfast Telegraph Crime Correspondent Allison Morris, who recently returned to Mauritius, about the case and continued search for justice. See omnystud...

Freddie Scappaticci, the informer known as Stakeknife, has died. He was double agent at the heart of the IRA, the man in charge of executing informers was working for the British. Who was he, why did he turn and who was he really working for? Allison Morris talks to Ciarán Dunbar. This podcast was originally published in July 2022. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Aca...

The Belfast Agreement left many questions unanswered, many problems unsolved and many points of disagreement.  Can those problems be solved without coming to a common understanding of what happened before that, the problem which the agreement set out to solve?  Dr Brian Lambkin joins Ciarán Dunbar to drill down into the agreement and what it really means. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...

After a generation of bloodshed and division, Northern Ireland's Good Friday Agreement marked a new era in British Irish politics. But has it succeeded in its mission and is it even still relevant? The BelTel finds out. Host: Ciarán Dunbar. Guests: David McCann, Sarah Creighton and Andrew Madden. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more i...

Stephen Grimason was the journalist who waved the Belfast Agreement on our television screens with the iconic quote: “I have it in my hand”.  Sam McBride sits down with former BBC political editor Stephen Grimson who later went from poacher to game keeper and headed up Stormont’s press operation. Stephen was optimistic when he left journalism to sell Northern Ireland’s new era to the public. But i...

Controversial Christian Enoch Burke has alleged an Irish judge laughed, mocked and ridiculed him after he sought to raise concerns over the disclosure of documents to him by his former employer. The trial has concluded. Host: Siobhán Maguire. Guest: Shane Phelan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

War continues in Ukraine at a huge cost in human life.  Russia continues to assault Ukrainian lines in the Donbas but with western tanks being supplied to the Ukrainians military observers expect a counter offensive. Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have declared a ‘new era’ of friendship, but some commentators believe China is the real winner here.  Dr Alexander Titov is a history lecturer - he join...

It remains one of the most gruesome and grotesque crimes in Ireland – a man murdered by his girlfriend’s daughters and carved into pieces. The Indo Daily hears more about Farah Noor's death at the hands of Linda and Charlotte Mulhall. Host: Siobhán Maguire. Guest: Eugene Masterson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The secret security service MI5 raises terror threat to “severe” just before US president Biden visit to Northern Ireland - It means an attack is highly likely.   It comes after a senior police officer suffered life-changing injuries after being shot by the New IRA. Host: Ciarán Dunbar. Quest: Belfast Telegraph security correspondent, Allison Morris.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...

The East Belfast UVF says 20 “once prominent members” of the organisation have been expelled over drug dealing. In an official statement to Sunday Life the loyalist gang denied involvement in the drugs trade. But a judge has said the UVF is behind ALL drug dealing in the east of the city. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informati...

Senior members of the South East Antrim UDA have been forced from their homes in a ‘purge’. Among those ordered to leave was Adrian Price, named in court as occupying a “command position” in South East Antrim UDA in Newtownards. And this all comes as new management takes over Carrickfergus based syndicate.  Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Belfast Telegraph our crime correspondent, Allison Morris.  See...

It’s been quite a big week for news in Northern, in Westminster and beyond. Boris Johnson and Donald Trump have been in the news and so has Stormy Daniels.  The Framework has been voted through the Commons with a massive majority.  And of course, the price of a pint is going up. Kurtis Reid, Liam Tunney and Margaret Canning join Ciarán Dunbar.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

The Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency has published more statistics from the 2021 Census.  They cover sexuality, employment, immigration, language and more besides. Andrew Madden and Niamh Campbell join Ciaran Dunbar for a deep dive into the stats.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Michael O'Neill will take charge of Northern Ireland for the first time since he was reappointed manager of the national team. Can O'Neill recapture the magic of his first stint when he guided Northern Ireland to Euro 2016 and that famous win over Ukraine in Lyon? Host: Keith Bailie Guests: Steven Beacom, Stephen Craigan See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acas...

Almost twenty years since the Provisional IRA ended its armed campaign republican political violence continues.  The shooting of PSNI detective John Caldwell was the latest attack by so-called dissidents. What do they want, what do they hope to achieve, and why do they continue with what they would describe as ‘armed struggle’?  Host: Ciarán Dunbar, Guest: Dr Marisa McGlinchey. See omnystudio.com/...

Simeon Burke, Enoch’s younger brother, is in jail and has missed his law exams. He is refusing bail saying was illegally incarcerated. He was arrested on 7 March and charged with threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour at the Dublin’s Four Courts. Amid chaotic and unprecedented scenes, police forcibly removed members of the Burke family from court. Shane Phelan, Legal Affairs Editor of the Ir...

Two-thirds of Northern Ireland back the Windsor Framework, according to the latest Belfast Telegraph / Lucid Talk polling. However, the same poll reveals that an overwhelming 73% of DUP supporters say ‘No’ to the deal. The Framework doesn’t deal with some “fundamental problems” created by the NI Protocol, according to DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson but Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says it’s the “b...

Drug deaths in Belfast are more than double what they were a decade ago, with 15 young people dying on city centre streets within just one-month last summer. A bid to introduce an overdose prevention room has recently received overwhelming support within Belfast City Council to tackle the issue, but not everyone supports the idea. Niamh Campbell is joined by the Belfast Telegraph’s Andrew Madden,...

We all dream of winning the Lottery, but then we hear stories about how winning the millions sent some people’s lives into a tailspin. The self-described ‘king of the chavs’ Michael Carroll being a famous example. Some have described winning the Lottery as a living hell that they would not wish on their worst enemies - can that fate be avoided? And should you tell people, or could you try and keep...

On October the 15th, 2021, the PSNI launch a raid an apartment in Ballymena, as part of a wider operation against drug in the town. The man who lived there was 61-year-old Noel Johnson. Moments later, he was dead. Once an acquaintance of Liam Neeson, this Catholic from Loyalist Harryville had been known as the ‘cocaine king’ of Ballymena. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by John Laverty, who knew Noel John...

On this day, 50-years-ago, on the 8th March 1973, the Northern Ireland Sovereignty Referendum was held - a border poll on a United Ireland. Why was it held and what happened? Lecturer, writer, commentator and deputy editor of the website Slugger O’Toole, David McCann, tells Ciarán Dunbar all about the 1973 referendum. This podcast was originally broadcast in September 2022.  See omnystudio.com/lis...

Kim Jong-un, the secretive monarch-like leader of supposedly communist North Korea, has recently unveiled his daughter to the world. That has sparked speculation that she could become the next dictator of the hermit state. But what does this mean for tense relations with the West? Host: Fionnán Sheahan. Guest: Professor Peter Kabachnik. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted o...

John DeLorean was an eccentric but brilliant engineer. He had remarkable success in the US automotive industry, but he dreamed of striking out by himself and building a futuristic sports car. Incredibly, he was enticed to build that car in Belfast in the middle of the Troubles. Hollywood brought the DeLorean to the big Screen and the car, despite its obvious flaws, gained an iconic status. See omn...

Robert McCartney was murdered by members of the IRA in January 2005; he died after being stabbed in the street outside a bar in Belfast.  Like many other murders, the IRA might have hoped that it would eventually blow over, it did not, it became an international news story.  Two of his sisters tell Suzanne Breen what they thought of the subsequent criminal trials, and if they think they were used...