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.

The BelTel is a news podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 0 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts The BelTel, a news show with 0 episodes published.

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  The BelTel

  ‘They’ve got Marty’: the unsolved murder of Sunday World journalist Martin O’Hagan

  Oct 3, 202623 min

  A fearless investigative reporter who exposed the criminal underworld behind Northern Ireland’s paramilitaries, O’Hagan had made dangerous enemies on both sides, but no one has ever been convicted of his murder. Joining Fionnán Sheehan is Sunday World Northern editor Richard Sullivan and Irish Independent special correspondent Paul Williams, as they remember their friend and colleague and examine why, 25 years on, his killing remains unsolved. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  The BelTel

  Drumcree: No deal over Garvaghy march, £3m spent so far, O'Neill defiant

  Oct 1, 202631 min

  The standoff between the Orangemen on Drumcree and the residents of the Garvaghy Road continues in Portadown. Negotiations involving the Secretary of State Chris Bryant, the Orange Order and Garvaghy Road residents have so far failed to reach an agreement. Garvaghy Road residents' spokesman Breandán Mac Cionnaith, confirmed on Wednesday that there was a document on the table. However, both Jamie Bryson and Carla Lockhart said the Portadown district won’t be accepting any deal that sees them walk away from their right to parade down the Garvaghy Road. Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald and First Minister Michelle O’Neill were back on the Garvaghy road with residents on Wednesday – with the First Minister saying that standing on the road with residents on Sunday was "the right thing to do". Meanwhile, the leaders of the DUP and UUP say they expect to see prosecutions over the protest in the next few days. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by the Belfast Telegraph’s Kevin Scott, Kurtis Reid, and Allison Morris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  The BelTel

  The mistake that left ‘Slab' Murphy with a big bill and a massive problem

  Sep 29, 202630 min

  In 1990, Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy lost his seminal libel case against the Sunday Times. But formerly secret files reveal the south Armagh republican was actually expected to win it – and that the paper was considering throwing in the towel. But a tactical error by Murphy led to the paper deciding to fight – and not settle, costing him a fortune. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Sam McBride. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  The BelTel

  Drumcree: nationalist and unionist camps completely divided over Garvaghy march

  Sep 28, 202641 min

  There is a stalemate in Portadown and deep division in Stormont. On the Orange side, the issue is the rights of a small number of people to march their traditional route – backed by a legal ruling. On the Garvaghy Road, a community feels that march is sectarian harassment - and a relic of another age. This is a local issue, but one which deep historical resonances, and one which many fear has brought Northern Ireland to the political brink. Unionists accuse nationalists of not accepting the rule of law, while nationalists accuse unionists of unnecessarily opening an old wound. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Sam McBride and Allison Morris and hears from Claire Dickson in Portadown, and from Andrew Madden in Stormont. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  The BelTel

  Siobhán Fenton: Former insider on Sinn Féin' ideological conundrums

  Sep 27, 202648 min

  When journalist Siobhan Fenton was headhunted by Sinn Féin in 2020 she was an outsider. Entering the party press office in Dublin, she was from Belfast, and didn’t support IRA violence. At the time Sinn Fein was soaring, with Mary Lou McDonald expected to eventually become Ireland’s first female Taoiseach. But that hasn’t happened. Instead, the party’s momentum faltered – although it remains the biggest party on the island. What goes on inside of one of Ireland’s most secretive party, and how is the new generation of Sinn Féin staff changing the party? After five years working for Sinn Fein, Siobhán Fenton was ruthlessly dumped, learning that she was being ditched through a media report in 2025. She has released the book ‘Ourselves alone: Sinn Féin behind closed doors’ - and she joined Sam McBride on the BelTel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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