The BelTel

Kingspan has been heavily criticised in the final report into the Grenfell disaster. 72 people died in the 2017 blaze. The report found Kingspan and two other firms engaged in a deliberate strategy to mislead the market about their products. The Irish company produced only 5% of the tower’s combustible foam but has been accused of “knowingly” misleading authorities about the results of tests done on the product. Kingspan sponsors Ulster Rugby and Cavan GAA.    Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Belfast Telegraph reporter Liam Tunney. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘Captain Nairac’ was an exceptional but eccentric British Army officer abducted and murdered by the IRA in May 1977. He was snatched from a pub car park in South Armagh – a place he had gone alone – posing as a Belfast Republican. A search is continuing for his body.  Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Alistair Kerr, author of ‘Betrayal: The Murder of Robert Nairac GC’  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oasis fans across the island were left angry, disappointed and waiting in digital queues of nearly three-quarters of a million people, as they tried to buy tickets for the Gallagher brothers’ reunion tour dates, in Croke Park next August.    Many would-be concert-goers were offered standard ‘in demand’ tickets for sums reaching close to £500, leaving many accusing Ticketmaster of ‘price gouging’ and of touting their own concert tickets.     Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Tyrone man has lost over £12,000 in a cryptocurrency scam after an account claiming to be his friend roped him into what was a supposedly ‘low risk’ investment. Last year over 5,000 investment scams like this were reported to the PSNI – amounting to over £20 million. Olivia Peden is joined by Kurtis Reid, who spoke to a victim of crypto fraud.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After 25 years of what it termed ‘Armed Struggle’ and the ‘Long War’ , the Provisional IRA called a “complete cessation of military operations” on 31st August 1994 – 30 years ago. By that stage, the organisation was responsible for the deaths of 1,700 people. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Journalists Brian Rowan and Allison Morris, Former Belfast Telegraph Editor Ed Curran and historian Fearghal Mac Bhloscaidh. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Colum Eastwood, a Foyle MP who led the SDLP for nine years, announces his resignation, leaving a legacy of activism rooted in the Civil Rights movement. Backing South Belfast MP Claire Hanna as his successor, they discuss her potential to navigate the evolving political landscape. Garrett Hargan, a Foyle reporter, adds insights on the impact of this leadership shift on Derry’s community and the challenges the SDLP faces in engaging new voters and addressing local concerns during a critical time for economic growth.

David McCann, a political commentator on Northern Ireland's current landscape, and Sarah Creighton, an expert in political polling, dive into the shifting dynamics of local politics. They analyze Sinn Féin's climb and the Ulster Unionist Party's challenges following a leadership crisis. Conversations reveal the stark divisions on immigration among unionists and nationalists, alongside funding debates for the Casement Park project, underscoring deep-rooted communal tensions and the pressing need for political adaptation.

West Belfast greengrocer Harry Holland was murdered in September 2007. In an attempt to steal Harry Holland’s van, then 16-year-old Stephen McKee stabbed him in the head with a screwdriver, leaving the pensioner to die later in hospital. McKee was given 12 years behind bars for the murder but was eligible for pre-release back in 2016. To the relief of Harry Holland’s family, the now 33-year-old has been sent back to prison following his suspected involvement of ‘very serious’ reoffending. Allison Morris joins Ciarán Dunbar.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Iain Hay Gordon, who was wrongfully convicted of murdering Patricia Curran, joins to discuss the shocking revelations from declassified documents indicating government officials knew he was innocent but suppressed the truth. The conversation dives into the coercive interrogation tactics that led to his false confession and the political tensions in Northern Ireland at the time. Gordon reflects on the complexities of the judicial system and the ethical implications of reopening his case amidst fears of undermining public trust in the judiciary.

Patricia Curran’s mutilated body was discovered just 40 yards from her home at 2 o’clock in the morning on the 13th of November 1952.   She was a judge’s daughter – savagely stabbed to death - the pressure was on to find her killer.  An innocent - but compromised man - Ian Hay Gordon, was eventually blackmailed into signing a confession and sent to a Psychiatric hospital – only to be quietly released and packed off to home to Scotland.  In this episode of the BelTel, Journalist Stephen Gordon, tells us about meeting Patricia’s brother Desmond – who spent his life as a Catholic Priest in South Africa – a life some think was an act of redemption. And we ask the biggest question of all – if Ian Hay Gordon didn’t kill Patricia – then who did?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.