

The BelTel
Belfast Telegraph
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
Mentioned books

Jul 23, 2023 • 32min
The history of Pride: From the Stonewall Riots to Mardi Gras, how the LGBGT+ movement began
To celebrate Pride month, the Indo Daily finds out how the global parade got started and why the fight for equality and Gay rights goes on for the LBGTQ+ community. Host: Siobhán Maguire. Guest: Bill Hughes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 23, 2023 • 18min
Suwei Shang: Where is the woman who stabbed her Derry husband to death?
Suwei Shang was last seen 10 years ago when she left court after admitting killing her husband. After her arrest, more than £100,000 was discovered in her bank account leading detectives to suspect she had been working in the sex trade. But incredibly the courts let her out on bail as they decided on her sentence. Where could she be? Host: Ciarán Dunbar, Guest: Ciaran BarnesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 21, 2023 • 25min
Best of the BelTel: Patricia Curran, who really murdered the judge's daughter? (Part 2)
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 - Iain 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?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 20, 2023 • 28min
Best of the BelTel: The murder of Patricia Curran and the innocent man framed for it (Part 1)
The early hours of the morning on the 12th of November 1952, a judge’s daughter, Patricia Curran, is found dead in the garden of her family home. She had been stabbed 37 times. The BelTel looks at the shocking killing and how Iain Hay Gordon, a young Scot doing his national service in the RAF, was intimidated into signing a false confession, frightened that his mother would find out about his sex life. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by journalist Stephen Gordon, who’s been fascinated by this horrific murder for a long.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 20, 2023 • 2min
PROMO: ‘I’m Not Here to Hurt You’ – A new podcast about Ireland’s most ‘polite bank robber’
How does a high-flying academic become one of Ireland's most prolific bank robbers? From the award winning team behind the Indo Daily comes I'm Not Here to Hurt You. Out now, wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 18, 2023 • 21min
Unsolved - the Dublin-Monaghan bombings and a search for the truth
The Dublin Monaghan bombings on May 17th 49 years ago killed 34 people, including an unborn baby, and injured almost 300. Almost half a century on, no one has been convicted in connection with the bombings. Host: Siobhan Maguire. Guest: John Downing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 16, 2023 • 31min
Rise of the far-right: Across Europe once untouchable parties are making it in power
Across Europe political parties regarded as ‘far-right’ are gaining in strength and some are gaining power. Are they a threat to democracy, why is the left so weak and will we see the swing to the right continue? Politics academic and electoral guru David McCann joins Ciarán Dunbar. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 14, 2023 • 33min
Best of the BelTel: Dissident Republicanism - why do they continue with violence?
The Provisional IRA have long since ended its armed campaign but republican political violence continues. What do groups like the New IRA hope to achieve, why do they continue with what they would describe as ‘armed struggle’ and do they have political ambitions? Host: Ciarán Dunbar, Guest: Dr Marisa McGlinchey.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 13, 2023 • 49min
Drumcree: The crisis over an Orange parade which brought NI to the brink
The Orange Order wanted to march home from a church service in Drumcree back into Portadown, and still does. But the nationalists living on the Garvaghy Road opposed what they saw as a sectarian march. The stage was set for a clash over rights, identity, and freedoms and it brought NI to the edge of anarchy. Host: Ciarán Dunbar, Guest: Mervyn Jess. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 11, 2023 • 20min
UFOs: Former Air Force officer says US is hiding alien spacecraft… and bodies
The US has given the wreckage of alien craft to defence contractors, a former Pentagon whistleblower has claimed. Some say we have to take him seriously and that the 'truth' about UFOs can't be hidden anymore. Host: Kevin Doyle. Guest: Sarah Collins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.