

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

Nov 18, 2022 • 30min
Suzanne Breen talks polls, politics and parties and whether ‘joint authority’ is a runner
The latest Belfast Telegraph Lucid talk polls tells us Sinn Féin is soaring above the pack but that the DUP has launched a successful fight back. 41% of voters think that if it stays like that – it should mean Dublin sharing power in Northern Ireland but is that possible under the Good Friday Agreement? The Belfast Telegraph’s political editor Suzanne Breen gives us an in-depth analysis into the state of Northern Ireland’s parties, the decisions in front of the DUP’s Jeffrey Donaldson and explains why nationalist are talking up joint authority.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 16, 2022 • 21min
Miscarriage of justice: The story of the Birmingham Six
In 1974, two IRA bombs in Birmingham pubs took the lives of 21 people. The incident would result in six innocent Irishmen being wrongfully convicted of the crime. We tell the story of the Birmingham Six and how those responsible have not been brought to justice. Host: Siobhan Maguire. Guest: John Downing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 14, 2022 • 24min
The ‘cost-of-living crisis,’ what is it, who caused it, and how will affect you?
It’s possible you mightn't notice that the price of some individual items in your trolley has gone up in recent months but when the cashier totals up – you notice All of us have noticed it’s getting harder and harder to get to the end of the month and to reach the next paycheck. We are in a 'cost-of-living crisis,’ but what exactly is it, whose fault is it and how did we get out of it? And are some companies simply taking advantage of the situation to up their prices and profits at our expense? Ciarán Dunbar is joined by the Belfast Telegraph’s Business Editor – Margaret Canning. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 11, 2022 • 25min
New Belfast drug gangs emerge after old guard's secret gangster phones hacked by French spies
It reads like the blurb on the back of an improbable spy thriller, but it’s a true story. The French Secret Service hacks an exclusive mobile phone system. Known as an ‘EncroChat’, it has an exclusive client base, it’s the phone of choice for the underworld. Some of those phones ended up at the bottom of Belfast’s Lagan River. Host: Ciarán Dunbar, Guest: Allison Morris. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 9, 2022 • 17min
Lord Mountbatten: Allegations of abuse made against King Charles' mentor
Louis Mountbatten was a beloved member of the Royal family and mentor to King Charles. But now allegations of child sex abuse at Kincora, a notorious Belfast children’s home, have been made against him. The Indo Daily uncovers the story of the man known in the royal family as Uncle Dicky. Host: Fionnán Sheahan. Guests: Senan Molony Political and Sharon O'Neill. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 7, 2022 • 25min
The Death Investigator- "Everyone who has children in NI should be worried about this!"
Addicts shooting up in broad daylight and needles discarded all over our streets. Belfast is in the midst of a new pandemic- DRUGS.Coroner Joe McCrisken talks to Sharon O’Neill about the drugs crisis here in Northern Ireland and the deadly pills flooding the streets that are even BANNED in the States.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 4, 2022 • 32min
"The Belfast agreement was not as good as what was already offered in 1973"- Dermot Nesbitt discusses the past, present and future of unionism
Dermot Nesbitt was one of the negotiators of the Good Friday Agreement and then a key backer of David Trimble in the years after the deal was struck in 1998, The Crossgar man has had a remarkable life in politics and academia and went on to become a Stormont minister. He was standing beside the unionist politician and academic Edgar Graham when he was murdered by the IRA on Queen’s University’s Belfast campus in 1983, Northern Ireland Editor, Sam McBride, interviews Dermot Nesbitt as he reflects on where unionism went wrong in Northern Ireland’s early decades, where it is still going wrong today and what the future holds for Northern Ireland. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 2, 2022 • 28min
Allison Morris reports on Loyalism’s sense of betrayal seeing support for peace ‘waning’
As an attack on an Irish government target is allegedly called off at the last minute there are serious concerns about the future of the loyalist ceasefires. A letter from the Loyalist Communities Council saying support for the ceasefires may be weakening has been interpreted by some as a veiled threat of potential violence. How did we get here? Host: Ciarán Dunbar, Guest: Allison Morris. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 31, 2022 • 27min
Would the Republic vote for a United Ireland?
Sinn Féin, and others, continue to call for a border poll in Northern Ireland, a referendum on a United Ireland. But it takes two to tango, not only would Northern Ireland have to vote for unity – so would the Republic of Ireland. Fionnán Sheehan is Ireland Editor at with the Sunday Independent and Irish Independent – Ciarán Dunbar asks him the simple question – would the south vote for a united Ireland? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 27, 2022 • 21min
Downing Street's 60 days of chaos!
Liz Truss was the UK’s shortest serving Prime Minister, ever. How did it come to pass that the UK has seen three prime ministers in two months and why did the Conservative Party lose faith in Truss in a matter of weeks? David McCann explains the chaos in the Conservative Party and if new leader Rishi Sunak can bring it to an end. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.