The BelTel

The infamous Northern Bank heist shook the peace process to its core with suspicion immediately falling on the Provisional IRA. The Northern Bank was forced to replace millions of pounds of notes soon after the huge crime but most of the money was never found. It was far from the ‘victimless’ crime some portrayed it as it left innocent people deeply traumatised. Why did the IRA emerge from the shadows to carry out this robbery and why did they do it? Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Belfast Telegraph editor Sam McBride. 

The BelTel Football panel discuss Linfield star Joel Cooper’s shock Coleraine switch, Larne’s managerial crisis as Nathan Rooney steps down and Northern Ireland legend Gareth McAuley reflects on his incredible career.

Sunday World Assistant Editor Gerry Millar spent the early years of his career investigating the mystery of those who were ‘disappeared’ by the IRA, having known one of them John McClory, who was murdered alongside Brian McKinney. He joins Ciarán Dunbar to share how he was amongst the first journalists to compile a list of the ‘Disappeared’ and how their disappearances affected his local community in Andersonstown. 

We use them every day, but do the terms left and right really describe our politics today. What is ‘woke’ and why do people hate it? And socialists struggle with the working class as much as for it, why is that? David McCann from Ulster University and Michael Pierse from Queen’s University Belfast join Ciarán Dunbar to take a deep dive into today’s political trends. 

Don Anderson was one of the BBC’s TV reporters in Saigon during the final days of the Vietnam War. He joins Ciarán Dunbar to tell his incredible story of his time in Vietnam, including accidentally finding himself in a minefield, his near-death experiences on the front line, and the fall of Saigon in April 1975.   

UVF chief Winston “Winkie” Irvine is facing jail time after pleading guilty to firearms charges. It means the well-known loyalist Irvine’s dual-career has a tax-funded community worker and paramilitary is well and truly over.  Who’s Winkie Irvine? How did he get caught? What does this mean for his role in loyalist transitioning?  Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Allison Morris. 

In 1913, Ireland, the whole of Ireland, was an integrated and peaceful part of the UK – albeit one with a strong home rule movement and a strong counter-home rule movement. It had two private and opposing armies and a secret underground brotherhood dedicated to winning an Irish Republic by force. A world war, a rising, a guerilla war and a civil war later, most of Ireland had left the UK by 1923, becoming the Irish Free State, and of course, Northern Ireland was born. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Professor Mike Cronin of Boston College Ireland. 

What are the allegations being made against Gregg Wallace that have led to him stepping down as host of the BBC’s flagship show MasterChef and doe sit mean for the BBC and the MeToo movement? Host: Fionnán Sheahan Guests: Enda Brady & Niamh Horan