The BelTel

The murder of Pat Finucane is one of the most notorious of the troubles. The 39-year-old Belfast solicitor was shot dead at his family home in north Belfast in 1989 by UDA gunmen. A series of investigations revealed collusion with the state. The first hearing of a public inquiry into the killing is set to take place next month – with Sir Gary Hickinbottom as chairman of the inquiry. Pat Finucane’s family, including his son, Sinn Fein MP John Finucane, has long fought for an inquiry into the case to be opened.  Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Allison Morris to preview the inquest. 

The trial of former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson and the trial of the facts of his wife, Eleanor Donaldson, will be heard together.  Eleanor Donaldson, who had faced charges of aiding and abetting which she strenously denies, has been declared unfit to stand trial. Jeffrey Donaldson has pleaded not guilty to 18 alleged offences, including one count of rape, as well as allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency spanning a time period between 1985 and 2008, with two alleged victims.  The former DUP leader’s trial and the trial of the facts will begin on Tuesday. The Attorney General has issued advice on commenting on legal cases.  What is a trial of the facts, can you comment online about the case, and what can we expect next week?  Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Belfast Telegraph Northern Ireland Editor Sam McBride. 

The jury in Noah Donohoe inquest have heard a sixteenth week of evidence. The schoolboy was just 14 when his naked body was found in the storm drain tunnel on June 27, 2020. He had been missing for six days.  On Thursday, an expert witness gave testimony on the CCTV footage of Noah leaving his flat during the night before he went missing.   Earlier in the week the jury heard that conditions in culvert where his body was found would have been “terrifying”.  Liam Tunney is covering the inquest for the Belfast Telegraph. 

In 1920 a momentous decision was finalised - three Ulster counties, Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan would not be included in the new Northern Ireland. It was felt that the new entity would be more secure without those counties which had nationalist majorities. But they also had large, Protestant, Unionist, Loyalist minorities - then abandoned in the new Irish Free State.  Ed Burke has written a new book – it's called ‘Ulster's Lost Counties: Loyalism and Paramilitarism since 1920’. In it he examines armed loyalism and resistance to Irish nationalism coming from the people of the three counties. 

Tattle Life is a self-described “commentary website”.  Supporters of the site say it’s free speech, protects consumers, and that influencers are fair game, with the website saying it has a zero-tolerance policy to any abusive, hateful or harmful content. But critics claim users have published private documents, that the site facilitates vile and cruel trolling – even stalking.  Last year, it was revealed County Antrim couple Neil and Donna Sands seemed to have taken the so-called ‘king of the trolls’, alleged owner of the site, Sebastian Bond, down. But now court has ruled he didn’t even know his crown was being seized – and the couple have to pay back £300,000 in damages.    Olivia Peden is joined by Belfast Telegraph reporter Kurtis Reid. 

Fianna Fáil has turned the ripe old age of 100. But is the house that Éamon de Valera built in disarray? Irish Independent political correspondent John Downing reckons “they’re a very pale, poor shadow of what they were”. So, how did Dev shape the party in the first place? How did Seán Lemass modernise Ireland? Why did Charles Haughey command such loyalty? What made Bertie Ahern the “ultimate pragmatist”? And where does Micheál Martin stand among the leaders who have gone before him? Host: Fionnán Sheahan Guest: John Downing 

The inquest into the death of Noah Donohoe is now in its 15th week. This week the jury has heard evidence from the PSNI officers who found Noah’s remains. It also heard how a senior official went down into the culvert himself to help him understand what happened. 14-year-old Noah’s remains were found in north Belfast in June 2020 - six days after he went missing after cycling to meet friends.  Liam Tunney is covering the inquest for the Belfast Telegraph.  

David Graham is a former DUP councillor, and a former advisor to education minister Peter Weir. He has been a teacher and has worked for both Linfield and Rangers. He is also a political commentator.  Recently he has been writing about the need for the unionist parties to bring in fresh talent.  He joined Ciarán Dunbar on the BelTel to discuss unionist politics, how to fix Stormont and Northern Ireland, and whether he expects a border poll.  

Top civil servants had debated whether to effectively admit that Bloody Sunday was not as Lord Widgery's whitewash had claimed.  Documents uncovered in the formerly secret Kew Files reveal much debate among officials as to how they should deal with the legacy of the 14 deaths against the backdrop of the nascent peace process.   In one of these files is a heartfelt handwritten letter to the Prime Minister, John Major; it is a plea for justice.  It was written by Kathleen Kelly, mother of Michael Kelly, who died after being shot by Paratrooper Soldier F.    Ciarán Dunbar is joined by our Northern Ireland editor, Sam McBride.