The BelTel

The North-Armagh crime outfit ‘The Firm’ will take matters into its own hands after convicted double killer Stephen Smith died in January. Smith passed away after a seizure at home but that followed him being injured in an attack in Armagh before Christmas. That incident is being linked to a rival crime gang based in Armagh City – and the Firm are not happy. Why not? The Belfast Telegraph’s crime correspondent Allison Morris joins Ciarán Dunbar. 

Dr Katy Radford MBE is Northern Ireland’s first ever director of the Office of Identity and Cultural Expression. The office, created as part of the ‘New Decade, New Approach’ deal, says it aims to ‘promote and protect the cultural heritage of all communities in Northern Ireland’. Dr Radford was hired alongside Irish Language Commissioner Pól Deeds and Commissioner for Ulster Scots and Ulster British Identity Lee Reynolds – but she says she’s ‘not quite sure’ what their relationship entails yet. Having served as Equality Commissioner and the Vice-Chair of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, she’s bringing extensive experience to her new role.  Dr Katy Radford MBE joins Ciarán Dunbar.  

Erika Kirk is rumoured to be visiting Northern Ireland as part of a tour to recruit young people to the conservative organisation founded by her murdered husband, Charlie Kirk. The organisation started out among conservative students on campuses across the US. It’s understood that former DUP MP Ian Paisley has been consulted about setting up a branch of the group Northern Ireland to carry forward their christian-right ethos. Could Turning point come to NI, what would it stand for, and would the group’s views resonate with young people in Northern Ireland?  Olivia Peden is joined by Belfast Telegraph Journalists Brett Campbell and Kurtis Reid. 

Stormont should not be treated as a “soft-play area” for politicians, the SDLP leader Claire Hanna has said in an in-depth interview with the BelTel podcast. In it, she gave her views on Irish unity, on Stormont reform and on the SDLP’s chances of recovery.  Claire Hanna became the leader of the SDLP unopposed in October 2024 having been an MP for south Belfast since 2019.   Many commentators say the SDLP has been more stridently pro-unity under Hanna’s leadership.  Does she agree?    Can she square making Northern Ireland work with not wanting it at all?   And can she turn around the SDLP’s long-term decline.   Claire Hanna, joined Ciarán Dunbar on the BelTel.  

Lauren Bradford-Clarke grew up believing her mother Lesley had taken her own life before finding out the truth – her father was a murderer. She was told her mum Lesley took her own life, eventually being told it was part of a ‘suicide’ pact with a man, Trevor Buchanan – the husband of the woman who would eventually become a mother figure to her. That woman was Hazel Stewart, how had been having an affair with Lauren’s father, Colin Howell. 18 years after the deaths, Colin Howell walked into a police station and confessed to murdering them, implicating Stewart as his partner in crime. Dr Lauren Bradford-Clarke, now a criminologist, spoke with the Belfast Telegraph’s Claire Williamson.  

Former UVF man Mark Haddock has been released from prison in England. A serial killer, Haddock was previously the commander of the notorious Mount Vernon UVF gang. But the loyalist informer has been told he is a ‘dead man walking’ if he tries to return to home to Belfast – might he chance it? The Belfast Telegraph’s security correspondent Allison Morris joins Ciarán Dunbar. 

Noah Donohoe’s appearance on a leisure centre’s CCTV footage appeared to have been “missed” by police in the first “critical” 24 hours after he went missing, an inquest has heard. The inquest into the death of 14-year-old schoolboy Noah Donohoe continues today. Noah’s body was discovered in north Belfast on June 27, 2020, six days after the St Malachy’s College student went missing as he cycled to meet friends.  Liam Tunney is covering the inquest for the Belfast Telegraph. 

A witness says she heard two screams the night Noah Donohoe went missing. Another witness said he saw a torch light on his window in the early hours of the following morning. The evidence was heard as the inquest into the death of 14-year-old schoolboy continues in Belfast.  Liam Tunney reports.  Among the evidence heard on Wednesday:  Constable involved in early stages of missing person investigation begins evidence Inquest hears from resident who heard two screams on night Noah went missing Constable asked about why he specifically mentioned author Jordan Peterson