Rephonic
Artwork for The BelTel
Northern Ireland
Noah Donohoe
Belfast
IRA
PSNI
Sinn Féin
Good Friday Agreement
Natalie Mcnally
Stephen Mccullagh
Anglo-Irish Agreement
DJ Carey
Stormont
The Troubles
DUP
Ballymena
UVF
Ireland
Ulster Unionist Party
Ian Paisley
Billy Wright

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.

PublishesDailyEpisodes765Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Daily NewsNews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The BelTel

Latest Episodes

An access hatch on the inlet to a culvert in which Noah Donohoe was found should have been locked six months previously, an inquest into his death has heard. But the jury also heard the storm drain was in good condition and had no history of unauthor... more

There is a very senior, well-paid civil servant, working in the higher echelons of the Northern Ireland Civil Service. 

Only a handful of officials work at that level and with every one of these individuals we are entitled to know who they are, what... more

Sinn Féin are still top of the polls north and south – but all polls show the party has lost ground. Many commentators think Sinn Féin have lost their direction and sense of purpose.

So - has Sinn Féin really lost its mojo and what can it do about i... more

A report has lambasted ‘institutional misogyny’ in PSNI over failings in the Katie Simpson murder investigation. Police officers on the case were responsible for a catalogue of basic failures including not preserving evidence, missing forensic opport... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Indo Daily
The Indo DailyIrish Independent
Crime World
Crime WorldCrime World
Shattered Lives
Shattered LivesReach Ireland Podcasts
The State of Us
The State of UsBBC Sounds

Recent Guests

Conor Ferguson
Olympic swimmer and co-founder of Athlete Hub
Athlete Hub
Episode: Bonus: Olympic Swimmer Conor Ferguson: How to How to turn setbacks into business lessons | In Good Company
Gillian Halliday
Deputy Features Editor
The Bel Tel
Episode: Julia Holmes: The Castlederg woman, her many aliases, and the lives she destroyed
Daryl Paul
Suspect in the case; testified regarding the laptop, backpack, and jacket
Episode: Noah Donohoe: Daryl Paul says he’s telling the truth
Suzanne Breen
The Belfast Telegraph's political editor
Belfast Telegraph
Episode: LucidTalk: Majority believe Gerry Adams was in IRA – but don’t care
Mary Wilson
Former RT Legal Affairs Editor and Drive Time/Morning Ireland presenter
RT Radio 1
Episode: Black Widow Part 1: The murder of Tom Nevin and one of Ireland’s most notorious criminal cases
Rory Carroll
Author of A Rebel And A Traitor, Guardian Ireland correspondent
The Guardian
Episode: Roger Casement: Protestant British hero who became a 'rebel and a traitor'
Sinéad Morrisey
Belfast poet and author of Among Communists
Independent author
Episode: ‘Among Communists’: Belfast poet, Sinéad Morrisey tells her family and political story
Angela Davison
Journalist for The Sunday Life
The Sunday Life
Episode: Stephen McCullagh: What we couldn't report while Natalie McNally murder trial was ongoing
Gerard Shannon
Historian and author
Historian and author of Rory O'Connor: To Defend the Republic
Episode: Rory O’Connor: The Anti-Treaty IRA leader executed by his former friends

Hosts

Abdullah Sabri
Host of The Bel Tel
Ciarán Dunbar
Host of The BelTel

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 326 ratings
  • Rather death centric

    A good podcast when I do listen, which is typically for insight regarding northern Irish history and culture that’s hard to get anywhere else. Especially recently though, the majority of episodes are meticulously reporting on deaths and murders past and present — much like a lot of other NI media — for which I turn straight off.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Mach3turbo
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Noah Inquest

    Liam Tunney is hurling a blinder in his reporting. The show is generally excellent!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jerimiah1983
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Superficial

    Plenty of chat but very little information. Also-the headlines can be misleading.

    You travel hopefully but arrive with nothing. Disappointing!

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Mac an tSionnaigh
    United States4 months ago
  • Never miss an episode

    I love listening to the podcast everyday. Nice mix of topics and stories.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Séamus Magee
    United Kingdom5 months ago
  • Superficial

    Plenty of chat but very little information. Also-the headlines can be misleading and disappointing.

    You travel hopefully but arrive with nothing. Disappointing!

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Mac an tSionnaigh
    United States8 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some critique bias and call for objectivity.
Listeners value the depth and context from investigative reporting.
Requests for longer episodes and better pacing.
Guests and hosts praised for interviews and coverage.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#224
United States/News/Daily News
Apple Podcasts
#21
United Kingdom/News/Daily News
Apple Podcasts
#85
Canada/News/Daily News
Apple Podcasts
#114
United Kingdom/News
Apple Podcasts
#58
Australia/News/Daily News
Apple Podcasts
#16
Ireland/News/Daily News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Bonus: Olympic Swimmer Conor Ferguson: How to How to turn setbacks into business lessons | In Good Company
Q: Who is the customer for Athlete Hub and how will buying work?
High-performance sports teams are the customers; teams invest in data-driven infrastructure, while individual athletes are end users. The model focuses on centralizing multiple staff roles online to support decision-making for large rosters.
Bonus: Olympic Swimmer Conor Ferguson: How to How to turn setbacks into business lessons | In Good Company
Q: Who are your co-founders and how do you work together as friends and athletes?
Matt Richards and Jack McMillan bring complementary Olympic-level expertise; they've trained together since childhood and now collaborate closely on product decisions, balancing differing opinions with customer feedback to steer development.
Bonus: Olympic Swimmer Conor Ferguson: How to How to turn setbacks into business lessons | In Good Company
Q: What was your initial feeling as someone who's so disciplined? How do you control natural human reactions and emotions?
The focus was on staying grounded and turning disappointment into a driver for improvement, including digging into what the body responds to and using data to guide daily decisions rather than letting emotions drive every outcome.
'The Child Snatcher': Who was serial killer Robert Black?
Q: What made him able to operate across regions and evade early detection?
His mobility as a delivery driver, the absence of modern forensics and technology at the time, and his ability to blend into ordinary settings with a non-threatening appearance.
'The Child Snatcher': Who was serial killer Robert Black?
Q: Who was Robert Black?
A serial killer whose crimes spanned at least a decade, characterized by a lack of conventional traits and a willingness to use his delivery-driver role and van to approach and abduct victims, with abuse and psychological factors contributing to his behavior.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The BelTel

What is The BelTel about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The content centers on crime, politics, and current events in Northern Ireland, framed by in-depth courtroom coverage, inquests, and investigative reporting. Episodes frequently feature live courtroom analysis, expert witness perspectives (including pathologists and investigators), and long-form interviews that unpack both recent incidents and historical events. The cadence tends toward forensic detail, nuanced debate, and a focus on accountability, governance, and media coverage. A notable strength is assembling a mix of journalists, researchers, and occasional family voices to provide multiple angles on complex stories, making it useful for listeners who want thorough context beyond headlines and for potential guests or sponsors seeking a... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The BelTel?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The BelTel. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The BelTel and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The BelTel get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The BelTel, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The BelTel?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The BelTel, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The BelTel have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The BelTel has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The BelTel?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The BelTel:

1. The Indo Daily
2. The Troubles Podcast
3. Crime World
4. Shattered Lives
5. The State of Us

How many episodes of The BelTel are there?

The BelTel launched 4 years ago and published 765 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The BelTel?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The BelTel?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The BelTel from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The BelTel?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The BelTel. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The BelTel?

Recent guests on The BelTel include:

1. Conor Ferguson
2. Gillian Halliday
3. Daryl Paul
4. Suzanne Breen
5. Mary Wilson
6. Rory Carroll
7. Sinéad Morrisey
8. Angela Davison

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days