The BelTel

Tullylish is a quiet rural parish, in the east of county Down. But during the troubles, it was known for being part of a ‘murder triangle’. From the 1970s to the mid-90s, over 20 people in the area were killed by paramilitary violence, with the UVF commander Robin ‘The Jackal’ Jackson co-ordinating many of these attacks. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Sunday Life editor Martin Breen and Martin Doyle, author of “Dirty Linen” - a book about his experiences growing up in Tullylish.

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A mysterious double murder in Co. Longford in 1986 has been tied to Loyalists from Derry. Killed in their kitchen on a cold November night, Marie Murtagh (43) and Tom Taaffe (50) were mysteriously murdered in their farmhouse in the village of Aughnacliffe, Co Longford in 1986. Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Liam Collins, journalist with the Sunday Independent, who reported this gruesome murder at the time.

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When a restaurant review is published in the Belfast Telegraph, they can often attract a huge number of readers – especially if it is negative!Many dream of being a food reviewer, but what gives them the right to publicly slate local restaurants? What sets an establishment apart? And exactly how disastrous is a bad review for the business? Belfast Telegraph food reviewer Joris Minne joins Ciarán Dunbar.

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Dublin is cleaning up the aftermath of violent scenes following a night of rioting, clashes with Gardaí (Irish police) and looting. The unprecedented scenes followed the stabbing of five people, including three children. What led to the chaos and where do we go from here? Tabitha Monahan is joined by head of news at Mediahuis group, Kevin Doyle, and Irish Independent technology editor Adrian Weckler.

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Twenty-two loyalists have been convicted in the past 18 months for dealing drugs connected the East Belfast UVF. The UVF’s Shankill Road based leadership has now ‘stood down’ several prominent figures in the notorious east Belfast battalion, to protect ‘transition’ funding. Ciaran Barnes, chief reporter with the Sunday Life, has the latest.

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Sam McBride sits down with Military Historian Huw Bennett, author of ‘Uncivil war: The British Army and the Troubles’. The new book deals with how the troubles began, why they escalated so quickly, and the army’s role. The author discusses how the British military learnt to fight IRA guerilla tactics, the its fear of the UDA, and why the military obstructed his access to evidence of the Troubles.

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For 28 years during the Troubles, it was deemed too dangerous for Linfield to play at Solitude, a football ground in the heart of Nationalist north Belfast. But in November 1998, the Blues finally travelled across the city to play the Reds at Solitude in one of the most significant games in the history of the Irish League football. Belfast Telegraph sports journalist Keith Bailie is joined by Chief Sportswriter Steven Beacom and then-Linfield manager David Jeffrey.

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Eight members of the East Belfast UVF have been told to stand down over links to criminality. Despite this, sources have said there is “no prospect” of a feud within the group, suggesting that a wind-down for the paramilitary group could be on the horizon. Belfast Telegraph security correspondent Allison Morris joins Ciarán Dunbar.

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Rishi Sunak’s cabinet reshuffle took many by surprise. Suella Braveman gets the boot, ex-PM David Cameron makes a shock return government and a new ‘minister for common sense’ emerges to fight left-wing “wokery”. What is going on in the Tory Party? Ciarán Dunbar is joined by TRT World Presenter Enda Brady.

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Ciarán Dunbar gets an explanation of authoritarianism from QUB Politics Professor, Lee McGowan. Authoritarian states such as China, Russia, and North Korea are asserting themselves. And even in the west, populism, fascism and hard-left politics seek to undermine representative democracy. What is authoritarianism and why is it gaining ground?

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