The BelTel

The Rev Ian Paisley rose to prominence as the face of hardline unionism but the first time some would have heard of him would have been in connection with Maura Lyons.

In 1956, the west Belfast teenager was smuggled to Scotland by members of the Free Presbyterian Church. She was a 15-year-old Catholic girl who converted to Free Presbyterianism, in the face of the strong objections of her family.

They accused the Rev Ian Paisley of “abduction”. At one point, he gathered his supporters in the Ulster Hall to listen to a recording of Maura’s voice at the Ulster Hall, renouncing her Catholic faith as a “religion of fear and dread”. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by journalist Malachi O’Doherty, who grew up in west Belfast.

This episode was originally released in October 2025.
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On the 13 October 1994, six weeks after the IRA announced a ‘complete cessation’, the Loyalist paramilitary groups declared their ceasefires.

The UVF’s Gusty Spence announced loyalist violence was over, in a step that is seen as one of the vital steps towards a lasting peace in Northern Ireland. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by former PUP leader Billy Hutchinson, Historian Aaron Edwards, and journalists Allison Morris, Mark Simpson, and Vincent Kearney.

This episode was originally published in October 2024.
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The UUP's Mike Nesbitt has resigned as health minister – with a stinging public resignation letter aimed at his UUP leader Jon Burrows
The row is over retaining emergency general surgery at the Causeway Hospital in Coleraine. The Northern Trust had recommended its closure, despite widespread local opposition.
Jon Burrows told a public meeting in Coleraine that he wouldn't support any closure – despite the health minister being a UUP man.
Mike Nesbitt is understood to have asked his leader to publicly move away from that position, but Jon Burrows refused.
What's going to be the outcome of all of this for the UUP?
Ciarán Dunbar joined by the Belfast Telegraph's political editor, Suzanne Breen.
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After 25 years of what it termed ‘Armed Struggle’ and the ‘Long War’ , the Provisional IRA called a “complete cessation of military operations” on 31st August 1994 – 30 years ago.

By that stage, the organisation was responsible for the deaths of 1,700 people. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Journalists Brian Rowan and Allison Morris, Former Belfast Telegraph Editor Ed Curran and historian Fearghal Mac Bhloscaidh.

This episode was originally published in August 2024.
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Paddy Mackin and Eamon MacMahon's bodies were found on the morning of the 13th of July, 1983.

They both had been blasted with a shotgun as close range.

The murders of the 34 year olds were first blamed on INLA leaders Dominic and Mary McGlinchey.

But their families don’t believe that – they believe “other republicans” were involved.

They claim that an informer recruited by Captain Robert Nairac helped set up their loved ones. They say this man later fled Northern Ireland after Freddie Scappaticci tipped off MI5 that his identity had been compromised.

The story was broken by our political editor, Suzanne Breen.
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