• What sort of St Patrick's Day will Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin have in Donald Trump's White House?
    Mar 16 2026

    This time last year, Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin was grasping an American-flag emblazoned short straw, playing second fiddle to Conor McGregor as our disgraced UFC representative took the St Patrick’s Day podium.


    Now that the Taoiseach has been restored to March 17 parity, he has one hell of a job on his hands. What kind of reception awaits him in Donald Trump’s Oval Office next week?


    Host: Kevin Doyle

    Guest: Mary Regan

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    25 mins
  • 'The Child Snatcher': Who was serial killer Robert Black?
    Mar 14 2026

    Serial killer Robert Black is now the subject of Netflix documentary 'Manhunt: The Child Snatcher'. Black was a monster, an abuser and murder of little girls - he was the child snatcher that all parents feared.


    His first murder victim we can be certain of was nine-year-old Co Antrim child Jennifer Cardy on 12 August 1981.


    He was convicted of killing four young girls but is suspected of abusing and murdering many, many more.


    Black died in Maghaberry Prison near Belfast in January 2016. His body was cremated, and his ashes thrown into the sea.


    Professor Craig Jackson is Professor of Occupational Health Psychology in the Department of Psychology at Birmingham City University. He tells Ciarán Dunbar what makes a serial killer and why we are so interested in them.


    This podcast was originally released in January 2023.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    22 mins
  • Musk’s AI Grokipedia makes a mess of NI history
    Mar 13 2026

    Elon Musk has built an encyclopedia which contains countless errors about Northern Ireland and its history.

    Grokipedia, which was launched in October last year, now has more than six million AI generated articles, but many articles related to Northern Ireland contain major mistakes or are highly misleading.

    The AI encyclopedia says that Ian Paisleys paramilitary Third Force was operating under Crown authority, it says murder victims the Reavey brothers were linked to the IRA, and that the Bloody Sunday massacre was instigated by the IRA, among many other errors.

    Sam McBride joined Olivia Peden.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    30 mins
  • Stephen McCullagh Trial: Court outbursts as witness denies murdering Natalie McNally
    Mar 11 2026

    An ex-partner of Natalie McNally has told a court that he did not kill the Co Armagh woman.

    Ms McNally, 32, was 15 weeks pregnant when she was killed at her home in Lurgan on December 18 2022.

    On his third and final day of evidence, the witness shouted “you killed her” in an angry courtroom outburst at Stephen McCullagh, who stands accused of her murder.

    Her partner, Stephen McCullagh, 36, of Woodland Gardens in Lisburn, denies the murder charge.

    Allison Morris is covering the case for the Belfast Telegraph.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    12 mins
  • Stephen McCullagh Trial: Natalie McNally’s ex-boyfriend arrested last week ‘over threats to kill woman’
    Mar 10 2026

    A former partner of Natalie McNally was arrested last week on suspicion of making threats to kill a woman he had been seeing at the time of Ms McNally’s death, court has heard. The anonymous ex-boyfriend of Ms McNally told the court he reset his phone to factory settings after learning detectives were at his home in connection with the murder investigation, claiming he did so because he had cannabis in his home. Yesterday while giving evidence after he looked at murder accused Stephen McCullagh and shouted “you killed her”.

    Allison Morris was in court.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    13 mins
  • Noah Donohoe: Pathologists agree teenager’s cause of death was drowning with ‘no indication’ of assault
    Mar 10 2026
    Pathologists at the inquest into the death of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe have agreed that his cause of death was drowning, with no indication of assault. All three pathologists agreed there was “no positive evidence” of toxicological contribution to Noah’s death, but this could not be excluded because of the limitations on toxicological analysis. Liam Tunney joins Olivia Peden.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    19 mins
  • Desmond Boomer: The mystery of Malta plane accident, and the Belfast Engineer who never came home
    Mar 9 2026

    In the early hours of December 3, 1995, a small aircraft vanished over the Mediterranean. On board was Belfast-born engineer Desi Boomer, travelling home from Libya’s oil fields to Northern Ireland via Malta. Instead of welcoming him home, Desi’s wife Mandy received a visit from two RUC officers telling her the plane had disappeared.


    Initially treated as a routine aviation accident, the case of Piper Lance 9H-ABU has since become a long-running mystery, with allegations of negligence, espionage, and claims of hostage taking.


    Abdullah Sabri speaks to Desi’s brother Mark about dealing with his unexplained loss, unanswered questions, and what he thinks could have happened.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    47 mins
  • Stephen McCullagh Trial: Man accused of Natalie McNally murder ‘recorded ex’s counselling sessions after she lost child’
    Mar 6 2026

    The trial of Stephen McCullagh for the murder of Natalie McNally is continuing at Belfast Crown Court. In court today, a former partner of the murder accused gave evidence. The woman alleged that McCullagh had ‘recorded’ counselling sessions after she had suffered a stillbirth. She also said she withdrew a 2019 police statement relating to an alleged assault by McCullagh.


    Natalie McNally was 15 weeks pregnant when she was killed at her home on December 18, 2022. Mr McCullagh denies any involvement with the murder.


    Olivia Peden is joined by Allison Morris.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    19 mins