A fearless investigative reporter who exposed the criminal underworld behind Northern Ireland’s paramilitaries, O’Hagan had made dangerous enemies on both sides, but no one has ever been convicted of his murder.
Joining Fionnán Sheehan on the  is Sunday World Northern editor Richard Sullivan and Irish Independent special correspondent Paul Williams, as they remember their friend and colleague and examine why, 25 years on, his killing remains unsolved.

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.

The BelTel

‘They’ve got Marty’: the unsolved murder of Sunday World journalist Martin O’Hagan

There is a stalemate in Portadown and deep division in Stormont.
On the Orange side, the issue is the rights of a small number of people to march their traditional route – backed by a legal ruling. 
On the Garvaghy Road, a community feels that march is sectarian harassment - and a relic of another age. 
This is a local issue, but one which deep historical resonances, and one which many fear has brought Northern Ireland to the political brink.
Unionists accuse nationalists of not accepting the rule of law, while nationalists accuse unionists of unnecessarily opening an old wound.
Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Sam McBride and Allison Morris and hears from Claire Dickson in Portadown, and from Andrew Madden in Stormont.

Drumcree: nationalist and unionist camps completely divided over Garvaghy march

When journalist Siobhan Fenton was headhunted by Sinn Féin in 2020 she was an outsider.

Entering the party press office in Dublin, she was from Belfast, and didn’t support IRA violence.

At the time Sinn Fein was soaring, with Mary Lou McDonald expected to eventually become Ireland’s first female Taoiseach.

But that hasn’t happened. Instead, the party’s momentum faltered – although it remains the biggest party on the island.

What goes on inside of one of Ireland’s most secretive party, and how is the new generation of Sinn Féin staff changing the party?

After five years working for Sinn Fein, Siobhán Fenton was ruthlessly dumped, learning that she was being ditched through a media report in 2025.

She has released the book ‘Ourselves alone: Sinn Féin behind closed doors’ - and she joined Sam McBride on the BelTel.

Siobhán Fenton: Former insider on Sinn Féin' ideological conundrums 

In 1990, Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy lost his seminal libel case against the Sunday Times.  

But formerly secret files reveal the south Armagh republican was actually expected to win it – and that the paper was considering throwing in the towel. 

But a tactical error by Murphy led to the paper deciding to fight – and not settle, costing him a fortune.  

Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Sam McBride. 

‘They’ve got Marty’: the unsolved murder of Sunday World journalist Martin O’Hagan

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