Over The Wire: Recent Episodes
Belfast Media
Celebrating 50 years of the Andersonstown News, Over The Wire takes a look at the stories covered by the paper over the years and impact that they had on the community of West Belfast.
A year after we launched Over The Wire, we are back with brand new stories and a brand new voice as Gráinne Ní Ghréachaín takes over from James McCarthy.
On 11th April 2008, film producer Winnie M Li was in Belfast for an event marking 10 years of the Good Friday Agreement.
The following day she decided to go for a hike in Colin Glen Forest Park when she fell victim to a violent rape perpetrated then 15-year-old Edward Connors.
After a lengthy period of healing, Winnie put pen to paper and wrote about her experience in a novel and has recently released her second book which deals with the issues arising from the Me Too movement.
Winnie joins James McCarthy to talk about her experience.
On this episode of Over The Wire, James is joined by Rector at Clonard Monastery, Fr Peter Burns to discuss the history of the Clonard Novena, the importance of the Redemptorist Monastery to the people of Belfast and the role of the likes of the late Fr Alec Reid and Fr Gerry Reynolds in bringing about peace in the North.
On this episode of Over The Wire, James McCarthy is joined by Principal of St Mary's University College, Prof. Peter Finn to discuss the history of the college, it's amalgamation with St Joseph's and the future of the college.
On this episode of Over The Wire, James is joined by former Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast, Mary Ellen Campbell, the first openly gay holder of that office and current Training and Volunteer coordinator with the LGBTQIA+ heritage programme at HereNI to discuss the advancements in equality for the LGBTQ+ community over the last five decades.
This week James McCarthy is joined by Cllr Geraldine McAteer to discuss the development of the West Belfast Economic Forum and the Obair Report into unemployment in the area. We also hear from Trade Unionist Paul McCorry who details his experience of looking for work after leaving school at the age of 15.
This week on Over The Wire, James McCarthy is joined by poet and playwright Roseleen Walsh (nee Watson) to reflect on her time as a female internee in Armagh Gaol. Roseleen talks about her poetry and how her time in jail inspired her play 'Interned'.
This week on Over The Wire, James McCarthy is joined by Falls Women's Centre Manager Susan McCrory to reflect on 40 years of the centre providing a safe space for women and how their services have developed over that period.
This week on Over The Wire James McCarthy is joined by Relatives For Justice CEO Mark Thompson to discuss how the NGO was formed and the impact of the British Government's proposed Legacy Bill.
This week on Over The Wire, James McCarthy is joined by Danny Morrison to reflect on the formation of Féile and Phobail - Ireland's largest community festival.
After the events in West Belfast in March 1988 which ld to the area being described as a "terrorist community", the decision was taken to launch a new community festival to demonstrate the positive aspects of the area.
This week on Over The Wire, James McCarthy is joined by former People's Democracy Councillor Fergus Ó Hír to reflect on his monumental defeat of former SDLP leader and West Belfast MP, Gerry Fitt and the political implications which would eventually lead to Sinn Féin entering the elective arena.
This week on Over The Wire, James McCarthy is joined by Séan Mac Seáin, former member of the Andersonstown News management team, to reflect on the Milltown Cemetery Massacre and the subsequent relief fund set up by the paper.
This week on Over The Wire, James McCarthy was joined by journalist, broadcaster and chair of the Belfast Celtic Society, Pádraig Coyle to reflect on the history of Belfast's Celtic Park and how fans and those associated with the club reacted when it was earmarked into what we now know as the Park Centre.
This week on Over The Wire, James McCarthy is joined by Jim McCann campaigner and author of 'And Then the Gates Flew Open: The Burning of Long Kesh', to discuss the events which led to the burning of Long Kesh in 1974 and the subsequent campaign for the truth around the use of CR Gas in the riot.
This week on Over The Wire, James McCarthy is joined by Ballymurphy woman and academic at Ulster University's Transitional Justice Institute, Eilish Rooney alongside Father James Joyce from the Bronx in the heart of New York City to discuss the life and legacy of former Andersonstown News columnist and confidante to the people of West Belfast, Father Des Wilson.
This week on Over The Wire, James McCarthy is joined by former Cllr and MLA, Fra McCann to reflect on housing conditions in the lower Falls during the early 70s and to discuss the campaign to demolish Divis Flats.
This week on Over The Wire, James McCarthy is joined by Áine McCabe, daughter of Norah McCabe who was killed after being struck by a plastic bullet on 8 July 1981 to discuss the impact that her mother's death had on her and the continuing campaign to end the use of plastic bullets.
This week, we are returning to the early 70s as we are joined by prominent historian, Dr Éamon Phoenix to take a look back at when the lack of social housing available in catholic areas led the newly created Housing Executive to propose building a substantial estate at Poleglass.
That proposal wasn’t without its opposition and even drew the attention of the late Rev Dr Ian Paisley who famously marched through the area proclaiming that Protestant’s wanted peace, not Poleglass.
In this first episode, we look back to 1973 and one of our most memorable headlines from the early days of the Andersonstown News. Mother Teresa arrived in West Belfast in 1971 to establish a convent in Ballymurphy, months after the Ballymurphy Massacre where 11 innocent civilians, including a local priest were killed by the British Army. 18 months later and Mother Teresa was gone, with many local residents still believing to this day that she was forced out by the Catholic Church. In this episode, we are joined by Ciaran Cahill from Springhill Community House.
Over The Wire is a brand new podcast from the Andersonstown News and belfastmedia.com. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Andersonstown News, we will be delving into our archives to bring you some of the best stories that we have covered over the past five decades.