Political commentator @AlexKane221B on the search for his birth parents
We've spoken to regular political commentator and journalist Alex Kane on this programme many times. Often about politics, but also about his own life. Alex has always known he was adopted but made the decision not to search for his birth parents, and not to unlock the first 6 years of his life of which - he remembers nothing. But he has now changed his mind, and is about to embark on a journ...
13m Jan 04, 2018
13m
Plans for new lottery to raise £120M for a new Royal yacht backed by some DUP MPs - does that sound like a shipshape idea?
A new National Lottery game to raise £120M for a new Royal yacht. That's the idea from Tory MP Craig Mackinlay. A letter sent to ministers urging the government to support the project was co-signed by supporting MPs. The MPs argue that, as the UK leaves the European Union, now is the time for a new Royal Yacht Britannia as a new symbol of Global Britain, designed and built domestically to showc...
15m Jan 04, 2018
15m
Debt, addiction and anti-social behaviour - Belfast City Cllr and youth worker raise concerns about recent events in west Belfast
We've often talked about gambling on this programme - and the misery caused by debt and addiction. And today a shocking story has been reported by Belfast Live - kids as young as 13 are running up hundreds of pounds of gambling debts in bookies shops in West Belfast. The area has also been in the headlines for a number of other incidents. Last weekend a man was shot in front of kids in Cavendis...
9m Jan 04, 2018
9m
Just how much impact is the Stormont stalemate having on the growing pressure on our health service? @AllisonMorris1 and @SJAMcBride
It's a theme we've been covering for weeks now. Massive pressures on our health service which have become even worse in recent days. Health union leaders have said the lack of political leadership in Northern Ireland is making the situation here worse. Vinny gets the views of Irish News journalist Allison Morris, Newsletter political editor Sam McBride and we took your calls.
27m Jan 04, 2018
27m
The biggest book club in the country is back with @grahnort's 'Holding'
The Nolan Show book club is coming back in 2018. However - not all of us are readers. Perhaps more of us are getting sucked into the world of digital media. Our own commentator Heidi McAlpin is one who has lost her way... but for the Nolan Show Heidi is picking up our next book club edition - Graham Norton's novel 'Holding' - available now at Libraries NI.
7m Jan 03, 2018
7m
Should towns and cities in NI get their own "drunk tanks" for people who've had too much alcohol?
The NHS in England is considering the routine use of so-called "drunk tanks" - dedicated areas for people who've had too much alcohol so they don't take up resources at hospitals or police stations. It's thought up to 70% of weekend admissions to A and E over the festive period were for people who've drunk too much. So should towns and cities in Northern Ireland get their own drunk tanks? And i...
20m Jan 03, 2018
20m
Tales of nightmare travel over the festive period including caller Jim who struggled to get home from Spain with Easyjet
Tales of nightmare travel over the festive period with winter weather affecting many flights to and from the UK. Jim contacted us from Malaga. Vinny spoke to him and he told us what happened.
9m Jan 03, 2018
9m
Storm Eleanor ripped through NI last night and thousands of people are still without power - @vinnybelfast gets the latest from @NIElectricity
NIE's emergency crews have been working through out the night to restore power to a majority of homes in Northern Ireland hit by the high winds of Storm Eleanor. Currently a yellow warning remains in place until later this evening with possible disruption because of strong winds and heavy showers still possible. Julia Carson from NIE spoke to Vinny and gave us the latest information.
3m Jan 03, 2018
3m
Grieving mum rescued by a stranger in a cemetery after sinking up to her knees in her baby son's flooded grave makes a heartfelt appeal for help
A grieving mother had to be rescued by a stranger in a cemetery after sinking up to her knees in her baby son's flooded grave. Michelle Marshall was at the Ballyvester cemetery in Donaghadee to lay flowers and balloons on the grave to mark what would have been her sons 12th birthday. This is a story that was first reported on the website Belfast Live. Vinny has been speaking to her and she told...
10m Jan 03, 2018
10m
Health service pressures sees St John Ambulance volunteers called in and an appeal on social media for off-duty staff to work - @SMG_CEM_NI and @doloreskelly react
Just before Christmas on this programme health chiefs warned us about the pressures being faced by hospital emergency departments over the festive period. And those warnings have turned into a grim reality for patients and staff as casualty units appear to be almost overwhelmed. The latest figures - confirmed by the Health and Social Care Board just after 7am this morning - show that the longes...
29m Jan 03, 2018
29m
PSNI slammed after Facebook warning to football fans not to 'engage in other activity' because match was postponed
A facebook post by the PSNI sparked anger amongst football fans yesterday. The PSNI's North Coast account posted a message in relation to the cancelled Danske Bank Premiership match at Coleraine Showgrounds yesterday. But as well as announcing the cancellation the post went on to warn fans that police would still be on duty'especially for any fans who may think to engage in other activity'. The...
5m Jan 02, 2018
5m
New Year's resolutions - is it a case of your best foot forward or do you reckon they are a bad idea?
So a New Year - which means New Years Resolutions for many. Another year - another list of broken promises. Will you declare you'll no longer take the lift in work, or have one less spud on your plate? Are they your best foot forward or bad for your health? Commentators Paul Martin and Tina Calder joined Vinny to discuss.
8m Jan 02, 2018
8m
Cut sugar campaign to tackle childhood obesity - will it work? @EJWoolf and size acceptance campaigner Kathryn Szrodecki debate
Half of the sugar our kids consume comes from unhealthy sugary drinks and snacks, leading to obesity and dental decay. A new change4life campaign being launched by Public Health England is encouraging parents to take control of their children's snacking and limit them to two 100 calorie snacks per day. They are suggesting switching chocolate bars for rice cakes and sugar free jelly. Special off...
12m Jan 02, 2018
12m
Fresh calls for an end to fox hunting with dogs in NI - do you think we should have a ban like the rest of the UK?
Campaigners staged a protest calling for an end to foxhunting with dogs in Northern Ireland yesterday. The peaceful demonstration at a hunt in Crawfordsburn, Co Down was supported by members of the Green Party and the Alliance Party. Currently Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK without a ban. Vinny got the views of Daniel Barclay from the League Against Cruel Sports and Gus O'Driscoll ...
20m Jan 02, 2018
20m
Will the New Year breathe fresh life into efforts to restore power-sharing at Stormont? @naomi_long and @malodoherty discuss
Will the New Year breathe fresh life into efforts to restore power-sharing at Stormont? It's almost a year since Northern Ireland had a properly functioning assembly. Both the DUP and Sinn Fein in their New Year statements from their leaders say they want to get back to business and restore the institutions rather than face direct rule. So are we heading for yet more talks and what hope is ther...
27m Jan 02, 2018
27m
Calls for Police Ombudsman to quit after judge says his report claiming collusion in Loughinisland massacre was "unsustainable in law"
There have been calls for the Police Ombudsman to quit after a judge says his report claiming collusion in the Loughinisland massacre was "unsustainable in law". In the wake of the judge's comments, Unionists have called on Michael Maguire to consider his position. The Ombudsman's office said it would consider the judge's comments carefully. But is the Ombudsman's position tenable without the s...
14m Dec 22, 2017
14m
A year on from the political crisis over the cash for ash scandal - @SJAMcBride reflects on RHI inquiry revelations
A year on from the political crisis over the cash for ash scandal - Stephen talks to Newsletter political editor Sam McBride reflects on RHI inquiry revelations
22m Dec 22, 2017
22m
Christmas miracle - mum who almost lost her kids in road accident speaks for first time about how grateful she is to those who saved their lives
A County Antrim mother says her family has been given a Christmas miracle after her two children were brought back from the brink of death following a road accident in January of this year. 14 year old Fintan O'Neill and his 12 year old sister, Mary, were getting off a school bus in Randalstown when they were knocked down - their mother, Amelia, was waiting for them in her car when the accident...
12m Dec 22, 2017
12m
Dublin government says it expects to have "real and meaningful involvement" in NI if power-sharing does not return - @JimAllister and @SeanKellyMEP react
The Taioseach Leo Varadkar has said he expects Dublin to have real and meaningful involvement in Northern Ireland if efforts to restore powersharing fail. He also said that he would not support a return to straight direct rule from Westminster and if talks fail, he insisted there could be only two options - fresh elections or convening the British Irish Intergovernmental conference. Stephen got...
19m Dec 22, 2017
19m
Sprout of order? Council urges folk to curb the Brussels on their Xmas dinner plate.
How many brussels sprouts could you eat in one sitting? Well, Leicestershire council has been mocked for telling residents not to eat more than six with their Christmas dinner. In the attempt to cut down on the amount of waste people are producing, the Council tweeted: "Six sprouts = one portion. Don't overbuy and they don't go to waste." The English Midlands council accompanied the warning wit...
7m Dec 21, 2017
7m
Should sexting, online porn and transgender issues be included in sex education guidelines?
The Department of Education in England is asking parents and young people for their opinions on what should be included in new sex education guidelines. Some of the suggestions so far have been sexting, online pornography, and transgender issues. So is this a good idea and something that we should be considering in Northern Ireland? Vinny got the views of commentators Emma Woolf and Lynette Bur...
7m Dec 21, 2017
7m
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says it's time to axe TV shows about people struggling on benefits - do you agree?
Jeremy Corbyn has said its time to 'make poverty porn history'. The Labour leader's comments were aimed at TV shows like Channel 4's Benefits Street. Mr Corbyn said ""If TV stereotyped people with disabilities or people of colour the way they do working-class people it wouldn't be allowed. So let's make 'poverty porn' history." So - is it time we consigned these programmes to history? Or would ...
19m Dec 21, 2017
19m
A&E consultant fires warning over pressures on health service
Sean McGovern of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, who's a consultant at in the emergency department at the Ulster Hospital.
9m Dec 21, 2017
9m
Northern Ireland's hospitals facing "significant" pressures this Christmas
Northern Ireland's hospitals are facing "significant" pressures this Christmas, with patients being urged not to visit casualty departments unless they have a real emergency. The health service has released an additional £7m to help ease pressure - some of that will be spent on increased staffing and opening extra beds to cope with the volume of patients. And some patients will be asked to free...
13m Dec 21, 2017
13m
What's the best and worst gifts you've ever received? @AlexKane221b and Heidi McAlpin discuss
There's only a couple of days before it's Christmas. But here's a question for you - what would you class as your BEST and WORST Christmas presents ever? Some of the Radio Ulster presenters have been talking about their favourites from their childhood, and Stephen spoke to regular Nolan commentators Heidi McAlpin and Alex Kane.
24m Dec 20, 2017
24m
DUP's former Education Minister denies claims by gay rights campaigners that he shelved report about experiences of gay and lesbian pupils
The DUP's former Education Minister has denied claims by gay rights campaigners that he shelved a report about the experiences of gay and lesbian pupils. The study found that two thirds of LGBT students didn't feel valued or welcome in their school. The Department of Education report was supposed to be published last December but at that stage Peter Weir didn't give clearance for the findings t...
10m Dec 20, 2017
10m
Secretary of State @JBrokenshire urged to slash MLA pay by more than £13,000 if they don't get back to Stormont
MLAs are facing a pay cut of almost £14,000 if the Assembly doesn't get back to work soon. But the blow will be softened by a two stage reduction in their salaries. Those are among proposals being considered by the Secretary of State James Brokenshire. The plan to cut MLAs' - almost a year after Stormont collapsed - has been drawn up by the former Assembly chief executive Trevor Reaney. Here's ...
25m Dec 20, 2017
25m
Is Fairytale of New York the best Christmas song ever? @worldinaglass and @antsrantz discuss what gets them rockin' around the Xmas tree.
Well, now we know. The votes are in and the best Christmas song ever has been found. And the winner is Fairytale of New York. Pointless star Richard Osman took to Twitter to ask his followers and others to choose between The Pogues christmas classic and Wham's Last Christmas. It was a close run race with Fairytale of New York winning with 51% of the vote while Last Christmas got 49%. Vinny aske...
7m Dec 19, 2017
7m
Paedophile hunters - are they actually helping the police tackle crime or doing more harm than good?
A paedophile-hunting group yesterday defended its tactics after an RTE television sports producer who was confronted when he travelled to the UK to meet what he thought was a 13-year-old girl pleaded guilty to sex offences. Kieran Creaven flew from Dublin to Leeds to meet a "girl" he had groomed outside the city's Queens Hotel. But the fictional teenager had been created by Leeds-based group Pr...
12m Dec 19, 2017
12m
Belfast theatre needs £300K of public money to stay open - @basilmccrea and @frankshivers debate
We've been talking about the pressures on budgets for Stormont departments, so has funding for arts projects become something we can no longer afford? The BBC revealed how Belfast's Metropolitan Arts Centre aka The MAC - needed emergency funding "to keep the doors open until the end of October". Belfast City Council paid £40,000 to address that issue, but the MAC has now asked for an additional...
7m Dec 19, 2017
7m
Would you pay more to ease the pressure on our public services? NIPSA's Bumper Graham and callers discuss
Would you pay more to ease the pressure on our public services? NIPSA's Bumper Graham and callers discuss
20m Dec 19, 2017
20m
Dept of Finance in warning over budget pressures - @StephenFarryMLA reacts
Dept of Finance in warning over budget pressures - Alliance MLA Stephen Farry reacts
7m Dec 19, 2017
7m
Budget pressure warning - @SteveAikenUUP hits out at DUP and Sinn Fein
Budget pressure warning - UUP MLA Steve Aiken hits out at DUP and Sinn Fein
8m Dec 19, 2017
8m
Dept of Finance fires warning over tough choices facing public services in NI - @vinnybelfast asks @newbelfast
The Department of Finance yesterday took the unprecedented step of publicly announcing the tough choices facing public services, in Northern Ireland. This sort of information would normally be provided to a minister before a budget - but as there isn't an Executive in place - the department have decided to put it out there for you the public to discuss. And there's no good news. It's a case of ...
10m Dec 19, 2017
10m
Ed Sheeran says quitting twitter improved his life massively - should we all think about taking a break from social media?
Music superstar Ed Sheeran has said that his decision to quit Twitter 2 years ago has improved his life massively. The singer deleted his 20 million follower-strong Twitter account when he grew sick of the abuse he was getting from trolls who didn't like him or his music. He ditched his mobile phone and keeps only one social media account with Instagram. So is it a good idea, should we all thin...
8m Dec 18, 2017
8m
#BBCNolan caller hits out at waiting time for ambulance after his elderly mother fell
Iain has got in touch with the show, about an ambulance waiting time after his mother had fallen at home. He tells Stephen what happened and we got reaction from John McPoland from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.
7m Dec 18, 2017
7m
Jonathan Rea says SPOTY second place caps a dream year - can he go on to even bigger things?
Superbike star Jonathan Rea was the runner up in the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year awards last night in Liverpool. The Northern Ireland racer was pipped at the post by Sir Mo Farah. Stephen got reaction from former road racing champion Phillip McCallen and i-Newspaper sports journalist Kevin Garside.
5m Dec 18, 2017
5m
Warning from Irish government that London and Dublin may have to make decisions for NI if power-sharing cannot be restored
Ireland's foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney has said that if a government isn't formed in Northern Ireland - it could trigger another election - or even decisions being made by London and Dublin. So could a form of joint authority be on the cards? And is that what we need for decisions to be made? Or would that be a breach of the Good Friday Agreement Simon Coveney said that we should be '...
29m Dec 18, 2017
29m
Walking in a Winter Blunderland - parents left angry and kids devastated as Christmas event is cancelled
A Winter Blunderland - a festive event where children get to meet Santa in County Down, has been cancelled after organisers apologised that it had "fallen way short of our expectations." The "Winter Wonderland NI" event held at the Clandeboye Estate in Bangor was due to run from 16 - 23 December, but has now been axed. In a statement to the BBC the Clandeboye Estate said it had leased the venue...
18m Dec 18, 2017
18m
@JBrokenshire to get advice on what to do about MLA pay if they don't get back to Stormont - what's your message to him?
A former senior civil servant at Stormont will today advise the Secretary of the State on what he should do about MLA's pay in the absence of a sitting Assembly. So here's the question for you this morning - what advice would YOU give Mr Brokenshire? Stephen got the views of former UKIP MLA David McNarry and commentator Brendan Mulgrew.
8m Dec 15, 2017
8m
Chair of Police Federation NI hits out as PSNI officers still waiting for agreement on pay rise
Police Officers in Northern Ireland are still waiting for an agreement on a pay rise to be implemented by the Department of Justice. Earlier this week it was revealed that 55,000 Northern Ireland health workers would received their 1% pay rise. The Chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland Mark Lindsay is calling for Officers to receive what was recommended earlier this year by the in...
9m Dec 15, 2017
9m
Victims' campaigner reacts to Haggarty collusion revelations
Victims' campaigner Raymond McCord reacts to Haggarty collusion revelations
7m Dec 15, 2017
7m
Big questions over collusion - @GerryKellyMLA and former senior RUC and PSNI officer Alan Mains discuss
Gary Haggarty, the self-confessed UVF multiple killer and police informer, will have to wait until the new year to find out how long he will spend behind bars. He's been offered a controversial state deal that offers a significantly reduced prison term in return for giving evidence against other terrorist suspects. A court heard yesterday that Haggarty gave his Special Branch handlers advance i...
32m Dec 15, 2017
32m
Loneliness is the focus of this year's BBC NI Christmas Appeal - we hear from Michael who explained his situation #PlayingOurPart
A new report has said that being lonely is as bad for people as 15 cigarettes a day and that being alone can increase your chance of death by a third. The report is by the Jo Cox Loneliness Commission. They're calling on the Government to fund new ways of battling the loneliness epidemic. An estimated one million people are set to spend Christmas alone this year. Loneliness is the focus of this...
13m Dec 14, 2017
13m
Over 55,000 health workers finally set to get their pay rise - political reaction from @MarkHDurkan, @PaulaJaneB and @roybeggs
Over 55,000 health workers finally set to get their pay rise - political reaction from SDLP MLA Mark Durkan, Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw and UUP MLA Roy Beggs
11m Dec 14, 2017
11m
Teachers union call on NI civil service to grant pay rise following announcement for health workers
Teachers union call on NI civil service to grant pay rise following announcement for health workers. Justin McCamphill, NASUWT National Official Northern Ireland
3m Dec 14, 2017
3m
Health union Unison welcome pay rise 55,000 health workers have been waiting on
Health union Unison welcome pay rise 55,000 health workers have been waiting on
4m Dec 14, 2017
4m
Over 55,000 health workers finally set to get their pay rise - will other public sector workers follow suit? @SJAMcBride
55,000 Northern Ireland health workers got an early Christmas present yesterday as it was announced that a 1% pay rise will now be paid to them. The Nolan Show has been all over this story since last month when civil servants said £26 million earmarked for the wage increase couldn't be released without ministers in place at Stormont. But yesterday the Department of Finance announced that Northe...
14m Dec 14, 2017
14m
Mum bans her kids from watching TV – a breath of fresh air or simply too harsh?
Many parents will be guilty of setting their kids down in front of the TV or handing them a computer tablet in order to get some time to themselves? But - would you consider banning your children from all TV and technology? Well that is what one mother has done. Veronika Pena - has banned all TV and computers from her home meaning her 7 and 12 year old sons have never watched shows like The X F...
5m Dec 13, 2017
5m
Distraught mum appeals to burglars who stole her baby's ashes in Belfast break-in to return them
A mother has appealed to burglars who stole her baby's ashes during a break-in in north Belfast to return them. It happened on the Ballygomartin Road between a quarter past six and half past nine last night. Claire Smallwood's daughter Holly was stillborn and her ashes were contained in a small plastic bag that was kept in a wooden box in the bedroom. Vinny spoke to Superintendent Simon Walls f...
2m Dec 13, 2017
2m