Pádraig Belton
@padraigbelton.bsky.social
Journalist. BBC, and a few other places. Buys nappies on eBay.
Taking off from Dublin airport. The entire airport as much as possible, taxiing and takeoffs, pauses at 1100 for the one minute’s silence. 🌺
November 11, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Taking off from Dublin airport. The entire airport as much as possible, taxiing and takeoffs, pauses at 1100 for the one minute’s silence. 🌺
In London. I have a five year-old British Ukrainian girl teaching me all the important words:
Kokashka poop
Peesha wee wee
Toalet toilet
Pook pook fart
Kokashka poop
Peesha wee wee
Toalet toilet
Pook pook fart
November 5, 2025 at 8:11 AM
In London. I have a five year-old British Ukrainian girl teaching me all the important words:
Kokashka poop
Peesha wee wee
Toalet toilet
Pook pook fart
Kokashka poop
Peesha wee wee
Toalet toilet
Pook pook fart
I’m a weekly or so commuter between Dublin and London. Each week, I carry empty suitcases to London, to bring my clothes back to Dublin. The only way this is possible is if I unknowingly fly naked Dublin to London each week, and everyone is too polite to mention it.
November 3, 2025 at 9:37 AM
I’m a weekly or so commuter between Dublin and London. Each week, I carry empty suitcases to London, to bring my clothes back to Dublin. The only way this is possible is if I unknowingly fly naked Dublin to London each week, and everyone is too polite to mention it.
At least I’ve convinced the kids on my doorstop to start shouting ‘sé seacht’ at passersby, instead of ‘six seven’. We take the small wins.
November 2, 2025 at 5:59 PM
At least I’ve convinced the kids on my doorstop to start shouting ‘sé seacht’ at passersby, instead of ‘six seven’. We take the small wins.
I’m binge watching Black Mirror when I finish writing each night. So I can cheer myself up by the thought that instead of being a journalist with a doctorate to finish, maybe I just live in a horror tech dystopia instead.
November 2, 2025 at 9:48 AM
I’m binge watching Black Mirror when I finish writing each night. So I can cheer myself up by the thought that instead of being a journalist with a doctorate to finish, maybe I just live in a horror tech dystopia instead.
It rained on the last day of our @athleticsireland.bsky.social Halloween camp. So this being Ireland, these ghouls, ninjas, and princesses set up hurdles inside and blasted Zombie 🧟🎃☘️💚
October 31, 2025 at 10:17 PM
It rained on the last day of our @athleticsireland.bsky.social Halloween camp. So this being Ireland, these ghouls, ninjas, and princesses set up hurdles inside and blasted Zombie 🧟🎃☘️💚
So Carlotta covered me with fake blood to coach on #Halloween but I just look like I shaved 🤷♂️
October 31, 2025 at 11:46 AM
So Carlotta covered me with fake blood to coach on #Halloween but I just look like I shaved 🤷♂️
I'm running a little athletics camp this week for @athleticsireland.bsky.social in inner-city Crumlin. The idea is, keep kids off screens and active during half term.
Here's us today managing admirably with Irish weather ☔️☘️
Here's us today managing admirably with Irish weather ☔️☘️
October 30, 2025 at 10:29 PM
I'm running a little athletics camp this week for @athleticsireland.bsky.social in inner-city Crumlin. The idea is, keep kids off screens and active during half term.
Here's us today managing admirably with Irish weather ☔️☘️
Here's us today managing admirably with Irish weather ☔️☘️
Reposted by Pádraig Belton
Good to see she has those barrister skills down.
I will get my coat
I will get my coat
October 26, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Good to see she has those barrister skills down.
I will get my coat
I will get my coat
A pyjama-clad 9 year-old VERY adorably just asked, at 9 pm, if I'd give her a latte-making masterclass, as she wanted to be a barista. I talked her through the steps and assured her the finished product was the best ever – because it was.
Unrelatedly I am now not going to sleep tonight.
Unrelatedly I am now not going to sleep tonight.
October 26, 2025 at 8:43 PM
A pyjama-clad 9 year-old VERY adorably just asked, at 9 pm, if I'd give her a latte-making masterclass, as she wanted to be a barista. I talked her through the steps and assured her the finished product was the best ever – because it was.
Unrelatedly I am now not going to sleep tonight.
Unrelatedly I am now not going to sleep tonight.
This is the fourth night I’ve made a fire to write by, and now the whole cottage smells beautifully of alder, ash, and beech.
October 22, 2025 at 12:06 PM
This is the fourth night I’ve made a fire to write by, and now the whole cottage smells beautifully of alder, ash, and beech.
Two women under a rainbow on Ireland’s only fjord. Which makes them Fjord explorers.
October 21, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Two women under a rainbow on Ireland’s only fjord. Which makes them Fjord explorers.
It’s half term, so I’ve bundled my two into the estate with books, gin, and chessboard, and driven us to a Connemara cottage with a fire.
Turns out they wanted a cheeseboard.
Turns out they wanted a cheeseboard.
October 19, 2025 at 10:33 PM
It’s half term, so I’ve bundled my two into the estate with books, gin, and chessboard, and driven us to a Connemara cottage with a fire.
Turns out they wanted a cheeseboard.
Turns out they wanted a cheeseboard.
A quick update on my friend Timur in Kazakhstan. After a trial where he wasn’t allowed to call any witnesses, he was sentenced to ten years in prison. But there’s still hope, and we may have help from human rights barristers in London. In the meantime, all my support. #justicefortimur
October 19, 2025 at 9:05 AM
A quick update on my friend Timur in Kazakhstan. After a trial where he wasn’t allowed to call any witnesses, he was sentenced to ten years in prison. But there’s still hope, and we may have help from human rights barristers in London. In the meantime, all my support. #justicefortimur
Please admire my new hata
October 18, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Please admire my new hata
On the Piccadilly Line. Two German girls swap from their chat to say, in bang on Estuary English, ‘See it Say It Sorted’ in unison with the announcer.
And they say Britain has nothing left to offer the world.
And they say Britain has nothing left to offer the world.
October 16, 2025 at 1:41 PM
On the Piccadilly Line. Two German girls swap from their chat to say, in bang on Estuary English, ‘See it Say It Sorted’ in unison with the announcer.
And they say Britain has nothing left to offer the world.
And they say Britain has nothing left to offer the world.
Did a news shift this morning in Dublin. Popped into a school in Tallaght to do quick sprints coaching with incredibly cute kids. Now off to London to work tonight. You know deep down, what all these three very different activities all have in common? Rain. A feck ton of rain.
October 14, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Did a news shift this morning in Dublin. Popped into a school in Tallaght to do quick sprints coaching with incredibly cute kids. Now off to London to work tonight. You know deep down, what all these three very different activities all have in common? Rain. A feck ton of rain.
The anniversary of the death of my mother, Carlotta, sees my daughter Carlotta a long-limbed, fashionable young woman whose Italian grows
more confident each summer.
Liam and I are locked in combat at the chessboard while sharing torta della nonna, grandmother’s cake.
Ti amerò per sempre, mamma.
more confident each summer.
Liam and I are locked in combat at the chessboard while sharing torta della nonna, grandmother’s cake.
Ti amerò per sempre, mamma.
October 12, 2025 at 9:27 PM
The anniversary of the death of my mother, Carlotta, sees my daughter Carlotta a long-limbed, fashionable young woman whose Italian grows
more confident each summer.
Liam and I are locked in combat at the chessboard while sharing torta della nonna, grandmother’s cake.
Ti amerò per sempre, mamma.
more confident each summer.
Liam and I are locked in combat at the chessboard while sharing torta della nonna, grandmother’s cake.
Ti amerò per sempre, mamma.
Lifetimes ago as a student at Yale, I made lucky friends with Zhanna, a breathtakingly intelligent girl from Kazakhstan – a country to which I could barely point on the map. We stayed in close touch - so much that I befriended her lovely family when I found myself, later, reporting in Astana. 1/
October 12, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Lifetimes ago as a student at Yale, I made lucky friends with Zhanna, a breathtakingly intelligent girl from Kazakhstan – a country to which I could barely point on the map. We stayed in close touch - so much that I befriended her lovely family when I found myself, later, reporting in Astana. 1/
I was so grateful, from 6,000 km away, to make a message of support outside a Kazakhstan courtroom. An illegally detained friend from my time reporting there, Timur Sadvakassov, still fights for his freedom after a court said should go free.
I look forward to us celebrating the day he is released.
I look forward to us celebrating the day he is released.
October 10, 2025 at 12:11 PM
I was so grateful, from 6,000 km away, to make a message of support outside a Kazakhstan courtroom. An illegally detained friend from my time reporting there, Timur Sadvakassov, still fights for his freedom after a court said should go free.
I look forward to us celebrating the day he is released.
I look forward to us celebrating the day he is released.
As well as leaves of fire, October calls to mind Octoberfest, sauerkraut, German Unity Day, and all the friends from Germany who’ve blest my life - like my son’s beautiful godmother Paula. And here is one tiny encomium, for October, to all those lovely Germans who have so gorgeously touched my life.
October 10, 2025 at 11:49 AM
As well as leaves of fire, October calls to mind Octoberfest, sauerkraut, German Unity Day, and all the friends from Germany who’ve blest my life - like my son’s beautiful godmother Paula. And here is one tiny encomium, for October, to all those lovely Germans who have so gorgeously touched my life.
It’s hard being a big yellow bird in the US at the moment you just get ostrich sized
October 6, 2025 at 10:40 PM
It’s hard being a big yellow bird in the US at the moment you just get ostrich sized
October’s start marks the dozen days before the anniversary of mum dying; other years I’ve cycled the length of Britain, or run that of Ireland.
What stays with me was how strangers put me up each night. The memory of that kindness is what lingers. And somehow all insisted on me having a hot shower
What stays with me was how strangers put me up each night. The memory of that kindness is what lingers. And somehow all insisted on me having a hot shower
October 5, 2025 at 11:58 PM
October’s start marks the dozen days before the anniversary of mum dying; other years I’ve cycled the length of Britain, or run that of Ireland.
What stays with me was how strangers put me up each night. The memory of that kindness is what lingers. And somehow all insisted on me having a hot shower
What stays with me was how strangers put me up each night. The memory of that kindness is what lingers. And somehow all insisted on me having a hot shower