Beginner’s pluck: Researcher and writer Noel Russell

'The Saved and the Spurned' is a meticulously researched account of the plight of persecuted Jews who sought refuge in Northern Ireland in 1938

Noel Russell has written and produced several historical documentaries for BBC Northern Ireland, RTÉ, and TG4.

Noel was first published at 17 — when, having won a school’s competition, his story appeared in a book called Imagine.

“I became a journalist at 18,” he says, “and bar six years at university, have been one ever since.”

Starting in the Belfast Telegraph, he moved to the Irish News where he became news editor before joining BBC Radio Ulster as editor of Speech Radio.

“I was there for 14 years,” he says.

He has written and produced several historical documentaries for BBC Northern Ireland, RTÉ, and TG4.

He has always been interested in the plight of the Jews in the Second World War.

“In 2009 I learned that in 1938, 600 persecuted Jews were refused entry to Northern Ireland.”

At least 125 of them were murdered in the holocaust. 

“I tried to get a documentary made, but it wasn’t commissioned, and when I left the BBC, I did more research.

“There were 300 files, largely from Vienna, and less than 100 people were admitted.

“I contacted relatives, including children who were here. They told me what had happened to their families.”

Who is Noel Russell?

Date/ place of birth: 1955/ Belfast.

Education: St Mary’s Christian Brother’s Grammar School in Belfast; Queen’s University Belfast, Literature and Scholastic Philosophy; University of Michigan, MA in Modern drama; Queen’s Belfast, MA in Creative Writing.

Home: Belfast.

Family: Wife, Journalist Mary Kelly; children, Michael, Daniel, and Lucy.

The day job: Researcher and writer.

In another life: “I’d love to play the blues on a slide guitar.”

Favourite writers: James Joyce; George Orwell; Hubert Butler; Seamus Heaney; Derek Mahon; Leo Tolstoy.

Second book: “I’ve written half a novel.”

Top tip: “Commit yourself to the apprenticeship of writing. And keep going.”

Website: noelrussell.com.

X: noelrussell05

The debut

The Saved and the Spurned: Northern Ireland, Vienna and the Holocaust

New Island, €17.95/ Kindle, €10.88

Following a Stormont job creation scheme, hundreds of persecuted Jews tried to escape to Northern Ireland. The successful refugees contributed hugely. 

This recounts the fate of their families, and tells of those who helped them, including Hubert Butler who took Jewish refugees to his home. 

Belfast women Peggy Fink and Peggy McNeil worked tirelessly, as did an Austrian Jew, Alfred Neuman (known as Ulster’s Oscar Schindler).

The verdict: Intriguing. Meticulously researched and written.