Programme 2: Gráinne Seoige
In programme two, Gráinne Seoige, the only TV personality to have worked for all of Ireland’s TV channels talks about witnessing the changes in Irish broadcasting first hand.
Despite being best known as a quintessential Galway girl, Gráinne Seoige was actually born in Mayo in 1973. The family moved home to Galway six years later where Grainne enjoyed a traditional Gaeltacht upbringing. From an early age Gráinne dreamed of a job in journalism and her chance came when TnaG (now TG4) launched in Connemara in 1996.
Gráinne became part of broadcasting history when she anchored the inaugural news bulletin on Ireland’s first Irish-language TV station. After spending two years at TnaG, Gráinne moved to Dublin to take part in another broadcasting milestone: the launch of the country’s first commercial television station, TV3. There, Gráinne also met and married Stephen Cullinane.
In 2004 Sky News Ireland launched with Gráinne again in the prime position of news anchor. In 2006, Gráinne began to consider a permanent move to the UK but before doing so she was hired by RTÉ, the only TV channel she hadn’t yet worked for in Ireland.
Gráinne has presented a variety of programmes for RTÉ including Crimecall, Up for the Match, Seoige, which she co-presented with sister, Síle, and the All-Ireland Talent Show. She is currently presenting Grainne Seoige’s Modern Life on RTÉ Two.