Big family entertainment, world-class drama, state-of-the-art natural history, home-grown comedy and compelling real life stories are at the heart of RTÉ’s new season television schedule, unveiled today.
The line-up boasts over 60 new shows and series across factual, entertainment, arts, comedy, lifestyle and drama programming. A host of RTÉ’s most recognisable faces joined new talent to celebrate the event in RTÉ’s Studio 4.
Speaking at the launch RTÉ’s Director-General, Dee Forbes, said: “This autumn and winter RTÉ will offer big, beautiful and captivating natural history programmes; a strong line-up of female led- dramas; and a range of ambitious, incisive documentaries that tell Ireland’s story. RTÉ is making new comedy with new young writers; RTÉ is bringing the arts to big audiences through a host of new authored documentaries; RTÉ is partnering with more national cultural institutions and organisations than ever before. Supported by the backbone of RTÉ – news and sport – these new schedules demonstrate a passion for public service media, a commitment to working with others, new talent and new faces, and delivers standout national moments. Our ambition – our role – is to captivate the nation, and this new schedule demonstrates that, RTÉ will continue to put great Irish content at the heart of what we do.”
Channel Controller for RTÉ One and RTÉ2 Adrian Lynch said: “We’ve worked with the best of Irish creative talent to deliver quality programming of scale for Irish audiences. From programming for families such as Dancing with the Stars, Weather Watch Live, and Ireland’s Deep Atlantic to landmark documentaries, compelling drama, and more from the RTÉ Investigates team. Telling Irish stories, celebrating our culture and shining a light on contemporary issues we’re delivering a broad range of programming to Irish audiences this new season”.
RTÉ also announced today that it is redeveloping its video on demand service, RTÉ Player, to offer audiences more choice and more content in the New Year. Following on from its 1916 commemorative programming last year, RTÉ also said it intends to mark the significant events around the foundation of the state from 1918-1922 with a slate of programming and events.
Telling the Nation’s Stories
Both RTÉ One and RTÉ2 continue to shine a light on who we are as a people with a broad range of programming reflecting every aspect of living in Ireland.
Leading off this year’s factual programming on RTÉ One is a series of documentaries tackling inequality in Ireland with Dr Eva Orsmond asking whether where you are born and raised dictates your life expectancy in Ireland’s Health Divide; Joe Duffy exploring how where you went to school impacts your life in The Classroom Divide; and Philip Boucher Hayes tackling how we work and what we earn in What Are You Working For?
Other highlights include:
- Haunted – Revealing documentary on the life of IRA volunteer Dolours Price.
- No Country for Women – Two part documentary looking at the relationship between women and the Irish State over the past 100 years, from restricting their ability to work to blocking access to fertility control.
- The Axel Foley Story – One year on from his untimely passing, this documentary celebrates Axel Foley and his journey from a working class Limerick suburb to the pinnacle of international rugby.
- The Game – A definitive history of hurling in three-parts produced in partnership with the BAI and the GAA
- Baz Ashmawy explores the topic of gambling in a probing new documentary.
- We Won the Lotto – With the Lotto celebrating 30 years this year, this documentary meets some of the winners who scored really big and goes behind the scenes at Lotto HQ as one of the country’s newest millionaires arrives to collect their winnings.
- Shergar – Thirty years on from Shergar’s infamous disappearance, this documentary charts his extraordinary story with starring roles for an IRA supergrass who believes he knows what happened, and a Sunday Telegraph racing correspondent who thought he was going to die.
- Golden – One hour documentary about couples in Ireland who have been married for over 50 years. Each couple will share the ups and downs of over a half century of love.
- Fab Vinnie – Thirty years on from his death, this Irish language documentary looks at Vincent Hanley’s story both in front of the camera as host of the cutting edge MT USA and his journey from small town Ireland to the bright lights of the Big Apple.
RTÉ2 viewers can expect a broad range of documentaries from the insightful and groundbreaking to the entertaining and tongue-in-cheek. Highlights include:
- Schizophrenia: The Voices in my Head – Tracking the daily lives of Irish people living with schizophrenia, a first for Irish television.
- My Trans Life Groundbreaking series following the lives of young transgender people in Ireland as they transition.
- Trauma – Life and Death in A&E – Four-part series giving viewers unprecedented insight into the challenging, exciting, stressful world of medical emergencies at four Irish hospitals.
- Vogue – in this three part series, Vogue Williams looks at sperm donation, sugar daddies and, the epidemic of our time, anxiety.
- Irish in Wonderland – Sherlock star Yasmine Akram meets the Irish people making their own fortune serving the super-rich.
- Alison Spittle’s Culchie Club Westmeath born comedian Alison Spittle travels across Ireland looking for answers as she investigates what makes a Culchie a Culchie.
- The Rich List Joe O’Shea guides viewers through the top 30 billionaires and millionaires who make up this year’s Sunday Times Rich List, revealing what it takes to join this exclusive club.
This September, RTÉ Prime Time celebrates 25 years as a window on the most dramatic events that have shaped Irish lives over the past quarter of a century. In two special programmes, RTÉ Prime Time will feature the most unforgettable moments from that tumultuous time, and debate whether those events have created a better or worse for Ireland.
This autumn also sees the return of Claire Byrne Live with more live studio debate and a bigger investment into RTÉ Investigates.
Ireland’s Natural Wonders and Science
This year viewers can look forward to stunning nature and series which shine a light on Ireland’s landscape and natural resources along with high quality science and education programming for all the family.
- Ireland’s Deep Atlantic. Filmed off the west of Ireland, this three part series reveals, for the first time, the astonishingly beautiful ocean floor off our coast.
- Great Lighthouses of Ireland illustrates our dependence on the sea, our battle with the elements, the engineering, history, science and above all the people behind these extraordinary buildings.
- WeatherWatch Live a major three part family-focussed television event in Science Week looking at the subject that obsesses us all – Ireland’s weather. Taking in everything from the climate to topography, WeatherWatch Live is wholly interactive with input from across the country offering an insight into Ireland’s weather systems.
- 700 Light Years from Birr examines the story of one of the world’s most advanced telescopes arriving in Ireland.
- Hardest Harvest (WT) New three-part series plunging an Irish farmer, forester and fisherman into the harsh realities of living off the land and sea in Mozambique, joining families and communities as they survive on subsistence resources in the developing world.
- It’s a Park’s Life is a four-part series which goes behind the scenes of Dublin’s Phoenix Park with the characters who make the 350-year-old park tick and those who call it home.
- An Teorann – A two-part series giving a breathtaking birdseye view of the border before swooping down to tell the stories of this often forgotten part of our island.
- Awake – The Science of Sleep Dr Pixie McKenna investigates sleep, meeting the scientists trying to uncover its deep secrets and the Irish people who struggle with it.
- Will a Robot Steal my Job – With relentless advances being made in the world of artificial intelligence, Anne-Marie Tomchak looks at how automation is changing the nature of the traditional jobs market and looks at how society can best make this change work to its advantage.
Drama
Bringing uniquely Irish stories to the screen at home and internationally remains a priority for RTÉ with three drama series airing or going into production this season:
- Acceptable Risk – Elaine Cassidy stars in this brand new six-part series about a woman who discovers all is not as it seems when her husband is murdered. Filmed in Dublin and Vancouver it also stars Angeline Ball (Redwater), Lisa Dwyer Hogg (The Fall) and Morten Suurballe (The Killing).
- Striking Out – Amy Huberman and Neil Morrissey are back with a six part series of the IFTA winning hit legal drama with Moe Dunford (Vikings) and Maria Doyle Kennedy (Redwater) joining this year’s cast.
- Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope – The critically acclaimed darkly comic drama returns for a second season, written by Stefanie Preissner. (RTÉ2)
- Fair City – The drama continues on Ireland’s most watched soap with Carol spiralling out of control as she comes to terms with Trigger’s death. This year Fair City welcomes its first transgender character and there’s a shock in store for the residents of Carrigstown as some familiar faces return to ruffle feathers.
Drama fans can also look forward to Brendan Gleeson’s critically acclaimed serial killer thriller Mr Mercedes, along with returning favourites including Vikings, Homeland and Doctor Foster. On RTÉ2 a new season of foreign drama gives Irish viewers a first look at series two of Norwegian detective series Mammon, Danish thriller Below the Surface and the latest from Borgen creator Adam Price, Ride Upon the Storm
Entertainment and Comedy
RTÉ continues to bring the family together for big entertainment, following its hugely successful debut earlier this year Dancing with the Stars returns with a whole new set of celebrities hoping to hot foot their way to the glitterball trophy when the show comes back in January.
Tommy Tiernan is back with a bumper 12-episode run of his popular and critically acclaimed The Tommy Tiernan Show. Meanwhile Rugby star Donncha O’Callaghan lines up for Ireland’s Fittest Family and country star Nathan Carter welcomes a host of stars on a new series of The Nathan Carter Show. Ireland’s most popular game-show Winning Streak is back.
The Late Late Show kicks off the new season when it returns on September 1st and, of course, the biggest show on Irish television, The Late Late Toy Show is back for more memorable moments. The Late Late Toy Show Unwrapped will take viewers behind the scenes of the most popular Irish TV event of the year. There’s plenty more chat in store this season as The Ray D’Arcy Show, Brendan O’Connor’s Cutting Edge, and Today with Maura and Daithí return to RTÉ One screens.
Continuing RTÉ2’s commitment to supporting and developing comedy talent is a strong slate of new shows including:
- Nowhere Fast – six-part comedy about the boomerang generation written and starring comedian, Alison Spittle and also starring Clare Monnelly (Moone Boy) and Genevieve Hulme Beaman (Pondling) and Cathy Belton (Red Rock/Roy).
- The Young Offenders – the hit Irish movie comes to the small screen in this six part series, filmed on location in Cork and starring Alex Murphy and Chris Walley. Commissioned by BBC3 and BBC comedy in association with RTÉ.
- Ends Meet – RTÉ’s first ever adult animation series, this six-part comedy features a working class Dublin family.
- The School – three-part mockumentary series from sketch group ‘CCCahoots’ about a primary school preparing their Nativity play.
- Senior Moments – three-part series featuring some of Ireland’s more mature citizens playing hilarious pranks on their younger counterparts.
RTÉ2 favourites returning include Jennifer Zamparelli and Bernard O’Shea back to wreak more havoc on the 80s in a third series of Bridget & Eamon; and The Hardy Bucks. Over on RTÉ One, Brendan O’Carroll brings viewers two Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas specials as well as his hit chatshow All Round to Mrs Brown’s.
Arts, Culture and Features
Gabriel Byrne tackles the life and legacy of one of Ireland’s greatest writers in My Astonishing Self: Gabriel Byrne on George Bernard Shaw; and Oscar-winner Anjelica Huston presents a landmark film on the extraordinary life of James Joyce in James Joyce: A Shout on the Street. In Countdown to Calvary Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville travels to Israel to tell the story of the week that changed the world – the last six days of Jesus Christ’s life.
National Treasures, a major social history series produced in conjunction with the National Museum of Ireland, will travel to all four corners of Ireland in search of the ordinary objects from homes across the country that have big – and little – stories to tell about who we are and how we have changed as a people. The objects gathered will subsequently make up an exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland – Country Life in Turlough, Co Mayo.
A feature 100 years in the making, Citizen Lane documents the story of Hugh Lane’s battle to establish the world’s first public modern art gallery and Eavan Boland celebrates the life of one of Ireland’s greatest poets.
In four part series Línte Ceoil Cheiltigh – The Celtic Songlines, Dónal Lunny follows the Celtic songlines on an epic journey of musical discovery along Europe’s western coasts.
Returning this season are Painting the Nation, presented by Pauline McLynn, which searches for Ireland’s best amateur artist; and arts magazine series The Works Presents…
In association with the Irish Film Board, RTÉ2 will host a regular slot dedicated to Irish film with premieres of RTÉ supported movies to include: The Young Offenders and Handsome Devil.
Lighter side of life
Wedding guru Franc makes his return to RTÉ with hit format Say Yes to the Dress as RTÉ turns its eye to the lighter side of Irish life. Other new highlights include:
- Dermot Bannon’s Superhomes – Ireland’s favourite architect is back with a new series where he travels to America for a two-part series looking at American superhomes. Room to Improve returns after its most successful season yet with new clients including Daniel and Majella O’Donnell.
- This Crowded House – Brendan Courtney presents this four-parter giving over-25s still living at home the nudge they need to fly the nest.
- The Great House Revival – Home of the Year’s Hugh Wallace follows six ambitious home restoration projects across the country.
- Frock Finders – Six-part series following people as they search for the perfect outfit for a variety of special occasions.
- David Brophy’s Choir of Ages – after the success of the High Hopes Choir, conductor David Brophy puts together a choir of primary school kids and senior citizens.
- Salon Confidential – Four-part series for RTÉ2 set in a Dublin salon where the hairdressers and barbers not only revamp customers’ hair, they restyle their life.
- Raised by a Village Two troublesome teenagers swap city life and their parents’ rules for a two week dose of discipline Irish village style.
- Celebrity Operation Transformation Five more celebrities take on the Operation Transformation challenge.
Viewers can also look forward to the return of Today with Maura and Daithí, First Dates Ireland, Home of the Year, Getaways with new presenter Tommy Bowe; Desperate Houses with new presenter Roisín Murphy; and Operation Transformation in the new year.
Watch previews of the new season on RTÉ One and RTÉ2 here:
TRTÉ
On RTÉ2 younger viewers can look forward new 26 part comedy series Drop Dead Weird, starring David Rawle (Moone Boy) and Pauline McLynn (Father Ted) as an Australian family get to grips with their kooky Irish grandfather and recently zombified parents.
This September sees 20 year old journalism graduate Zainab Boladale join Tommy Meskill as presenters of News2day, RTÉ’s news programme for younger viewers on RTÉ2.
RTÉ Sport
Sports fans have a lot to look forward to this season with brand new series and documentaries offering an insight into Irish sport. Highlights include;
- Ireland’s Greatest – Presented by Des Cahill and Evanne Ní Chuilinn, Ireland’s Greatest calls on the public to choose the greatest ever Irish sporting moment from the 1960s to the 2000s.
- Blues Sisters – For the first time RTÉ Sport goes behind the scenes with a women’s sports team as our cameras follow a season in the life of the Dublin Ladies Footballers
- All-Ireland Day – Hurling – A look at the essence of a very special day in the Irish sporting calendar, the All Ireland Hurling final, by following a select group of characters all with their vested interests in the big day. From the makers of 2015’s All Ireland Day – Football.
- Darragh Maloney will once again celebrate the heroes of Irish sport at The RTÉ Sports Awards and Jacqui Hurley returns to host a new series of Know the Score.
RTÉ will also be offering extensive live coverage of major sporting events along with our national games and national teams in action.
- Women’s Rugby World Cup Final on August 26
- Guinness Series – Irish men’s Rugby team take on South Africa, Fiji and Argentina at the Aviva Stadium in November
- Women’s 6 Nations, begins February
- The All-Ireland Hurling Final, September 3
- The All-Ireland Camogie Final, September 10
- The All-Ireland Football Final, September 17
- The Republic of Ireland’s European Qualifiers for FIFA World Cup 2018 against Serbia, Georgia, Moldova and Wales
NOTES TO EDITORS
Factual
NEW Ireland’s Health Divide
NEW The Classroom Divide
NEW What Are You Working For?
A series of documentaries looking at inequality in Ireland across health, wealth and education. In Ireland’s Health Divide, Dr Eva Orsmond discovers why where you born and raised has a direct influence on how long you live. In What Are You Working For? Philip Boucher Hayes explores Irish incomes and outcomes and in The Classroom Divide Joe Duffy finds out how much your life is dictated by where you went to school.
NEW Trauma
From the team behind Keeping Ireland Alive: The HSE in a Day, this four-part documentary series gives viewers unprecedented insight into the challenging, exciting, stressful world of medical emergencies – from the 999 operator to A&E, surgery and Intensive Care.
NEW Alison Spittle’s Culchie Club
Westmeath born comedian Alison Spittle travels across Ireland looking for answers as she investigates what makes a Culchie a Culchie.
NEW The Axel Foley Story
One year on from his untimely passing, this documentary celebrates Axel Foley and his journey from a working class Limerick suburb to the pinnacle of international rugby.
NEW The Game
A definitive history of hurling in three-parts produced in partnership with the BAI and the GAA.
NEW Shergar
Thirty years on from Shergar’s infamous disappearance, this documentary charts his extraordinary story with starring roles for an IRA supergrass who believes he knows what happened, and a Sunday Telegraph racing correspondent who thought he was going to die. A BBC co-production.
NEW Golden
Golden is a one hour documentary about couples in Ireland who have been married for over 50 years. Each couple will share the ups and downs of over a half century of love.
NEW No Country For Women
Two-part documentary detailing the State’s efforts to limit women’s freedoms throughout the Republic’s history, from restricting women’s rights in work to blocking access to fertility control. What has been the fallout of limiting women’s citizenship in the new Irish State? And is the legacy of inequity still being felt today?
NEW Irish in Wonderland
In this two parter, Yasmine Akram travels to the Hamptons in New York and the Cote D’Azur in the south of France to meet the Irish making their fortunes in the wealthiest, most opulent, luxurious and lavish industries in the world.
NEW The Rich List
Joe O’Shea guides viewers through the top 30 billionaires and millionaires who make up this year’s Sunday Times Rich List, revealing what it takes to join this exclusive club.
NEW We Won the Lotto
With the Lotto celebrating 30 years, this documentary meets some of the winners who scored really big and goes behind the scenes at Lotto HQ as one of the country’s newest millionaires arrives to collect their winnings.
NEW My Trans Life
Groundbreaking series following the lives of young transgender people in Ireland, documenting the emotional, physical and mental struggle involved as they transition.
NEW Schizophrenia: The Voices in My Head
A first for Irish television, this documentary tracks the daily lives, struggles and triumphs of Irish twenty-somethings living with schizophrenia.
Returning: Ear to the Ground, CrimeCall
Natural History and Science
NEW WeatherWatch Live
Brand new live, family-focussed event broadcast across three nights looking at the subject that obsesses us all – Ireland’s weather. Taking in everything from the climate to topography, WeatherWatch Live is wholly interactive with input from across the country. Made with support from the BAI.
NEW 700 Light Years from Birr
700 Light Years from Birr, presented by Jonathan McCrea, examines where great feats of engineering meet space exploration and where Irish ingenuity from the past meets Irish innovation for the future to produce a cutting-edge technological adventure film set in rural Ireland.
NEW Hardest Harvest (WT)
New three-part series plunging an Irish farmer, forester and fisherman into the harsh realities of living off the land and sea in Mozambique, joining families and communities as they survive on subsistence resources in the developing world.
NEW Great Lighthouses of Ireland
For all their romance and mystery, lighthouses are a vital part of Ireland’s maritime infrastructure. This series illustrates our dependence on the sea, our battle with the elements, the engineering, history, science and above all the people behind these extraordinary buildings. With support from the BAI.
NEW It’s a Park’s Life
Monumental six-part series documenting life in one of Europe’s largest city parks, the Phoenix Park. Narrated Baz Ashmawy, It’s A Park Life goes behind the scenes with the characters who make the 350-year-old park tick and those who call it home. From the makers of The Zoo.
NEW Will a Robot Steal my Job
With relentless advances being made in the world of artificial intelligence, Anne-Marie Tomchak looks at how automation is changing the nature of the traditional jobs market and how society can best make this change work to its advantage. Talking to global experts and innovators in the field, she asks what the future may hold for Irish workers and the way the country educates itself. Made in association with Science Foundation Ireland.
Returning: What In The World, Ploughing Live, Tracks and Trails.
Drama
NEW Acceptable Risk
When her husband is murdered, Sarah Manning (Elaine Cassidy) realises she knows nothing about his past and his work for a powerful global organisation. As she discovers the truth about him, she suddenly finds herself under suspicion and under surveillance. Also starring Angeline Ball (Redwater), Lisa Dwyer Hogg (The Fall) and Morten Suurballe (The Killing).
Striking Out
Tara strikes back as the IFTA award-winning series, starring Amy Huberman and Neil Morrissey, returns with a six-part series. New faces include: Moe Dunford (Vikings), Maria Doyle Kennedy (Redwater), Charlotte Bradley (Veronica Guerin), Owen McDonnell (My Mother and Other Strangers) and Adam Fergus (Clean Break).
Fair City
The drama continues on Ireland’s most watched soap with Carol spiralling out of control as she comes to terms with Trigger’s death. This year Fair City welcomes its first transgender character and there’s a shock in store for the residents of Carrigstown as some familiar faces return to ruffle feathers
Comedy
NEW Nowhere Fast
Alison Spittle-penned comedy chronicling the hilarious trials of the boomerang generation as millennial Angela finds herself back living in the Midlands town she grew up with after an unfortunate incident scuppers her media career. Also starring Clare Monnelly (Moone Boy), Genevieve Hulme Beaman (Pondling) and Cathy Belton (Red Rock/Roy).
NEW Ends Meet
RTÉ’s first adult animation series, Ends Meet is the story of single father Beezer, son Sean Óg and granddad Tony who live together in a working class suburb of Dublin. Written by
breakthrough comic talent Mark Baldwin, and animated by Gareth Lyons. With support from the BAI.
NEW Young Offenders
The hit movie comes to the small screen in this six-part series, filmed on location in Cork and starring Alex Murphy and Chris Walley. Commissioned by BBC3 and BBC Comedy in association with RTÉ, the series is produced by Martina Niland and directed by IFTA winner Peter Foott. With support from the BAI
NEW The School
Warm-hearted mockumentary from sketch group ‘CCCahoots’, following the teachers and children of a fictional Cork primary school as they prepare for this year’s Nativity play. Starring Tadgh Hickey and Dominic McHale.
NEW Senior Moments
From the team behind The Young Offenders, Senior Moments sees some of Ireland’s more mature citizens knocking great craic out of playing pranks on their younger counterparts and regaling viewers with jokes, anecdotes and the odd phoney call from the comfort of their living room.
The Tommy Tiernan Show
A hit with viewers and critics alike last year, The Tommy Tiernan Show returns with a host of new guests who are only revealed to their host when they walk out on stage. Returns for a 12-week run this season.
Returning; Bridget and Eamon, Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope, Hardy Bucks, All Round to Mrs Brown’s, Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Specials.
Music
The Nathan Carter Show
Ireland’s favourite country star returns with another series of chat and music filmed in front of a live audience in the Knocknarea Arena in Sligo. Nathan’s guests this year include: Martine McCutcheon, Aston Merrygold, Shane Filan, and The High Kings.
Electric Picnic
Dedicated Electric Picnic coverage live on Saturday, 2nd of September fronted by Eoghan McDermott and Blathnaid Treacy, with exclusive performances from main stage headliners. Soraiya Ryan and Emman Idama will be reporting from the ‘Picnic’ arena, bringing the latest news, exclusive artist interviews and festival happenings.
Also returning: Other Voices, Fleadh Ceoil, Choice Music Awards
Acquired Drama
The critically acclaimed serial killer thriller Mr Mercedes, starring Brendan Gleeson, joins a host of returning favourites including Vikings, Homeland, Doctor Foster, and Grey’s Anatomy.
The home of the best imported programming from around the world, RTÉ2 this year dedicates Friday nights to foreign language drama giving Irish viewers a first look at series two of Norwegian detective series Mammon, Danish thriller Below the Surface and the latest from Borgen creator Adam Price, Ride Upon the Storm.
Education and Irish Language
NEW Fab Vinnie
Thirty years on from his death, this Irish language documentary looks at Vincent Hanley’s story both in front of the camera as host of the cutting edge MT Usa and his journey from small town Ireland to the bright lights of the Big Apple.
NEW Línte Ceoil Cheiltigh – The Celtic Songlines
Dónal Lunny follows the Celtic songlines on an epic journey of musical discovery along Europe’s western coasts, meeting some of the world’s most renowned traditional musicians along the way. With support from the BAI.
NEW Gaineamh Séidte
A landmark 6-part music series, co-produced with BBC Alba, that looks at the shifting sands between tradition and innovation in Irish and Scottish traditional music over the past 50 years.
NEW Tony McMahon – Farewell To Music
Intensely personal portrait of the acclaimed traditional musician, Tony McMahon, who looks back over a remarkable and consistently troubled life. Made with BAI and Creative Europe MEDIA fund support.
NEW An Teorainn
Two-part series taking viewers on a visually stunning journey along the border from the air, dropping in to get a sense of the history and stories of the area both ancient and new. A unique insight into this sometimes forgotten part of our island.
Also returning: Tracks and Trails, Ploughing Live, Big Week on the Farm, What in the World, The Geansaí
Lifestyle
NEW Dermot Bannon’s Superhomes
Ireland’s favourite architect is back with a new series where he travels to the USA for looking at American superhouses.
NEW Say Yes to the Dress – Ireland
Fronted by wedding guru Franc, hit series Say Yes to the Dress comes to Ireland! The 10 part series will see a cast of brides coming to a brand new Irish bridal store, stocked with amazing dresses from all over the world, to find their dream gown.
NEW The Great House Revival
Architect Hugh Wallace follows six ambitious restoration projects across the country and meets the owners attempting to reclaim these old abandoned buildings to create modern comfortable homes.
NEW David Brophy’s Choir of Ages
Following the success of the High Hopes Choir, internationally renowned conductor David Brophy creates an intergenerational choir including primary school kids and senior citizens. With support from the BAI.
NEW Awake – The Science of Sleep
Dr Pixie McKenna investigates sleep, meeting the scientists trying to uncover its deep secrets and the Irish people who struggle with it. With support from the BAI.
NEW This Crowded House
With one in four Irish people over 25 still living at home with their parents, This Crowded House presented by Brendan Courtney, stages an intervention to help sever the apron strings.
NEW Raised by a Village
Two troublesome teenagers swap city life and their parents’ rules for a two week dose of discipline Irish village style.
NEW Frock Finders
From cutting edge couture to mother of the bride rig-outs, weddings to wakes and performances to beauty pageants, this new six-part series captures the quest to find the perfect outfit at boutiques all across the country
NEW Desperate Houses
Each week, architect and designer Róisín Murphy and her team bring order to the chaos of a cluttered home – helping hoarders to let go and designing full makeovers of the two worst rooms in the house.
NEW Salon Confidential
Real People, Real Problems, Unreal Hair; welcome to Salon Confidential where our hairstylists and barbers will not only revamp your hair – they’ll restyle your life as well.
NEW Neven’s Italian Food Trails
Neven Maguire travels from Venice on the Adriatic coast to Sorrento on the Mediterranean coast to taste and learn about some classic Italian food and drink.
NEW Neven’s Christmas Special
In what has become a Christmas tradition, Neven gives viewers recipes, inspiration and tips for a delicious Christmas.
NEW How To Cook Well At Christmas
Rory O’Connell brings his sophisticated style to Christmas dining with wit and expertise.
NEW Grow, Cook, Eat
Grow, Cook, Eat delivers a masterclass in how to grow your own herbs and vegetables and how to cook what you’ve grown. Each week presenters Michael Kelly and Karen O’Donoghue focus on one vegetable, from growth to harvest, with recipes and tips on how to treat them best.
Room to Improve
Following on from his most successful series yet, Dermot is back with a whole new set of homeowners to persuade and cajole as he transforms their property. And this year he’s headed to Donegal to give the home of Daniel and Majella O’Donnell the Room to Improve treatment.
Celebrity Operation Transformation
Five more celebrities – Mary Byrne, Triona McCarthy, Gary O’Hanlon, James Patrice and Kayleigh Cullinan – take on the Operation Transformation challenge.
Getaways
Rugby star Tommy Bowe will join presenting team Joe Lindsay, Mairead Ronan and Vogue Williams in the new run of the holiday series.
Also returning: Today with Maura and Dáithí, Home of the Year, First Dates Ireland, At Your Service to the Rescue, Operation Transformation, Find Me A Home, Catherine Fulvio’s Tastes Like Home, 10 Things to Know About…, Eco Eye.
Arts
NEW National Treasures
Fascinating documentary series and social history project telling the story of Ireland’s recent past by crowd-sourcing ordinary objects from homes across Ireland that have big – and little – stories to tell about who we are and how we have changed as a people. Produced in association with National History Museum.
NEW My Astonishing Self: Gabriel Byrne on George Bernard Shaw
Gabriel Byrne explores the life, works and passions of George Bernard Shaw – a giant of world literature and emigrant Irishman who had to leave to be heard. Featuring contributions from President Michael D Higgins, Ralph Fiennes, Dara Ó Briain and Gemma Arterton. A passionate and timely one-hour documentary jointly commissioned by RTE and the BBC.
NEW James Joyce: A Shout in the Street
Presented by Oscar winner Anjelica Huston, this landmark film will bring the viewer on a compelling and exhilarating journey through the extraordinary life and work of James Joyce.
NEW Citizen Lane
A feature documentary one hundred years in the making, Citizen Lane tells the story of Hugh Lane, his hard fought project to establish the world’s first public modern art gallery – a Dublin treasure – his untimely death on the Lusitania and his contested Will.
NEW Eavan Boland
Documentary painting a vivid portrait of Eavan Boland, considered “the first great woman poet in the history of Irish poetry”.
Also returning: Painting the Nation, The Works Presents…, Bord Gáis Book Energy Awards
Religion
NEW Countdown to Calvary
Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville travels to Jerusalem to tell the story of the week that changed the world – the last six days of Jesus’ life. A co-production with European public broadcaster (ARTE) and American Public Television (APT).
NEW Minister of Hope
With unprecedented access, this observational series follows the work of three remarkable lay chaplains providing spiritual and emotional support to people at moments of crisis or joy in three very different environments – Shelton Abbey Prison, Beaumont Hospital and DCU.
NEW Liutár 500 – An Fear a Scoiltfeadh an Domhan Gaelach (Luther 500 – the Man Who Split the Gaelic World)
Irish language documentary exploring the impact of Martin Luther’s gesture of protest against corruption in the Catholic Church and how the legacy of his actions reverberate today.
NEW A Star Over the Shannon
Mary Kennedy hosts a star-studded carols extravaganza from the University of Limerick.
The Meaning of Life with Gay Byrne
As he prepares to celebrate 60 years in broadcasting, Gay Byrne returns with a fourteenth series of face-to-face interviews with major public figures about the people, experiences, ideas and beliefs that give their lives meaning.
Also returning: Would You Believe?
Entertainment
Dancing with the Stars
Following the huge success of RTÉ One’s Sunday night extravaganza, Dancing with the Stars is back to put more celebrities through their paces. Who will waltz home with the coveted glitterball trophy?
Ireland’s Fittest Family
Ireland’s Fittest Family will return this autumn for a fifth series with a coaching line-up that includes season four winner Anna Geary, GAA legend Davy Fitz, returning hero Derval O’Rourke and first time Fittest Family coach and rugby legend Donncha O’Callaghan.
Also returning: The Late Late Show, The Ray D’Arcy Show, Brendan O’Connor’s Cutting Edge, Pat Shortt’s Music from D’Telly, Up for the Match, People of the Year, Winning Streak, Stetsons and Stilettos.
TRTÉ
NEW Drop Dead Weird
Twenty-six-part series following the hilarious antics of an Australian family who move to a remote Irish seaside village. With three fish-out-of-water Aussie kids, one kooky Irish grandfather and two recently zombified parents… things are going to get weird. Starring David Rawle (Moone Boy) and Pauline McLynn (Fr Ted).
News2day
RTÉ’s news designed specifically for children. Presented by Tommy Meskill and new addition to team Zainab Boladale
And RTÉjr will announce its schedule later this autumn.
Sport
Ireland’s Greatest
In a brand new series for RTÉ2, Des Cahill and Evanne Ní Chuillin are looking for viewers help to choose the greatest ever Irish sporting moment from the 1960s to the 2000s.
Know the Score
Return of the popular sports quiz, fronted by Jacqui Hurley, with team captains Ruby Walsh and Shane Byrne. This exciting quiz tests the knowledge of our country’s brightest stars in a bid to determine if they Know The Score. More familiar with performing under the glare of thousands of spectators, Ireland’s best sports people will step under the studio lights in the ultimate sporting trivia contest.
All-Ireland Day – Hurling
A look at the essence of a very special day in the Irish sporting calendar, the All-Ireland Hurling final, by following a select group of characters all with their vested interests in the big day. From the makers of 2015’s All-Ireland Day – Football.
Blues Sisters
For the first time RTÉ Sport goes behind the scenes with a women’s sports team as our cameras follow a season in the life of the Dublin ladies footballers.
The RTÉ Sport Awards will once again see the RTÉ Sport Person of the Year Award, the RTÉ Sport Manager of the Year Award as well as the RTÉ Sport Team of the Year Award winners revealed and they will be presented with their awards at a glittering ceremony live on RTÉ One in December.
The summer comes to a close with the final of the Women’s Rugby World Cup on August 26 on RTÉ2 while the 2017 Guinness Series sees the Irish men’s team take on South Africa, Fiji and Argentina at the Aviva Stadium in November. And, next February, we continue to
bring the Irish Women’s rugby team’s journey throughout their 6 Nations Championship. The GAA Championships culminate in three live finals, all live from Croke Park on RTÉ2.
The Republic of Ireland’s FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifying campaign reaches a climax on RTÉ2 this autumn, with trips to Georgia and Wales, plus home games against Serbia and Moldova, as Martin O’Neill’s men aim to seal a place in next summer’s finals in Russia. The UEFA Champions League group stages return to RTÉ2 on Wednesday 13 September with Match Day 1, while on the domestic front, the SSE Airtricity League and the Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup take centre stage, with live games and the weekly highlights show, Soccer Republic.
There’s plenty more horse racing action to come this autumn and winter, with Champions Weekend from the Curragh and Leopardstown in September plus the Leopardstown Christmas Festival. Greyhound racing action comes from Shelbourne Park with the Derby semi-final and final.
News
This September, RTÉ Prime Time celebrates 25 years as a window on the most dramatic events that have shaped Irish lives over the past quarter of a century. In two special programmes, RTÉ Prime Time will feature the most unforgettable moments from that tumultuous time, and debate whether those events have created a better or worse Ireland.
This autumn also sees the return of Claire Byrne Live with more live studio debate and further stories revealed by RTÉ Investigates.