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New Season of Factual on RTÉ (incl. notes to editor)

*****EMBARGOED until 6.00am Sunday 22 August******** 

RTÉ 

True to life: RTÉ announces its huge Factual content offering for season ahead 

Hard-hitting documentaries that make a difference, heart-warming stories that celebrate who we are, popular series featuring expert advice for how we live  

Images for download here: https://we.tl/t-k19EGVwdO9 

RTÉ today (Sunday 22 August) unveiled a wide range of factual content for all interests this season. From hard-hitting documentaries, lifting the lid on some difficult realities both past and present, to series that celebrate and remember who and what we love, with lighter viewing to  inspire and entertain, RTÉ’s factual offering across television, radio, and online, promises to be, as always, true to life. 

RTÉ’s Group Head of Factual Seán Mac Giolla Phádraig said: ‘This may be our most exciting Factual line-up to date. Despite an incredibly challenging year for production, the teams internally in RTÉ and at the many independent companies we work with, have truly excelled and delivered a wonderful selection of documentaries and factual programming for the new season. 

There are so many highlights for viewers: from Conor Ferguson’s beautiful tribute to his much-missed wife Keelin Shanley, to Nuala Cunningham and Gerry Gregg’s landmark documentary series on the Magdalene Laundries, Ireland’s Dirty Laundry. Our documentary line up is also full of one-off gems: from the charm of Alex Fegan’s The Irish Wedding to Ken Wardrop’s Cocooned, which charts the experiences of Ireland’s over-70s as they navigate their way through the pandemic.   

This season will also see more documentary series in the schedule than ever before, with series like Quinn Country, which charts the rise and fall of entrepreneur Sean Quinn and Crimes and Confessions, which re-examines some of the cases investigated by the murder squad in the 1970s. On RTÉ Radio 1, the new season of Documentary on One continues with its usual selection of must-listen stories. We’re very grateful to the producers who have worked tirelessly to deliver this great range of programmes and look forward to bringing them to our audiences – on radio and television – to enjoy over the coming months.” 

Shining a light into the darkest places, RTÉ’s documentary series have tough questions to ask and fresh insights to offer, across subjects including crime, social issues, history, politics, religion, science and climate change. Highlights include: 

  • Ireland’s Dirty Laundry Built on the testimony of those who worked in Ireland’s notorious Magdalene Laundries, this documentary series tells the shocking story of a shameful system, created by the Irish State and supported by all levels of Irish society. This landmark series bear witness to the women’s experiences in their own words. 
  • Quinn Country is the story of a man who personified Ireland’s boom and subsequently, its bust. Reflecting on his remarkable rise and fall, in this three-part series, the words of Ireland’s former richest man – once worth five billion euro – reverberate around his 15,000 square foot house, “I made mistakes. The biggest was to invest in a bank”.  
  • The Killing of Fr Niall Molloy In 1985, a priest is found dead in a couple’s bedroom after a society wedding at their large country home. In this two-part series, we follow Fr. Niall’s nephews as they revisit the events that lead to Fr. Niall being killed in Richard and Teresa Flynn’s bedroom that night and re-examine some of the evidence.  
  • The Missing Children Focusing on the Tuam home where 796 babies are believed to have been buried in a sewage tank, The Missing Children will tell the powerful story of survivors and families uncovering the truth, in what Taoiseach Michael Martin called a ‘dark, difficult, and shameful chapter’ of Irish history. Hundreds of children died of neglect or were forcibly adopted, from the notorious institution. 
  • Crimes and Confessions This groundbreaking three-part true crime series delves into the world of criminal investigation and how some detectives within An Garda Siochana in the 1970s and 80s solved crimes. 
  • Cold Case Collins A specially assembled team, including Dr. Marie Cassidy, and also featuring a cast of detectives, forensic scientists, historians and psychologists, re-opens the investigation into Irish history’s most contested killing: that of Michael Collins at Beál na Bláth, County Cork, in August, 1922. 
  • The Great Eircom Bust-out The scarcely believable story of how the hope and enthusiasm that followed the floatation of Telecom Éireann in 1999 ended in disaster, debt and losses for those citizens of Ireland who dipped their toes into the Stock Market.  
  • The Case I Can’t Forget The hit true crime format returns for a second series with first-hand accounts from detectives who worked on some of Ireland’s toughest cases, to reveal not just the story of a crime, but the dedication necessary to solve one. Included this season is the story of the murder of Rachel O’Reilly. 
  • The Bad Bank two-part series examining the National Asset Management Agency, featuring interviews with the decision makers, supporters and detractors and those most impacted by their decisions. 
  • With God on our Side Marking the centenary of Partition, Mary McAleese examines the role religion played in causing and resolving conflict in Northern Ireland and the role it might yet play, if any, in fostering peace in a more secular and diverse post-Brexit society. 
  • The Irish Civil War Major new series from by the multi-awarding winning team behind the Great Hunger and the Irish Revolution. The Irish Civil War will tell the story of the civil war that raged through Ireland in 1922 and 1923 while also revealing an in-depth analysis of its root causes and origins, its political and social complexities and its wide ranging and long-lasting legacy. 
  • Father of the Cyborgs A study of the work of Limerick-born neurologist and brain surgeon Professor Philip Kennedy, whose controversial work in the US is based on the interface between the human brain and computers. And who has recently implanted his own brain with a micro-chip. 
  • Future Island presented over three consecutive nights by Liz Bonnin, a celebration of Irish science and innovation, built around the idea that a brighter future is just around the corner. 
  • RTÉ Investigates From the team that brought you revelations into the plight of homeless rough sleepers, Covid-19 in nursing homes, the treatment of whistleblowers and the open dealing of crack cocaine, RTÉ Investigates is set to reveal a number of major new investigations this season. 
  • Prime Time At the very heart of public debate in Ireland, bringing audiences the important interviews, in-depth reports and delivering trusted journalistic analysis.  
  • Claire Byrne Live Claire will host a mix of the best interviews and topical discussions, with the public getting their say on the issues that matter most. 
  • Documentary on One continues across the season on RTÉ Radio 1 each Sunday and via podcast each Thursday, with compelling and unmissable stories. 

And returning – Crimecall, Scannal 

RTÉ documentaries celebrate some of our people and places, marking the unique aspects of our culture and history, with highlights to include: 

  • Keelin Shanley: Faraway, Still Close An intimate, poignant but ultimately uplifting look back at Keelin Shanley’s life, career and battle with cancer, told through video clips; personal archive; and the words of Keelin herself and her husband Conor Ferguson.  
  • Cocooned Charming and often irreverent documentary from Ken Wardrop (His & HersMaking the Grade) explores how our older generation “cocooned” during the earlier stages of the coronavirus pandemic. 
  • David Brophy’s Frontline Choir Blown away by the bravery of the nation’s healthcare workers, David Brophy sets up his first ever nationwide choir as he hears their stories and puts a face to the people behind the PPE. 
  • Donie O’Sullivan: Capitol Man On January 6th, the nation was glued to CNN, witnessing live the storming of the US Capitol building. Providing a calm and informative commentary was a young Irish investigative journalist, Donie O’Sullivan. This documentary will tell how Donie went from a small town in Kerry to become an international household name. 
  • Yellow Sam Featuring unseen interviews from before his death, the extraordinary story of the racehorse owner and punter, Barney Curley – from his tough origins as a Catholic in Fermanagh, through his audacious betting coups and his charitable decision to “give a little back” by donating all of his winnings to charity and die penniless.  
  • The Way We Were Full of surprising revelations about our recent past the return of the compelling and hugely entertaining series of how we’ve lived our lives over the past 80 years. This season features: The Way We Loved, The Way We Wore, The Way We Played, and The Way We Were At Home. 
  • Treaty ’21 From the team behind the acclaimed popular history event, Election ’18. David McCullagh, Sineád O’Carroll and a panel of invited guests discuss and debate the approval in Dáil Éireann of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, on January 7th, 1922. This programme is the centre-piece of a day-long commemoration of that event across all of RTÉ’s platforms and channels. 
  • The Toy Shop captures a story of family, imagination and play as told by the owners and customers of fifteen independent toy shops around Ireland.   
  • The Irish Wedding a funny and poignant portrait of how the Irish celebrate love, family and friendship through the wedding day and in particular through the speeches. From Alex Fegan, (director of Older Than Ireland; The Confessors
  • The Meaning of Life Joe Duffy’s guests for the 15th series of the popular interview show include Rupert Everett, Jane Seymour, Eamonn Holmes, Mary Coughlan, Eamonn McCann, and EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness 
  • Ireland’s Wild Islands Spectacular new television series featuring the wildlife of Ireland’s most exposed and majestic islands. Presented by Eoin Warner. 
  • Droichid na hÉireann In this series, Lochlann Ó Mearáin will explore the rich architectural and historical heritage of Ireland’s most fascinating and visually spectacular bridges. 
  • Faoi Bhláth a documentary lifestyle programme looking at the food, medicine, healing, and beauty associated with Ireland’s wildflowers in the different habitats where they grow around Ireland both in and out of season. 
  • An tSlí Mary Kennedy goes on the journey of the National Famine Way.  
  • Ar an Sliabh documentary series that charts the lives and stories of people living on our mountains and hillsides both north and south of the Island of Ireland. 
  • The Islands Three-part geology series presented by Liz Bonnin that tells the story of our island – over-ground and under-water. This is a story billions of years in the making. Among issues covered: how coastal erosion and flooding have all shaped the rock. 

And for the lighter side of factual, a look at how we live and what we do. From houses to hotels, personal finance to weddings, pets to parenting. Our lives reflected, with expert advice always on hand 

  • Designed for Life Leading international interior designer Arlene McIntyre brings her knowledge, creativity and experience of working with her celebrity clients to this new six-part series  
  • Bungalow Bliss In this brand new four-part original series, under the watchful eye of Hugh Wallace, we will see four innovative architects, paired with four first time bungalow homeowners, who are seeking solutions for their dark and dated homes. 
  • Build Your Own (working title) Five very different homeowners take on the huge task of building their own home, taught and mentored by master builder and craftsman Harrison Gardner. 
  • At Your Service John and Francis Brennan are back with a new hour-long format, on a mission to help four owners of hospitality businesses on their journey through the pandemic, bringing them into the ‘new normal’ and ensuring they reinvigorate their businesses. 
  • Dr Eva’s Great Escape Series Two-part documentary series follows Dr Eva and Wyatt to see if they have finally managed to open the doors of Solar Alvura -their dream health hotel in Portugal. 
  • Peataí! Tess Fleming presents this new four-part pet series jam-packed with perfect pooches, cranky cats and excited alpacas. 
  • Saol an Tréidlia Ob doc series, following the daily lives of three very different veterinary practices in Limerick and Galway.  
  • Cad faoi na Tuismitheoirí Parenting series presented by Evelyn O’Rourke and Rónán Mac Niallais. 

And the return of audience favourites: The RotundaHow to be Good with MoneyThe Great House RevivalCheap Irish HousesSuper Garden, and Ear to the Ground

We’ve also got science and nature programmes for our younger viewers on RTÉ this season –  

Let’s Find Out is RTEjr’s science entertainment series, co-funded by Science Foundation Ireland. Set aboard the spaceship Curiosity, the show features an alien called Zoom who asks a question about planet earth and her crew try to answer it for her, along with the help of two children and a trip to somewhere spectacular! 

Bush Kids Four families out in the wild, where they’ll have to eat out, camp out and survive two nights in the wild. 

Wild Atlantic Kids A fun-filled adventure down the Wild Atlantic Way in a campervan with the Fortune family – Nellie (11), Eppie (8), Nan (6) and their dog Chubby. 

ENDS  

Date: Sunday 22 August 2021 

Images for download herehttps://we.tl/t-k19EGVwdO9 

For further information: Anne-Louise Foley, RTÉ Communications, foleya@rte.ie, 085 1288911 

———– 

NOTES TO EDITOR  

Further information on programmes 

The Killing of Fr. Niall Molloy (2×50) 

In 1985, Ireland was peak GUBU, moving statues, Live Aid and the Anglo-Irish Agreement. And a priest found dead in a couple’s bedroom after a society wedding at their large country home.  
The headlines screamed ‘scandal’ and rumours of an affair between Fr. Niall Molloy and Teresa Flynn abounded. Her husband, Richard Flynn, immediately admitted to attacking Fr. Niall during a row over drink, only for him to be acquitted of manslaughter in a trial that lasted less than a day, when a heart attack was cited as the possible cause of death. A month later, the inquest found Fr. Molloy had been beaten to death, but it was too late. Richard was a free man. 

False insurance claims, spiralling debt, a missing will and the theft of files by notorious criminal ‘The General’ only added to the intrigue, and accusations of a Church and State cover-up.  

Thirty-six years later, his family is still asking, ‘Who killed Fr. Niall Molloy’? and they may never get the answer. 

In this two-part series, we reveal the events that lead to Fr. Niall being killed. For the first time in an Irish documentary, the scene of the crime has been meticulously reconstructed in order to test the evidence and testimonies of what happened in Richard and Teresa’s bedroom that night.  

The Missing Children 

Co-produced by RTÉ and ITV, this feature documentary looks at a scandal which made headline news again in January of this year, when the final report from the enquiry was released, concluding that overall about 9,000 children died in18 institutions under investigation, and the Taoiseach Mícheál Martin apologised, describing the events as a “dark, difficult and shameful chapter” of Irish history. 

Focusing on the Tuam home where 796 babies are believed to have been buried in a sewage tank, The Missing Children will tell the powerful story of survivors and families uncovering the truth. Hundreds of children died of neglect or were forcibly adopted, from the notorious institution run by Bon Secours nuns. Producers True Vision and Nevision have followed the unfolding of events of the scandal as they have come to light over the last two years to make this definitive film. The Missing Children will tell the personal stories behind the international scandal which continues to affect lives in Ireland, the UK and the US. 

The Great Eircom Bust Out [W/T] (1 x 50) 

How the hope and enthusiasm that followed the floatation of Telecom Éireann in 1999 ended in disaster, debt and losses for those citizens of Ireland who dipped their toes into the Stock Market. This is the scarcely-believable story of how the Irish public was encouraged to invest in something they already owned. And with disastrous effects.  

 
Father of the Cyborgs (1 x 50 mins) 

A study of the work of Limerick-born neurologist and brain surgeon, Professor Philip Kennedy, whose controversial work in the United States is based on the interface between the human brain and computers. And who has recently implanted his own brain with a micro-chip. 

A version for TV of the documentary which recently wowed critics when it premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. 

Future Island (3 x 50 mins) 

This stripped series, presented over three consecutive nights by Liz Bonnin, is a celebration of Irish science and innovation, built around the idea that a brighter future is just around the corner. This live series will bring future innovation into the reality of the present day.  

Treaty ’21 (1 x 75 mins) 

From the team behind the acclaimed popular history event, Election ’18. David McCullagh, Sineád O’Carroll and a panel of invited guests discuss and debate the approval in Dáil Éireann of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, on January 7th, 1922. This programme is the centre-piece of a day-long commemoration of that event across all of RTÉ’s platforms and channels. 
 

Cold Case Collins (1 x 75 mins) 

A specially assembled team, including Dr. Marie Cassidy, and also featuring a cast of detectives, forensic scientists, historians and psychologists, re-opens the investigation into Irish history’s most contested killing: that of Michael Collins at Beál na Bláth, County Cork, in August, 1922. 

Ireland’s Dirty Laundry (2×50)  

Built on the testimony of those who worked in Ireland’s notorious Magdalene Laundries, this documentary series tells the shocking story of a shameful system, created by the Irish State, but supported by all levels of Irish society, in which over 10,000 women were kept for decades. This landmark series will bear witness to the women’s experiences in their own words, before during and after their time in the laundries, and show how, even today, attempts are continually being made to try to silence them. 

The Case I Can’t Forget  – Series 2 (4×50) 

Hit true crime format The Case I Can’t Forget returns to RTÉ One for a second series. It will deliver unvarnished, first-hand accounts from detectives who worked on some of Ireland’s toughest cases, to reveal not just the story of a crime, but the dedication necessary to solve one. In The Murder of Rachel O’Reilly, straight talking detective Pat Marry offers a frank account of his investigation into Joe O’Reilly, the man who murdered his wife, Rachel O’Reilly and who famously appeared on The Late Late Show to offer his theories on who was responsible. In the Kidnap of Don Tidey, retired Sergeant Major PJ Higgins of the Defence Forces takes us back to the chaotic search in 1983 for kidnapped Quinnsworth executive, Don Tidey. And in the Murders of Esther & Jessica McCann, retired Garda Sergeant Pat Treacy and Superintendent Martin Walker recall one of the most harrowing cases of their career, when Esther and her 18 month old daughter Jessica died in a house fire at their home in south Dublin.  
 

Crimes and Confessions (3×50)  

This groundbreaking three-part true crime series delves into the world of criminal investigation and how some detectives within An Garda Siochana in the 1970’s and 80s solved crimes. 

Crimes and Confessions portrays the men and the methods they used to solve murders, kidnappings and robberies at a time when crime was on the increase and the IRA was threatening the very security of the State. 

Featuring dramatic first-hand accounts from those who were there during this most turbulent time in Irish history, this landmark new series shines a light on the key witnesses involved and re-examines some of the most successful- and controversial- cases. 

The Bad Bank (2×50)  

The Bad Bank examines the National Asset Management Agency, established in the aftermath of Ireland’s financial collapse in 2009. Detailing the complex financial, political, economic and societal impacts of 12-years of NAMA and the country’s recovery, the two-part series features interviews with the decision makers, supporters and detractors and those most impacted by their decisions. 

Quinn Country (3×50)  

Quinn Country is the story of a man who personified Ireland’s boom and subsequently, its bust. Sean Quinn, the border billionaire, was the world’s biggest single loser in the 2008 global financial collapse. He’d gambled his business empire on a single investment and lost everything.  Reflecting on his remarkable rise and fall, in this three-part series, the words of Ireland’s former richest man – once worth five billion euro – reverberate around his 15,000 square foot house, “I made mistakes. The biggest was to invest in a bank”.  

David Brophy’s Frontline Choir 

Following on from the success of The High Hopes Choir, The Choir of Ages and David Brophy’s Unsung Heroes, world renowned conductor David Brophy is back with a brand-new three-part series. 

Throughout the course of the pandemic, the whole country was in awe of the nation’s healthcare workers. When the world stopped, they were the ones who kept on going, despite the risks involved. Blown away by their bravery, David wants to give their voices a platform. With first-hand experience of how therapeutic music can be, he brings them together musically – setting up his first ever nationwide choir as he hears their stories and puts a face to the people behind the PPE. What really happened in the hospitals, nursing homes and care facilities of Ireland during the pandemic? What sacrifices did our healthcare workers and their families make? How are they coping after a year and a half of working under the highest pressure imaginable? 

Over the course of the series, David will meet with healthcare workers from across the country as they begin their journey in a Level 5 lockdown, initially rehearsing on Zoom. Despite technical difficulties and with the help of Assistant Choir Director Róisín Savage, the group create a hugely emotive and powerful music video dedicated to their healthcare colleagues who lost their lives to Covid-19. The music video sees the choir sing an arrangement of the U2 song ‘Sometimes You Can’t Make it on Your Own’ and was fittingly filmed on the campus of St. Vincent’s University Hospital, projected onto the external wall of a building that served as a Covid-19 ward. 

As the country slowly opens up in line with Government guidelines, the series will watch on as the choir eventually meet for in person rehearsals. Bonding over their shared experiences they’ll begin to address their personal wounds from the pandemic and come together to perform at a very special one-off concert. 

Yellow Sam 

The extraordinary story of the recently deceased racehorse owner and punter, Barney Curley – from his tough origins as a Catholic in Fermanagh, through his audacious betting coups and his charitable decision to “give a little back” by donating all of his winnings to charity and die penniless. Featuring unseen interviews from before his death, this is Barney’s story in his own words.   

 
With God on Our Side (1×50) 
Marking the centenary of Partition, Mary McAleese examines the role religion played in causing and resolving conflict in Northern Ireland and the role it might yet play, if any, in fostering peace on this island in a more secular and diverse post-Brexit society. Her journey takes her back to her own roots in Ardoyne, North Belfast, from where her family was driven out by a Loyalist machine-gun attack on their home and the bombing of her father’s pub. In the course of the documentary, she meets former paramilitaries, preachers, politicians and peacemakers, including Pat Hume (widow of the late Nobel Peace Laureate, John Hume), Gerry Adams (former President of SInn Fein), Arlene Foster (former First Minister of Northern Ireland and DUP Leader), Naomi Long (Leader of the Alliance Party, the Rev. Harold Good (former President of the Irish Methodist Church, who, with Fr Alec Reid oversaw weapons de-commissioning), Alan McBride (whose wife and father-in-law were killed by the IRA in the Shankill fish shop bomb), Russell Watton (former UVF paramilitary turned PUP Councillor), Séanna Walsh (former IRA activist and H Block prisoner). She also meets young people, born after the Troubles ended, to gauge their sense of the present and future and the role that religion may or may not have to play in it. 

RTÉ Investigates 

From the team that brought you revelations into the plight of homeless rough sleepers, covid-19 in nursing homes, the treatment of whistleblowers and the open dealing of crack cocaine, RTÉ Investigates is set to reveal a number of major new investigations this season.  

Prime Time 

Prime Time continues to be at the very heart of public debate in Ireland, bringing audiences the important interviews, in-depth reports and delivering trusted journalistic analysis.  

Claire Byrne Live 

It’ll be a busy studio as always on Claire Byrne Live this season. Claire will host a mix of the best interviews and topical discussions, with the public getting their say on the issues that matter most. As ever, you can expect the unexpected when Claire Byrne Live returns on Monday September 6th at 10:35pm. 

Donie O’Sullivan: Capitol Man  

On January 6th this year, the nation was glued to CNN, witnessing live the storming of the US Capitol building. At the centre of this chaotic scene, providing a calm and informative running commentary, was a young Irish investigative journalist – Donie O’Sullivan. This one-hour documentary will tell Donie’s story, how he went from a small town in Co. Kerry to become an international household name at CNN. 

Designed for Life (6×25) 

Leading international interior designer, Arlene McIntyre, brings her knowledge, creativity and experience of working with her celebrity clients to the new 6-part RTÉ One series Designed for Life. In this series homeowners have the expertise of a leading designer to transform their home to a more liveable and attractive space. From an apartment in the Liberties to a lakeside detached house in Co. Cavan to a period home in Dublin 4, Arlene works with a variety of spaces and with budgets of different sizes. 

Cheap Irish Homes Series 2 (8×25)  

Maggie Molloy and Kieran McCarthy are back on RTÉ One with a new series of Cheap Irish Homes. Maggie will use her house hunting skills to help buyers find their very own piece of the Irish countryside. Maggie is looking for buyers with an open mind who are not afraid of a bit of work. In return she will reveal the kind of properties people would never have thought were within their reach.  Building engineer Kieran will advise the house hunters about the condition of the houses they are looking at and the levels of renovation that could be undertaken. 

In this new series, Maggie & Kieran will also be meeting homeowners who have renovated their own cheap Irish home to see how their projects turned out. With rising prices and supply issues can Maggie & Kieran succeed in their mission to find those Cheap Irish Homes

The Rotunda (6×50)  

Award winning series The Rotunda returns to RTÉ2 this Autumn with six new episodes charting the highs and lows of pregnancy and childbirth in the world’s longest running maternity hospital. Filmed during the most challenging time in living memory, this series follows 20 birth stories as parents-to-be, and staff manage the reality of childbirth in 2021. For some, pregnancy and birth will be without any medical complications while for others their journey to parenthood will have many challenges that will need to be overcome. This season will also dedicate one episode to revisiting some of the 56 previous birth stories filmed over Series 1 and 2 to find out what happened to those featured since then. 

At Your Service Goes Large 

With a new hour-long format, renowned hoteliers Francis and John Brennan are on a mission to help four owners of hospitality businesses on their journey through the Covid pandemic, bringing them into the ‘new normal’ and ensuring they reinvigorate their businesses. 

Cocooned (1×50) 

In this charming and often irreverent documentary, Director Ken Wardrop (His & Hers, Making the Grade) explores how our older generation “cocooned” during the earlier stages of the coronavirus pandemic. 

On March 29th 2020, 25 days after the first death from the Covid-19 virus was reported in Ireland, then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar addressed the nation. During his landmark speech he instructed those over 70 and people who were extremely vulnerable to stay at home at all times and avoid any outside face-to-face contact. The policy would be known as “cocooning”. Not everyone was happy with this policy but most people accepted what was being asked of them. The rest, as they say, is history. 

An unexpectedly light-hearted film that celebrates our elderly friends, neighbours and family members’ resilient spirits through the turbulent and scary Covid times 

The Way We Were – Series 2 

As we all move anxiously through a period of unprecedented social change – reinventing how we live our lives, The Way We Were is, once again, a timely assessment of the Irish national identity as seen through the everyday lives of ordinary people since the official formation of the state in1937. Full of surprising revelations about our recent past – as viewed through the recollections & observations of well-known Irish Personalities, pundits & experts – The Way We Were builds into a richly compelling & hugely entertaining revaluation of how we’ve lived our lives over the past 80 years. This year features: The Way We Loved, The Way We Wore, The Way We Played, and The Way We Were At Home.  
 

The Irish Wedding (1×50)  

The Irish Wedding is a funny and poignant portrait of how the Irish celebrate love, family and friendship through the wedding day and in particular through the speeches. From best men to bridesmaids to fathers and mothers and the bride and groom, this is the one time many Irish people stand up and speak… From the director of Older Than Ireland and Abbeyfealegood. 

The Toy Shop (1×50) 

The Toy Shop captures a story of family, imagination and play as told by the owners and customers of fifteen independent toy shops around Ireland.  From the director of Older Than Ireland and Abbeyfealegood 

Bungalow Bliss (4×50)  

The Irish bungalow; an iconic cheap housing solution that quickly became a quintessential Irish phenomenon. They first jumped out onto our landscape in the 1970s as a series of easy-to-follow design catalogues flooded the country and became the peoples’ housing solution, allowing a new generation of families to build their own homes for the first time. 

The simple structures became an integral part of Ireland’s architectural DNA that are now dotted around every inch of our countryside. While many have fallen out of love with the humble bungalow for some they are an opportunity to, yet again, create a better life. 

In this brand new four-part original series for RTÉ One, we will see four innovative architects, paired with four first time bungalow homeowners, who are desperately seeking a solution to their dark, damp, dated homes. 

Under the watchful eye of presenter Hugh Wallace, our four celebrated architectural practices will redesign these humble bungalows and reimagine them into beautiful bespoke homes, fit for the way we want to live today. The series will showcase not only the transformative effect good architecture can have on our lives but also on our landscape. 

Build Your Own (working title)  

This brand-new series will tell the stories of five very different homeowners from around the country as they take on the huge task of building their own home. Each family / individual taking on their own self build will be taught and mentored by master builder and craftsman Harrison Gardner who believes that anyone can learn how to build.  From a suburban Dublin extension to a brand-new build in West Cork this series features real people with small budgets but big ambitions. 

Ireland’s Wild Islands 

Spectacular new television series featuring the wildlife of Ireland’s most exposed and majestic islands. Revealing striking animal behaviour set in remote storm ravaged locations and all filmed with the very latest camera techniques, Ireland’s Wild Islands will feature the challenges our wild creatures face to survive on and around Ireland’s isolated island outposts. A classic sailboat will be host Eoin Warner’s home for the series and he will begin his voyage off Ireland’s northern islands Rathlin & Inishtrahull before sailing down Ireland’s west coast seeking out the islands and secret places where wild creatures thrive as they have for millennia. 

Peataí  

What do an anxious parrotlet, a terrified terrier and a disco-dancing turtle all have in common?! They’re just some of the stars of Peataí! – a new four-part pet series jam-packed with perfect pooches, cranky cats and excited alpacas hitting RTÉ screens this Autumn. Inviting Gaelgeoirí from every corner of Ireland to a pop-up clinic at the Ark Farm in Newtownards, Co Down, presenter Tessa Fleming and a host of animal experts answer questions and queries about every kind of creature, great or small! Vet Ellen Hegarty has her work cut out with a ball python with a scaly skin problem, while behaviourist Paula Doohan puts manners on pups (but mostly owners) with sass and style. Groomer Paul Ó Gallachóir has tips for everything from overgrown paws to water weary Westies, and even has some advice for presenter Tessa about her own dog Coco’s very bad breath! Celebrating all that is wonderful about our furry and feathery friends, Peataí! Is the purr-fect watch for animal-lovers everywhere! 

Saol an Tréidlia (4 x 30) 

Ob doc series, following the daily lives of three very different veterinary practices in Limerick and Galway.  

Cad faoi na Tuismitheoirí (4 x 30)  

Parenting series presented by Evelyn O’Rourke and Rónán Mac Niallais. 

Keelin Shanley: Faraway, Still Close (1 x 60)  

An intimate, poignant but ultimately uplifting look back at Keelin Shanley’s life, career and battle with cancer, told through video clips; personal archive; and the words of Keelin herself and her husband Conor Ferguson. This is an emotionally charged, but life-affirming portrait of a young woman, who played a significant role in Irish public life, as an investigative journalist and news anchor. It is also the story of a mother and wife who faced two bouts of cancer with grace and determination. This battle would reach its greatest challenge just as she was reaching the peak of her career – while also trying to settle into a falling-down house by the sea. 

Keelin Shanley was a groundbreaking investigative journalist and RTÉ News anchor, as well as a beloved wife and mother. Just as she reached the peak of her career, she was confronted by the greatest challenge of her life. 

In this highly personal, hour-long documentary we get an incredible insight into how Keelin felt about stage 4 cancer, how she fought it, and how she faced the end of her life, with honesty and humour. 

Dr Eva’s Great Escape  

In this two-part documentary series we’re back following Eva and Wyatt to see if they have finally managed to open the doors of Solar Alvura – their dream health hotel in Portugal. In this new series, we will pick up where we left off, following the honest to a fault couple from the fall out of the ill-fated party to the never-ending highs and lows and lockdowns which lay ahead. With the clock ticking on when they have to start paying back their huge loans, the couple have no choice but to open the hotel as soon as possible. This fly on the wall series will follow them as they reveal the true cost of trying to turn your dream into a reality. 

The Irish Civil War (3×50) 

Major new series from by the multi-awarding winning team behind the Great Hunger and the Irish Revolution. The Irish Civil War will tell the story of the civil war that raged through Ireland in 1922 and 1923 while also revealing an in-depth analysis of its root causes and origins, its political and social complexities and its wide ranging and long-lasting legacy. 

The Meaning of Life (8×26) 
Joe Duffy’s guests for the 15th series of the popular interview show include Rupert Everett, Jane Seymour, Eamonn Holmes, Mary Coughlan, Eamonn McCann, and EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness 

Droichid na hÉireann (6×30)  
From road and railway bridges to viaducts and aqueducts, to footbridges and stone bridges, Ireland has some of the most amazing bridges in Europe. These bridges span not only some of our greatest scenic rivers, gorges and cliffs but the centuries too. In this series, actor as presenter Lochlann Ó Mearáin will explore the rich architectural and historical heritage of Ireland’s most fascinating and visually spectacular bridges. 

Faoi Bhláth (13×30)  
Documentary lifestyle programme looking at the food, medicine, healing, and beauty associated with Ireland’s wildflowers in the different habitats where they grow around Ireland both in and out of season. 

An tSlí (2×30 )  

Mary Kennedy goes on the journey of the National Famine Way.  

Ar an Sliabh (6×30)  

Documentary series that charts the lives and stories of people living on our mountains and hillsides both north and south of the Island of Ireland.