Factual
112 Days – Man Vs Ocean emotional and reflective adventure documentary that follows Damian Browne and Fergus Farrell’s thrilling voyage as they attempt the impossible: traversing the unforgiving Atlantic Ocean in a small two-person rowboat. Their extraordinary journey will not only test their bodies but also push the boundaries of their relationships with each other, their families, and themselves.
Stardust
In the early hours of the morning of Saturday 14th February 1981 a fire occurred at the Stardust Ballroom in Artane, Dublin in which forty-eight persons tragically lost their lives. ‘Stardust’ is a major documentary series which will provide a 360-degree perspective on the Stardust fire including first-person testimony from many who have not spoken publicly before. The series will take account of the verdicts in the Stardust inquest – currently underway in Dublin. The largest inquest in the history of the state is expected to last up to six months, hearing evidence from over 300 witnesses.
Patrick: A Young Traveller Lost
Patrick ‘A Young Traveller Lost’ is a ground-breaking documentary for RTÉ shining a light on the urgent and sensitive issue of the alarmingly high suicide rates among the Irish Traveller community through the harrowing, deeply personal story of 12-year-old Patrick McDonagh from Finglas. Suicide rates within the Irish Traveller community have long been a cause for concern, yet the issue often remains unaddressed. 12-year-old Patrick lost his life to suicide a year ago. Sensitively following his parents, Michelle and Pat, as they come to terms with their loss, the film explores the wider multifaceted challenges facing the community and highlights the devastating impact on those left behind. Through the compelling first-hand account of Bernie Power, a Traveller Outreach worker from Kilkenny, we come to understand the inner turmoil of those from the Traveller community struggling with poor mental health and the real-life positive impact of reaching out for help. The loss of Patrick’s young life sent shockwaves through the Traveller community, sounding an alarm that we must, collectively, face this issue head on. “Patrick: A Young Traveller Lost” allows the Traveller community the platform through which to do so in their own words.
Dr Cassidy’s Casebook – the Femicide Cases
Former State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy reviews some of the many cases of Femicide she investigated during her career and tries to understand why women continue to be abused and killed by men. Talking to families, experts and politicians, are there any safeguards and solutions? Former State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy reviews some of the many cases of Femicide she investigated during her career and tries to understand why women continue to be abused and killed by men. Talking to families, experts and politicians, are there any safeguards and solutions?
Richie Sadlier – Let’s Talk About Sex
This compelling series takes viewers on a transformative journey, led by ex-footballer turned psychotherapist Richie Sadlier. Through the eyes and opinions of transition year school students, this series explores Ireland’s sex education history, presents its current state, and challenges us to envision a more inclusive and progressive future. This series made in the wake of a proposed new curriculum is poised to spark a nationwide conversation about the need for a more progressive and effective approach to sex education.
Climate Live 2050
Climate Live 2050 is a fictitious current affairs programme set in the future. It is January 2050 and at the United Nations in New York, the leaders of the world gather for a make-or-break climate summit. Swedish Prime Minister Greta Thunberg is determined to push through a raft of unprecedented binding measures. Presenters Mark Little and Carla O’Brien guide the RTÉ viewers through the breaking news moments on a seismic night, as climate change pushes the planet to a moment of crisis. In our TV studio in Dublin, an impressive roster of experts and augmented-reality graphic explainers decipher a range of complex issues for the audience. Meanwhile a team of intrepid roving reporters link live by satellite to the studio, offering energetic analysis and immediate reactions from multiple locations around the world, as they piece together the comprehensive global picture. Sometimes the stories will evoke despair, at other times they lean in to best case scenarios of hope and resilience. But above all, CLIMATE LIVE 2050 will attempt to harness the power of present tense storytelling to generate fresh perspectives and conversations about the most pressing global issue of our time: climate action. NOTE: The future scenarios in the programme will be rooted in the IPCC’s report.
A Climate of Change
Our weather and climate is changing, as well as our abilities to adapt and reinvent our economy. Change is coming one way or another. This is the decisive decade for humankind in tackling its greatest challenge in the modern era, it’s also the decade that we will start to see climate change first hand. But what can we expect and plan for? Grander in scope and ambition than anything previously attempted on film or TV on this subject, this creative documentary series will show what climate change will really mean for our civilisation this century and beyond. Presenter Philip Boucher-Hayes will journey to the cold face of climate change in every continent, revealing what the latest climate changes really means for people there and how the implications of climate impacts in distant parts of the world will have implications all the way back home. Philip will explore how civilisations must learn to adapt to changes that are now baked in and will also show how we might reinvent our economy, re-imagine our landscapes, rebuild our infrastructure and challenge us to become the “greatest generation” since WWII.
Heated
Climate change is an existential crisis. Heated is a factual series that looks at the implications of that change for the actual and lived lives of the people in this country – telling stories of hope, inspiration and practical endeavor as we push to cut emissions. Stories will try to find the intersection between climate change and climate action - for individuals, families, communities and industry.
DRAMA
Hidden Assets
Hidden Assets returns to our screens this Autumn with a six-part second season, set between Limerick and Antwerp, Belgium. Over a year has passed since the events in season one and the stage is set for an exciting season full of twists and turns. Claire (Nora-Jane Noone) is new to the fold as the lead Detective Sergeant in charge at the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) and faces a sudden challenge – a coordinated cyber-attack targeting CAB and the Belgian Counter-Terrorist Unit (CTU), with a connection to the Brannigan case. Bibi (Simone Kirby), under threat from Richard Melnick’s business partner Swann, resurfaces with some new and crucial information unveiling dark details on how Richard ran his company Trestford and reveals there’s a mole in CTU.
In the face of growing violence and ever higher stakes, Claire and Christian must join forces to uncover the mole and expose the truth about Trestford and Swann: it’s a race against time to stop the sale of Antwerp Port.
Cast includes the return of Simone Kirby (His Dark Materials, Jimmy’s Hall), Wouter Hendrickx, Cathy Belton (Red Rock, Philomena) and Aaron Monaghan (The Banshees of Inisherin, Redemption of a Rogue). Nora-Jane Noone joins the cast (Wildfire, Magdalene Sisters).
The Gone
A new six-part thriller set in New Zealand written by Anne McPartlin and Michael Bennett. The Gone sees, a young Irish couple Ireland go missing, with a potential Irish crime family involved in their disappearance, leading to a joint New Zealand and Irish crime investigation. The lead Irish detective is played by Richard Flood, most recently starring in Grey’s Anatomy. The Gone is co-produced by Blinder Films and Kingfisher Films, in association with Southern Light Films (New Zealand) for RTÉ and TV New Zealand, with international distribution handled by Red Arrow Studios.
Obituary
Obituary is a dark comedy crime drama in which the newspaper that 24-year-old Elvira Clancy works for, falls into hard times and she is now being paid per obituary. When deaths trickle to a halt and work dries up, Elvira soon discovers that by murdering the unpleasant residents in her small town, she will not only earn more money but discovers she has an untapped bloodlust. The only problem for her lies with the paper’s new hire, Emerson Stafford, a suspicious crime correspondent who she begins to develop feelings for.
Starring a line-up of renowned Irish actors – Siobhan Cullen (“The Dry”) who takes the lead as Elvira Clancy, Michael Smiley (“Bad Sisters”, “Bloodlands”) as Elvira’s protective and troubled father Ward Clancy; Ronan Raftery (“The Rook”, Mortal Engines, “The Terror”) as ambitious new crime correspondent Emerson Stafford. Directed by John Hayes (“Dublin Murders”, “Bancroft”).
The Dry – Season 2
We now meet the Sheridan’s in their new normal. To all outward appearances, it seems like the family is relatively content: Shiv’s been sober, celibate, and solvent for six months, Ant has hung onto his job at the estate agents and his relationship with Max, and Caroline’s making up for a lost time by shagging everyone she meets on Tinder. So far, so normal… Or is it? After all, how normal is it for three grown adults to still be living at home with their parents? And are the Sheridans really happy with this new status quo, or have they just rearranged their dysfunction and found another groove of denial to fit into? Shiv is determined to get sobriety right this time, to cut the toxic influences out of her life for good. But what if the biggest threat to Shiv’s stability turns out to be closer to home? Giving up alcohol is one thing…but what about giving up your family?
Season two of the eight-part comedy drama written by BAFTA-nominated screenwriter Nancy Harris (Dates) and directed by Paddy Breathnach (Viva, Rosie) will see the return of Roisin Gallagher (The Fall) as recovering alcoholic Shiv Sheridan, accompanied by an exciting array of new cast arrivals. Michael McElhatton (Game of Thrones) joins the series as Finbar, Bernie’s new close companion, whilst Thommas Kane Byrne (Derry Girls) plays Billy, Ant’s new nemesis. Could real love also finally be in the air for Shiv, with the arrival of charming barista Alex, played by Sam Keeley (Kin)? Additional newcomers include Seán Doyle (Normal People), Helen Norton (Cracks) and Ruth Codd (The Midnight Club). Familiar faces also reprising their roles include Ciarán Hinds (Belfast) as Tom, Pom Boyd (Vanity Fair) as Bernie.
Blackshore
From the creators of Smother comes a new mystery thriller Blackshore follows DI Fia Lucey (Lisa Dwan), a laser- focused, ambitious detective who is haunted by her tragic past – a past she keeps locked away and unexplored.
After a series of “undue force” allegations, Fia is banished from her high-octane position to a rural backwater – uncomfortably close to her hometown. While there, she is charged with investigating a missing person case: a woman from Blackshore who has disappeared in mysterious circumstances. The case brings a reluctant Fia face to face with her traumatic past and back into the fold of a community who are still processing the unwelcome attention that her historical case brought to the town: a town that remains steeped in its own secrets and lies.
Blackshore is a dark thriller that explores the DNA of one town’s relationship with shame, guilt and the price of success. Created by writer Kate O’Riordan (Smother, The Bay) and directed by Daithí Keane (Smother, An Klondike), the series is produced by Treasure Entertainment/BBC Studios and stars Lisa Dwan (Top Boy, Bloodlands), Rory Keenan (Striking Out, The Duchess), Stanley Townsend (The Tunnel, Redwater), Andrew Bennett (An Cailín Ciúin, Resistance) Amy De Bhrún (Line of Duty, Vikings), Jade Jordan (You Are Not My Mother, Rosie) and Aidan McArdle (Deadly Cuts, Mr. Selfridge)
The Boy That Never Was
The Boy That Never Was is based on the Sunday Times bestselling debut novel of the same name by Irish author Karen Perry. Tangier, Morocco – a bustling, vibrant, seductive city, now home to struggling artists Harry, Robin and their three-year-old son, Dillon. With little support and money tight, adapting to life as new parents in their friend Cozimo’s tiny apartment hasn’t been easy but despite the sleep deprivation, the couple remain devoted to their little boy. And then one evening, everything changes. Harry leaves a sleeping Dillon alone for the briefest of moments when an earthquake hits Tangier. Harry races back to rescue his child, only to find his apartment in rubble and no evidence of Dillon. Three years later, thousands of miles away in Dublin, Harry spots a six-year-old boy in a crowd – a boy he is convinced is Dillon. Harry must prove his son is alive, even if he can’t quite believe it himself. Can the boy really be Dillon? How far will Harry go to find their lost son? The Boy That Never Was is a deeply atmospheric and masterfully crafted tale of love and loss that will chill you to the bone.
STORYLAND – Wrapped (Pipedream Productions & Alfonso Films)
Two Irish women travel through airport security with thousands of euro worth of cocaine strapped to their bodies, hoping to leave their past behind. Starring Ella Lily Hyland (Fifteen Love, A Thousand Blows) and Lauryn Canny (Normal People, Dating Amber). Written by Tracy Martin, produced by Claire McCabe and directed by Mia Mullarkey.
Falling for the Life of Alex Whelan (Pure Divilment Pictures)
A young Chinese Irish woman meets the man of her dreams at a foreign language film club. She discovers the next day through social media that he has died. Piecing together who he was through his online life, she begins to wonder what could have been. Starring: Chris Walley (Young Offenders, Bloodlands, 1917, The Last Voyage of the Demeter), Lila Coleman (Normal People) David Rawle (Moone Boy, Song of the Sea) Written by Nell Hensey and produced by Claire Mooney.
The Cousin Dan, a young artist, submits to a prestigious art college with his project The Saints of Fairfield, an installation using projection mapping and archival photography. In the park close by where he lives, Dan projects portraits of people who lived in his neighbourhood over the years but have passed on due to old age, crime, overdose, suicide or emigration. When his application is successful an opportunity arises for him to escape a predetermined life path. But first he needs to sit down and get his cousin’s blessing, which might be easier said than done. Written and directed by Stevie Russell and produced by Michael Donnelly, The Cousin will be broadcast later in the year on RTÉ2 as well as RTÉ Player. Casting was directed by Dawn Mac Allister with several discoveries including leading man Adam Lennon-Collery lining up alongside established talent such as Fionn Ó Liongsigh (What Richard Did, Cardboard Gangsters) and Sharon Mannion (Bridget & Eamon, Prosperity). Cinematography is by JJ Rolfe (Kin, Witness No. 3) and Production Design by Mark Kelly (Blackshore, Smother).
Fair City A season of explosive drama awaits Fair City’s Carrigstown this Autumn. A kidnapping looks set to go horribly wrong when Zak, James and Bo meet at dawn where they plan to hold their victim. They trio are left speechless when a turn of events leads to a catastrophic error. Will their victim be able to escape in time? Pete decides that a belated stag do for Ray is the perfect excuse for a lad’s weekend trip. Ray grudgingly agrees, but little does he know that a weekend in the wilderness awaits for him and Pete, leading to a test of their survival skills. Dearbhla is unsettled by an encounter with Fergal and turns to Dean for comfort. Meanwhile, Joan receives news about her search for a kidney donor, and in return, Gar is faced with a huge decision.
The Nobody Zone Interview with an Irish Serial Killer
A two-part television series Based on the Acclaimed RTÉ DOC ON One Podcast. In a forgotten London underworld, a homeless Irishman Kieran Kelly killed multiple times without detection, unseen in a world where nobody seemed to care. But following his arrest in 1983 for the relatively minor theft of a wedding ring, Kelly admitted to a series of brutal murders going back 30 years. The audio tape of that original 1983 police interview with Kieran Kelly came to light recently – the only known recorded interview with an Irish serial killer. On tape, Kelly recounts his crimes with spine-chilling candour and convinces the police that they are in the presence of Ireland and the UK’s most prolific and dangerous killer. This extraordinary interview is the starting point for a new two-part RTÉ television series exploring the twilight world of Kieran Kelly – who gained notoriety as the London Underground serial killer. The television series follows the award-winning Podcast The Nobody Zone (2020) from RTÉ’s Doc On One team.
ARTS AND CULTURE
RTÉ Culture Night: Live at Dún Lúiche
RTÉ One television will celebrate Culture Night in Donegal on Friday 22nd September. Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh will present an hour-long live music and arts programme from Dún Lúiche (Dunlewey) in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht. In a lakeside setting in the shadow of Mount Errigal, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra will be joined by a host of guest performers from the worlds of post-punk, R&B and indie rock for a feast of music. Over the waves on beautiful Oileán Árainn Mhór (Arranmore Island) off the Donegal coast, leaders of the Irish folk revival Ye Vagabonds will perform on the beachfront amphitheatre. The show will also feature a range of events happening around the country for Culture Night from the worlds of spoken word, poetry, dance and street theatre.
An Old Song Re-Sung
Marking the 100th anniversary of the country’s accession to the League of Nations, ‘An Old Song Re-Sung’ is a live concert event that tells a story of Ireland in music, performance, word and song. Produced by South Wind Blows, this production features a wide and varied cast of well-known Irish musicians, writers, performers and actors. The concert will be recorded in front of a live audience at the RDS on October 7th next and will be broadcast on RTÉ One Television, RTÉ Player and RTÉ Radio One on Monday, October 30th.
IRISH LANGUAGE
Aistear an Amhráin
You’ve heard them sung at parties, across the airwaves, on tv and in film. Some have travelled the world with countless versions, while others have that definitive one that you love. But do you know the stories behind some of Ireland’s most popular songs? In this new four-part series, Aistear an Amhráin looks at the social and cultural history, the myths, and the quirky tales, in the company of lovers of song, and those that have made these songs what they are. Seán Ó Riada’s timeless Mná na hÉireann; the Sawdoctors’ heartbreaking emigration anthem N17; The Dubliner’s much-loved bawdy ballad Monto; and we begin the series with a look at the fist pumping, divisive rebel anthem Come Out Ye Black and Tans.
The Hothouse Flowers doc
The Hothouse Flowers, is a one-hour doc marking 35 years since the Flowers recorded their seminal album “People”. The album became one of the anthemic albums of a generation and, 35 years on, Fiachna Ó Braonáin and Liam Ó Maonlaí reflect on that whirlwind year, and the highs and lows it would usher in for them all.
Scannal
A new series of acclaimed social history series Scannal looks back at the stories that shocked and shaped us as a nation. This season, we look back at, among other stories, the disappearance in 1977 of 6-year-old Mary Boyle, the national rollercoaster that was the attempt to introduce water charges in Ireland and how Killorglin’s Puck Fair felt the heat of the heatwave – and the tabloids – in 2022.
Seisiún
Four iconic live music venues synonymous with Traditional and Folk music are opening their doors to acclaimed singer and musician Muireann Nic Amlaoibh showcasing the best and brightest of bands, musicians and singers who have proud associations with these much-cherished family run venues. The Saw Doctors, Mick Flannery, Stockton’s Wing, Lisa Canny and the 4 of Us join us to celebrate the rich musical heritage of Campbell’s Tavern in Galway, The Cobblestone in Dublin, Connollys of Leap in West Cork and McGrory’s of Culdaff, Donegal. Trailblazing new talent such as Clare Sands, Inni-K, Strung, Matthew Berrill, The Friel Sisters and Cormac McCarthy are just some of the names who cut their musical teeth performing live in these special spaces and they join in this unique celebration.
Bog Amach
In this returning series, presenter Emer Mhic an Fhailí helps six couples and families to relocate from overseas, from city to country, and from rural idyll to city bustle. We follow a first-time buyer; a family hoping to live on an island; a young couple relocating to Ireland from New Zealand; a couple returning from Canada after 33 years and bringing their beloved Scottish wolfhounds; a buyer making the reverse move from deepest countryside to city living and a young couple desperate to trade up.
Ar An Sliabh
During Lockdown Ar An Sliabh captivated audiences with its honest depiction of the lives of ordinary people living in and on Ireland’s mountains. The popular series returns this Autumn, following communities living in Cnoc Bhréanainn in Kerry, at the foot of An Earagail in Donegal and in the Glens of Antrim. It captures the everyday ups and downs of life in these remote communities, from a young family dealing pragmatically with long-term illness to people moving back home after years in big cities – and the older generation planning for a sustainable future for their children and grandchildren.
Viva Mary
Mary, a vibrant 90-year-old, has an insatiable zest for life. In this beautiful new documentary, film maker Cathal Ó Cuaig meets mother, grandmother and Connemara native Mary Lambe, daughter of the painter Charles Lambe, as she looks back at her less-than-ordinary life. Growing up in 1930s Connemara, she is inspired by her father’s love for the landscape and people of the west, but also awakened to inequality and feminism by the poverty around her. After World War II, she defies conventions by dedicating herself to educating disabled children in England. She survives her husband’s bankruptcy and in retirement embarks on a daring Mediterranean solo sailing life. This life-affirming film celebrates a devoted Irish grandmother, mother, friend, musician and adventurer.
Foclóir Brille
Award winning, outspoken, outrageous (and bilingual) stand-up comic Bláithín de Burca takes us on a jubilant, no-holds-barred journey where no comedian has ever gone before: deep into the past, present and future of the Irish language in search of wild, wise and wanton women’s words. Her aim: to delve into our linguistic past in order to reignite a uniquely Irish experience of womanhood. Combining comedy and cutting-edge academic study, this joyous documentary follows Bláithín’s journey around Ire-land in search of old and new words and material for a new comedy routine as Gaeilge.
Peataí Vet Ellen Hegarty, groomer Paul Ó Gallachóir and animal behaviourist Paula Doohan return to our screens this Autumn, giving pet owners from across Ireland a chance to get answers to their pets’ problems. Fleming follows our experts as they work their way through a packed roster of disobedient dogs, ailing fe-lines and excitable exotics to help pet owners and their pets through problems big and small.
Dolores@70
In a very special new TV event, we mark the 70th birthday of singer and national treasure Dolores Keane. We follow her as she returns to the wellspring of her music, her aunts’ cottage in Caherlistrane in Co. Galway, and performs some of her best-loved songs surrounded by four generations of family, and a host of Irish talent, including Paul Brady, Mick Hanly and many more.
ENTERTAINMENT
The Late Late Show
Friday, September 15th heralds the start of a brand-new chapter in The Late Late Show story as our new host Patrick Kielty brings his own inimitable style to the world’s longest-running live chat show and the best in Irish entertainment, music, and comedy
The Tommy Tiernan Show
Tommy Tiernan is back with the eighth season of his improvised chat show. Tommy brings a genuine curiosity to every exchange. He thrives on the adrenaline of conversations without any preparation and where nothing is off limits. Tommy can connect with a diverse selection of guests. Sometimes his guests are well-known, sometimes Tommy doesn’t know anything about the person sitting across from him. But always, Tommy has no idea who will turn up. With this inquisitive and articulate host, every conversation has the potential for great honesty and insight. He has the ability to explore emotional depth with his surprise guests, and sometimes there’s dark humour and freewheeling wildness too. After seven successful seasons, Tommy is at the top of his game. Everyone, including Tommy, wants to know who the next guest is. The Tommy Tiernan Show returns in January 2024 for the eighth season, which has been extended to 16 shows.
Dancing with the Stars
Audience favourite, Dancing with the Stars will make winter nights sparkle again as Jennifer Zamparelli & Doireann Garrihy sprinkle glitter over a brand-new bunch of hopeful twinkle toed celebrities. The brave 11 with be paired with professional dancers and board a rollercoaster ride as they attempt to master a whole host of dances ranging from the Samba to the Cha Cha but who will Foxtrot their way to the final and get their hands on the infamous glitterball trophy.
The Full Irish Hidden Camera Show
Doireann, Donncha and Carl from 2FM’s breakfast show are back to prank the nation in ‘The Full Irish Hidden Camera Show’. Over this fun-packed family entertainment series, members of the public will be pulled into bizarre and outrageous situations, but how will they react? Doireann, Donncha & Carl from 2FM’s breakfast show are once again hitting the road to prank the nation in their hidden camera comedy show. They’ll be donning disguises and creating chaos, but will members of the public see the funny side of their behaviour or run a mile? How will people react when ‘phone guru’ Carl destroys their mobile phone in his new ‘Superboost’ charging machine? Or when Donncha’s new paintball business destroys the bridal gown at a nearby wedding? At the teeth whitening clinic, Doireann and Donncha offer free sessions to lucky passers-by. But who will hang around when they see the dentist in blood splattered scrubs? At the beach in Kinsale, Doireann asks people to watch her baby basket while she gets something from the car. A shock is in store when the blanket is pulled back to reveal Donncha’s baby face! The Full Irish Hidden Camera show is crammed full of pranks as people, out-and-about and minding their own business, are pulled down the rabbit hole into bizarre situations by the terrible breakfast show trio. And when it’s revealed that it’s all just a big set-up, the public handle it graciously…most of the time…
Ireland’s Fittest Family
New presenter Laura Fox is on the hunt to find the nation’s Fittest Family. She’s not the only new kid on the block, as legendary athlete Sonia O’Sullivan will be joining Nina Carberry, Davy Fitzgerald and Donncha O’Callaghan to push the families to their limits and over the finish line for the coveted title and 15,000 Euro. Ireland’s Fittest Family is returning to the beautiful Rathbeggan Lakes in County Meath to film this year’s Heats. The Quarter Finals are at a brand new location – Finnegan’s Farm in Co Meath, a fifth-generation potato farm in the heart of the Boyne Valley. The Semi-Finals will drag the families through the muddy swamps of Hell & Back in Kilruddery, Co Wicklow. This year’s Grand Final will be held in and around Dublin’s Docks, with epic events designed push the finalist families to their limits.
Love In The Country
Former All-Ireland winning camogie captain Anna Geary is the host of Love In the Country the new RTÉ series aimed at helping rural singletons find love. The show will centre around seven rural romantics, all of whom are looking for love but feel their locations make it more difficult to meet someone. The series features men and women from different backgrounds living and working in rural Ireland, who would like to find someone to share their lives with. Each of the daters featured has ties to where they live and need love to come to them. Love in the Country is based on the international format of Farmer Wants a Wife, which has matched hundreds of couples successfully all over the world. From letters, the rural singletons will each choose a number of daters to have a speed date with – inviting their favourite three to spend a weekend with them and try out country living for themselves.
First Dates
Prepare to be seduced. The First Dates Restaurant is about to reopen (it’s the door on the left marked ‘pull’) for another season of heartfelt desires, secret passions, killer lines, risky banter, awkward moments, bombastic side-eye, juicy gossip and jaw-dropping revelations as a new batch of hopeful singletons arrive for their date with destiny. On hand as always with kind words of encouragement, shoulders to cry on and insightful observations on love and life and are Maitre D’ Mateo Saina, table angels Alice and Pete and Neil, the world’s friendliest barman. Probably. Here – everyone has an equal chance to find romance: young, old, straight, LGBTQ, shrinking violets and strutting peacocks alike. Expect drama, delight, butterflies, burst bubbles, fireworks, freakouts, hilarity and humility – it’s all good.
Today Show
Ireland’s most successful and longest running afternoon show – the TODAY show returns for the12th season – and there are more than a few surprises in store! Dáithí, Maura and Sinéad return with the best mix of food, fun, fashion and famous faces from Irish TV. All the old favorites will return. We’ll get the best recipes and secret cooking tips from the nation’s top household culinary stars. All your dilemma’s will again be dissected by Noel and Ciara, Gamechangers will again shed light on a piece of Irish history with far reaching consequences and we’ll continue to raid the RTE archives for your viewing pleasure. The ever-popular 50/50 quiz returns, and we have brand new competitions and great cash giveaways galore. Friday wouldn’t be Friday without the hugely popular ‘make-over’. Pam and Marc head up a crack team of stylists, designers and make-up artists who are on standby to give our deserving TODAY show viewers the pampering of a lifetime!
The Young Offenders
The BBC in association with RTÉ have recommissioned hit comedy The Young Offenders from producers Vico Films. This series follows on from the hugely successful TV series, the 2018 Christmas special which aired for the first time on BBC One and the box office smash feature film from 2016. Series 2 and 3, filmed back-to-back in 2019, proved massive draws for audiences not only in Ireland and the UK, but across the world, and the show garnered critical acclaim for its sensitive yet hilarious storytelling and performances.
The Money List
The Money List, hosted by Baz Ashmawy is a brand new Sunday night quiz show, where teams of complete strangers are challenged to fill in missing answers on a list. The more lists they complete, the more money they win. The lists can be about anything, from ‘Presidents of the USA’ to ‘Madonna Hit Singles’. Can perfect strangers become a winning partnership to bank the big bucks? Find out on The Money List.
YOUNG PEOPLE
Young Peoples’ programmes on RTÉjr and RTÉ2
A safe space for young people to watch native content, RTÉjr offers programmes which are ad free and available in Safe Mode on RTÉ Player. This season, the RTS Award-winning Storybud is back for a brand-new series, with episodes performed by Jason Byrne, Panti Bliss, and Dustin! Ladybird and Bee mixes charming storytelling with the universe of narrative potential that is the Natural World, and Tír na nÓg is a wonderland of adventure, used by parents, grandparents, and schools to immerse their preschoolers in Gaeilge Will Sliney’s Storytellers 2 is part drawing show/ part animated adventure, teaching budding young artists using the most powerful weapon in the world – a pencil. This second series features WWE Superstar Becky Lynch, actor Aisling Bea, and broadcaster Dermot Whelan. Ladybird and Bee mixes charming storytelling with the universe of narrative potential that is the natural world, and Ray of Sunshine follows seven-year-old Ray who lives in the Sunshine Apartments smack dab in the middle of the city of Dublin
Ladybird and Bee
For beastie besties Ladybird and Bee, Wild Meadow is their whole world! This funny little series mixes charming storytelling with the universe of narrative potential that is the Natural World. These stories are as eternal as the sun rising in the morning and setting in the evening – expressing the wide-eyed wonder that is the world of Ladybird and Bee in Wild Meadow.
Urban Tails
Packed with Wild Rhymes, Wild Beats and Wildlife, the sizzling second season of the ultimate music show “Urban Tails, starring awesome animals living in and around our cities. Each episode is a brand-new music video filled with funny factual character driven content, inspired by the classic Hip-Hop and R’N’B videos of the 1990’s.
Storytellers
Will Sliney’s Storytellers is part drawing show and part animated adventure, teaching budding young artists using the most powerful weapon in the world – a pencil. The series tells the epic tale of a team of new comic book superheroes in a battle to defeat the Chronicle, but the team needs your help, and your hero designs to save the day. With an all-star cast including WWE Superstar Becky Lynch, Bafta winning Ashling Bea and Dermot Whelan, the Storytellers are back.
Storybud
The RTS Award winning ‘Storybud’ is returning for a brand-new series and this time for half the run we’re going all spooky with five Halloween themed episodes based on ghosts, ghouls, witches and a horrific Santa …. the usual Halloween things! And then in an exciting first for ‘Storybud’ we’re going to replace our usual made-up characters with some very silly made-up childhood stories of five very real characters such as Bob Geldof, Mary Robinson, Panti Bliss, Lisa Magee and Roy Keane all get the Storybud treatment. Each episode will see that the skills that found these five fame and success had their seeds planted in some unusual childhood shenanigans! All ten episodes will be performed by Jason Byrne, Tara Lynn O’Neill (Derry Girls), Dustin the Turkey, Tony Cantwell and Panti Bliss herself.
Ray of Sunshine
Ray is a seven-year-old boy who lives in the Sunshine Apartments smack dab in the middle of the city of Dublin. Ray has always been a very sociable, outgoing kid with the gift of gab and he is always ready for a chat. He loves to talk about anything and everything to anyone and everyone. Luckily for Ray, living in an apartment complex where pretty much everybody knows everybody, he can usually find someone to chat up – especially now that Ray has his very own garden right in the middle of the shared community space. The only thing that Ray enjoys as much as gardening is… tea parties! Given he’s so chatty and social is it any wonder that he loves them? And now that he has a garden, Ray’s Garden tea parties are basically THE hot-ticket event to get invited to at the apartment complex. As the name suggests, RAY OF SUNSHINE is about Ray’s life in the Sunshine apartment block – a life filled with happiness, gardening and tea parties!
Nova Jones S3
Out-of-this-world pop sensation Nova Jones is back with a brand-new series! Travelling the universe on the Jefferson Spaceship, dropping sun-shattering singles and dazzling dance routines
Songbird
Yana is feeling overwhelmed on her first day at a new school. She’s not only new to the class, but she’s also new to Ireland – a refugee – and, with home feeling lost forever, she must fight to overcome her fears and find her voice again.
THIS IS ART! Exhibition (October 5th – 29th – RHA Dublin)
In October our very first RTÉ & Creative Ireland This is Art! Exhibition will be hosted in the prestigious RHA in Dublin which celebrates its two hundredth year in 2023. A selection of some of the amazing artwork from the past 3 years of Ireland’s national young people’s art competition (which was open to young artists aged 0-18 years, of all abilities, living anywhere on the island of Ireland.) will be on display from the 5th to the 29th October. If you’re in Dublin please drop in, it’s free and wonderful to see This is Art! young artists get the recognition they deserve by the artist-run RHA.
Ruck and Roll
Ruck and Roll with Seán Treacy will bring the excitement of rugby’s largest tournament to young audiences across the country, with weekly episodes being delivered right to your screens! Visiting a new rugby club every episode, Ireland’s biggest fans will be commenting on their team’s progress throughout the competition in France, while the knowledge and skill of these future superstars will also be put to the test through quizzes and challenges, with prizes at stake! Each episode will also be providing insights into Irelands’ preparation for arguably the most important tournament in their history in the form of conversations with the players themselves and the backroom staff behind it all. And with previews and reviews of each of Ireland’s games in France opening and closing each instalment, you can be sure you won’t miss a moment of Ireland’s pursuit towards their greatest title yet. Will they get there? How will they do it? Most importantly, how will the fans react? Let’s find out together, shall we? Without further ado, let’s Ruck and Roll!
Journey Cam International
JourneyCam: International is a thoughtful yet fun documentary travel series for 8–12-year-olds featuring the adventures of 8 children as they travel to faraway places, travelling long miles from their home in Ireland to a place with which they have an authentic and emotional connection.
They each bring a JourneyCam which they use to share with the audience their own personal take on the interesting, curious and sometimes hilarious things they encounter.
With Journey Cam International, a whole new world of culture, language, and landscapes awaits and as they learn about the world around them, so do we.
My Story: Hend – A Yemeni Irish Poet
This beautiful documentary features Hend, an eleven-year-old girl originally from Yemen. She recently moved to Dublin after living in refugee housing in Ballyhaunis, Ireland for four years. Hend wants to write and perform a poem for her new school friends to show her story, background and culture but first she must overcome her fear of performing in front of a crowd.
Space Camp Challenge
Space Camp Challenge in conjunction with SFI follows 8 TY students on the trip of a lifetime to Huntsville Alabama to participate in the NASA astronaut training programme. This series solidifies our commitment to STEM learning and also to teenagers within the schedule. The series will TX over science week November 2023
2024 will see Young People’s Programming premiere a number of series that tackle environmental issues for kids and Young People. Titles include
- What’s Next? A series for 10 – 12-year-olds that looks at innovation and challenges within the environmental sector
- Where the Wild Geese go – A cross platform interactive show that tracks the migratory path of the Brent Geese from Canada to Ireland – As well as the TV/Player series there will be materials for schools to get involved and learn along the way
- Bush Kids 3 Tom Bán and 5 lucky families get to participate in the bushcraft adventure, foraging, building their own shelters and surviving in the wild
- Animated series The Scavengers for 8 – 12’s follows a family on a research mission. The Earth as we know it is gone and the planet is a massive wasteland, a colossal downer. Not a fun place to hang out, right? Well, that depends on your perspective- one kid’s trash is another kid’s playground. Welcome to the future.
- Stories from the Backwoods tells the stories of Rooney, a city raccoon as she settles into her new home in Backwoods forest. Rooney is out of her comfort zone in Backwoods. At first, she misses the rules of the city and finds this ‘freedom’ in the forest totally debilitating. The animals of Backwoods see her as a foreigner, with no business in their forest. But Rooney’s incessant curiosity helps her worm into the hearts of the other forest animals and build a new community, where she finds her place.
- Let’s Find Out Series 3 returns for a new season but this time Mark and Amy are answering questions about how to mind our planet ! Questions will be inspired by the themes of Climate Action, Biodiversity and Environmental Sustainability. Plus, the crew will be visiting children in Irish schools.
All of Zoom’s questions will be inspired by the themes of Climate Action, Biodiversity and Environmental Sustainability, allowing these themes to run right through the series.
Ecolution, RTEjr’s award winning podcast for kids who want to make a difference in the fight against climate change
POPULAR FACTUAL
Ireland in a million Adverts
Ireland in a million Adverts is a series that aims to capture the imagination of a nation as Roisin Murphy scours through the hundreds and hundreds of thousands of ads posted, from virtually every village, town and city in Ireland. Roisín dives into the fascinating world of online marketplaces where you can buy and sell just about anything, and discovers that behind many of the items offered or obtained, there are wonderful human stories to be told. Stories that bring to life Ireland in a million Adverts.
Dermot Bannon’s Super Spaces
In this new two-part series, Dermot Bannon looks at a variety of super spaces in which we live, work and socialise. From beautiful renovations to small container homes, from tiny converted out houses to coffee huts, Dermot is excited to see the bold, the beautiful and the cleverly designed spaces that can be found around the island of Ireland. He visits two amazing ongoing projects, to get stuck in and give his advice. One is by the inimitable Lily Guinness, who wants to turn a double decker bus into a performance space, in time for Electric Picnic. The other is created by Jamie Duff, who is converting a horse truck into a holiday rental and wants to build an amazing outdoor space. Both of these projects desperately need Dermot to come on board. He also heads to the brand-new International Rugby experience in Limerick, designed by architect Niall McLoughlin. Here he explains how this building, set in the Gothic quarter, is bringing new life and energy to the city. He also gets a little tour from Paul O’Connell, who wants to test Dermot, to see if has the makings of a great rugby player.
Secret Life of Your Body
In this new medical series presented by Kathryn Thomas, we follow one patient through their surgery and recovery. Using the latest in VR and 3D imaging technology and access to consultants and hospitals across the country this series aims to demystify the surgical process for both patient and audience.
Stories from the series include
- A heart bypass and valve replacement
- An ACL (knee) operation, one of the most common injuries in Ireland.
- A polycystic kidney case
- A Tri-way ankle operation
Cheap Irish Homes
Maggie Molloy and Kieran McCarthy are back on RTÉ for the fourth season of the ever-popular Cheap Irish Homes. In an even more challenging environment to find cheap properties, Maggie & Kieran will be travelling all over Ireland helping house hunters to find their first property and maybe even their forever home. Along the way they will also be visiting renovated properties to see what’s possible on limited budgets.
A Ring and a Prayer
What happens when couples from different cultures and faith traditions decide to get married? In a new series for RTÉ Religion, we meet couples across Ireland as they plan their Big Day, negotiate the family politics and find a way to bring different cultural and spiritual values into their wedding ceremony. In many parts of Ireland, 1 in 4 marriages have at least one nationality other than Irish and there are many possible combinations of nationalities, cultures, ethnicities and faiths. For all the couples in this series, it is important that they marry with a Ring and a Prayer.
High Road Low Road
High Road Low Road, the popular RTÉ holiday series returns for another series. High Road, Low Road is a fun, travel show which pairs top celebrities and sends them off to popular holiday destinations, city break favourites and far-flung places for an unforgettable adventure of discovery, culture and fun! However,…Both are headed to the same location, but they’ll have very different experiences. For one holidaymaker, it’s first-class travel, luxury hotels and the finest cuisine. Five-star all the way. For their companions, it’s economy travel, budget digs and local street food. So as one is driven off in a limo to their luxurious five-star hotel, the other sets off to find the shuttle bus to their hostel. They will meet up several times on the trip to compare notes, and gloat. But at the end it’s interesting to hear them talk and decide who has had the better time.
The Meaning of Life
Joe Duffy returns to RTÉ ONE with the 17th series of The Meaning of Life, featuring Johnny Logan, Adi Roche, Tony Holohan, Alice Taylor, Jason Smyth, Tolü Makay, Naomi Long and a 100th episode Special with Archbishop Diarmuid Martin.
Fools for Love
From romance fraud to unsolicited graphic images and abusive messages – Aoife Moore investigates the dark side of dating Apps. Hearing from victims who have experienced everything from identity theft to death threats, as well as experts and the Garda cybercrime unit, Aoife explores the hostile environment women experience as they navigate the world of online dating.
Creedon’s Musical Atlas of Ireland
A celebration of Irish music and the places that inspired.
Back from the Brink
Produced by RTÉ for the EBU, celebrating the amazing conservation work going on in Ireland and Europe and conservationists battle to save species and the environment.
The Coastal Atlas of Ireland
Based on the hugely successful UCC book, this blue Chip new series, will for the first time tell the comprehensive history of the Irish Coast, and the people who live there.
The Cable to Change the World
Produced in association with UCC, this doc will for the first time tell the story of the laying of the first transatlantic telecommunication cable from Newfoundland to Valentia island in Kerry – the ‘Moonshot’ feat in engineering terms of the 19th.. Given that 90% of the world’s telecommunications now travel using undersea cables across the Atlantic, this documentary has never been more relevant. Spring / summer 24
RTÉ Radio 1 – RTÉ Documentary On One
RTÉ Documentary on One returns for its 2023 season with a wide range of one-off documentaries. This season sees stories of music, adventure, Irish civil war history, Mount Everest and much else besides being told. There are also life-affirming stories on offer, as well as stories of family and love, such as the wedding dress that’s been worn by 9 different brides in one family over multiple generations.
Sun, Sea & Scalpels
Sun, Sea & Scalpels is an eye-opening two-part documentary series that follows some of the thousands of Irish people who are opting to travel abroad for surgery every year, revealing the stark realities of what is involved, from booking a procedure on Instagram to going under the knife on holiday. These days, everything from a bum lift to new teeth or a flatter tummy is available under the sun at around half the price you’d pay in Ireland. But sometimes surgery comes at a cost greater than money. This film also hears powerful testimony from survivors of botched operations who want to caution those who might be influenced by cheap prices and slick online marketing campaigns. Michelle & Jen are two best friends in their late forties who are “treating” themselves to a “Mummy Makeover” which they booked on Instagram, with a clinic based in Lithuania. The two former models turned busy mums have been unhappy with how they look for a number of years now and are hoping that replacement breast implants, liposuction and a tummy tuck will give them the extra confidence boost to wear the style of clothes they really desire.
Big Life Fix RTÉ series, BIG LIFE FIX is back for series 2 and challenges a group of leading designers, engineers, computer programmers and technology experts to create inventions that will attempt to transform people’s lives. Using cutting edge science and technology, the team work together to build practical solutions for those who need their help. The BIG LIFE FIX team harnesses the power of science to create tailor-made inventions for individuals and families. Between them, they can build everything from space satellites to life saving medical devices and military hardware. This incredible team includes rocket scientist David McKeown (UCD) Designer and inventor Trevor Vaugh (Maynooth University), Software engineer Niamh Stockil (Microsoft), Electronic engineer Shane Phelan(Logitech),Robotics expert Peter Redmond (Mechatrons) and Designer Lorna Ross (VHI). The team will take on eight projects in total across the series. They’ll attempt to distract Theresa O’Rourke from her chronic pain and help three year old Evie Purdy, who is non verbal, communicate with her parents. They will also work with David Tarpey, from Oranmore, Galway, who is paralysed from the chest down following a farming accident to sea swim with greater ease. Made with the support of Science Foundation Ireland, this series marries real problems and human drama with science, proving that with a little bit of ingenuity – anything is possible.
The Way We Were
The Way We Were returns for a 3rd season in September ’23. The romance of nostalgia battles the hard facts of our lived reality in 20th Century Ireland as a cast of well-known Irish personalities and social historians look back on ‘The Way We Were’ Featuring Broadcasters Mike Murphy, Francis Brennan, John Creedon, Ciara Kelly, Brendan Courtney, Eileen Dunne, Mick Clifford, Paul Williams. Entertainers Pat Shortt, Sue Collins, Katherine Lynch and Michael Harding plus a host of Social Historians and Commentators each episode remembers a different aspect of life in Ireland over the past 100 years. Themes in this season are:
Raised By The Village
After a hugely successful First Season broadcast in 2019 RTÉ One’s RAISED BY THE VILLAGE returns for another 4 Part Series. Each episode of this brand new Irish-developed parenting format features two urban families who need major help with a veering-off-the-rails teenager and are taking drastic steps to get it. They’re each moving their troublesome teen to the heart of the countryside allowing them to be raised by the village. But will the teens learn to behave better when they’re part of a tight-knit community where the local adults keep a very close eye on what they get up to? This new series sees 8 urban teenagers from Dublin, Limerick and Mullingar embraced by remotely located rural families in counties Kerry, Roscommon, Cavan and Cork. The teenagers live with local families and take part in local activities, experiencing an early-to-rise, wi-fi free outdoor lifestyle that’s a million miles away from their worlds of Playstation, TikTok, Fast Food and all-day lie-ins. An immersive new take on the TV parenting programme RAISED BY THE VILLAGE is for every Irish parent who’s ever wondered if raising their kids in a slower-paced, more community-centred environment might make a real difference?
Keys To My Life
Brendan Courtney coaxes more poignant memories and emotional revelations from 8 well-known Irish Personalities as he accompanies them back to the places that have meant most to them over the course of their lives.
Keith’s Teeth: A Dental Odyssey
From Rubber Dentures to Great White Turkish Veneers Keith Duffy tells the entertainingly untold story of The Irish Nation’s fast changing relationship…with our teeth! During the height of his Boyband Fame in the 1990’s Keith Duffy had the kind of teeth that no 21st Century Pop Star would get away with. But Keith’s wonky 20th Century smile gave him character. Besides, very few Irish people of his generation had perfect teeth. Good teeth were for American Majorettes beaming perfect pearlies in The Patrick’s Day Parade. But the early 21st Century brought a sea change in our relationship with our teeth. Cosmetic Dental Clinics offered us Hollywood Smiles and the Celtic Tiger years gave us the means to buy them. In 20008 Keith had his teeth improved by veneers. Kids were being fitted with teeth straightening braces producing the first generation of Irish Teenagers with perfect dentistry. Packaged Dental Holidays became big business and Turkey became the preferred destination for Ireland’s Dental Tourists. We were delighted with our shiny modern smiles….we had become a nation obsessed with our teeth. Keith’s Teeth blends story-led actuality with fascinating social history as Keith uncovers the sometimes shockingly tragic story of our National Dental History and meets Irish people travelling to Turkey hoping to undo years of dental neglect with cheap cosmetic dentistry packages. But are these overseas Dental Clinics up to standard? And is our new addiction to Bright White Hollywood Smiles storing up problems for our future oral health?
Best Place To Be
Baz Ashmawy travels across Europe meeting Irish people who have uprooted their lives to live elsewhere and gets the lowdown on their new country when it comes to how they live, work and play. Across the series he travels to Norway, Hungary, Italy, Germany, France & Spain spending time with Irish people in each location and learning about their lives.
Secrets Of
After the success of Secrets From The Middle Isle, which explored the everyday workings of Lidl supermarkets and ‘Secrets From The Showroom’ – a sideways look into the second-hand car market, we are now offering audiences a consistent run of secrets over three episodes. The ‘Secrets’ world presents audiences with areas of Irish life that they are very familiar with but want to know more about. They are relatable stories with strong access that can surprise us by allowing viewers into the sometimes private thoughts of employees or customers, players, dancers and drivers. We aim to offer unique insight into areas that are somewhat taken for granted but ultimately bind us all together. The three part-series delves into the world of sport in ‘Secrets from the Sidelines- dancing with ‘Secrets from the Dancefloor’ and finally delivery drivers in ‘Secrets of a Delivery Driver’.
Selling Ireland’s Dream Homes
Selling Ireland’s Dream Homes returns with a selection of the best of the high-end properties currently on the market. We travel the country to feature the work of estate agents as they sell castles, lighthouses, rural cottages, contemporary urban masterpieces, seaside retreats and country estates. Properties featured in the new series include Clare Island Lighthouse, Co Mayo – The sale has created a huge wave of interest, not least because it overlooks the Achill Islands (as seen in The Banshees of Inisherin).
The medieval secrets of Blackwater Castle, Co Cork; a coach house in Co Meath now home to a fabulous collection of classic cars; a traditional thatched cottage in Co Clare; Ballywilliam House, Co Cork, once owned by international music star Tori Amos. There’s also a luxurious lair on offer in Killiney, Co Dublin, a stud farm up for offers in Co Wicklow and an agent preparing to sell his beloved family home in Co Limerick.
Inside Penneys
Penneys to us, Primark to everyone else, cameras go behind the scenes at one of world’s biggest fashion brands to see how a small Irish retailer has grown from modest beginnings to a trendsetting, global retail superpower! Over six episodes, INSIDE PENNEYS will interweave stories from the shop floor to head office, from buying and design, through to the millions of customers who shop there. This is the behind-the-scenes story of one of Ireland’s best loved brands and most successful business stories. An international retail superpower, with its sights set on 530 stores in the next four years, Penneys / Primark is big, big business. Yet despite its growing global footprint and reputation for offering the latest trends at unbeatable prices, very little is known about what goes on behind the scenes at this fashion empire. But now for the first time, Penneys throws open the doors to its headquarters in Arthur Ryan House, Dublin and beyond in a high- end documentary series for RTÉ. This rich, fast-moving series takes viewers into the heart and minds of the company, hard-working retail employees and loyal customers to reveal what makes Penneys such a family and fashion favourite.
Iron Ladies
Iron Ladies tells the amazing story of The 35s, an international network of young Jewish housewives and Mums, who took on the might of the So IEC Empire at the peak of the Cold War, in defence of the human rights and religious freedoms of Soviet Jews… and won. Those then young women, now in their 80s, reveal for the first time how a movement which began with protests and petitions evolved into John Le Carré-esque clandestine trips to the USSR, where these young women from Terenure, Finchley and elsewhere gave vital support to oppressed Soviet Jews. In the end, the system cracked and over a million Jews were allowed to leave the USSR at the end of the 80s.
Marty’s Big Picture Show
This new series sees Marty Morrissey and historian Liz Gillis, on a mission across the country, as they try to track down people captured in the lenses of some of Ireland’s best known, and some lesser known, photographers from the 1950s,60s,70s and 80s. In a heartwarming series, they reunite a band who had not been together for over fifty years, surprise a family with a missing wedding album, present a group of siblings with a photo they have never seen before of their deceased mother and bring back memories, some good and some bad, for a family from the travelling community.
Operation Transformation
Operation Transformation returns to your screens in January 2024 for its 17th season. Five new leaders from all over the country will take on a health and wellness plan set by the team of multi-disciplinary experts. Presented by Kathryn Thomas, she will be on hand to encourage and support the leaders every step of the way.
Life & Soul
A doc about Lorraine O’Connor, Dublin-born convert to Islam and founder of the Muslim Sisters of Eire, who feed the homeless at the GPO every Friday. Next episode, is about Tiglin and its founder, Aubrey McCarthy, who has developed what started as a Christian rehab charity and programme into an organisation providing homes for 20 Ukrainian families in Greystones, plus a third level educational programme for people in recovery, which massively enhances their prospects of employment and continued sobriety.
Donal’s Feasts, Fasts and Festivals
In this eye-opening and entertaining two-part documentary series, TV Cook Donal Skehan explores how people of various faiths in modern Ireland express their beliefs, honour their cultures, and celebrate their heritage – through the medium of food. In his pursuit of culinary enlightenment, Donal will spend time with Ireland’s Hindu, Jewish, Orthodox Christian, Sikh, Muslim and Hare Krishna communities. Episode One sees Donal visit Hare Krishna Island in Lough Erne for a festival, where food offerings to the deities are central to the celebrations. Continuing his journey to understand the connections between food and faith, Donal joins the Jewish community who show him how to shop and cook while keeping Kosher. He’ll also prepare a traditional Sabbath meal with them. Finally, Donal takes part in the Sikh Vaisakhi Parade where he gets a little too close for comfort to a Sikh Martial Arts performance! In episode two, Donal joins a Muslim family who are fasting during Ramadan, explores the traditions of the Romanian Orthodox Community as he prepares a traditional Easter meal and joins in the joyous atmosphere of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, as he celebrates and feasts with a Hindu family in their home.
Listen to the Land Speak
Two-part series where celebrated nature writer Manchán Magan brings viewers on a journey exploring the wisdom and lore of Ireland’s land and waters – revealing the myths and folklore of what lies beneath and what they can teach us about our relationship with the Irish landscape of today. This two-part series will see Manchán Magan – one of our most acclaimed writers on landscape and language – bring viewers on a journey around Ireland like no other, revealing the profound knowledge and wisdom contained in our landscape. Filmed over four seasons, the series will unfold over a series of chapters based on the big themes in Manchán’s new book ‘Listen to the Land Speak’ {Publ: October 2022} – exploring how the myths, stories and ancient knowledge associated with our landscape are crucial to understand many aspects of how we live today.
Ambient Orbit
Ambient Orbit is a new, non-presenter-led specialist music programme on RTÉ lyric fm. The show is a beautifully crafted mix of ambient sounds and field recordings that allows the listener to reset and escape the noise of everyday life. Airing from midnight on Sunday nights, the second series finished recently and culminated in a live outside broadcast near the stone circle in Lough Gur, Co. Limerick to mark the summer solstice. The next series which begins on Sunday October 1st at midnight will be a 12 part series and there will be an additional final episode, taking the form of a live broadcast, from a significant Neolithic site in Ireland, to mark the winter solstice on December 21st
Songlines
Songlines is an observational documentary directed by Pat Collins which travels with the great traditional singer Thomas McCarthy as we meet an eclectic collection of Traveller singers throughout Ireland.
RTÉ Concert Orchestra Presents
Each bank holiday on RTÉ Radio 1 and the RTÉ Radio App, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra presents an hour of music celebrating the best of classical and contemporary works from Ireland and further afield. Alongside orchestral favourites and new commissions, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra Presents also features performances from established and emerging Irish stars. Over the past year, artists as diverse as Síle Denvir, John Grant, Martin McCann, Síomha, Stevie Abbleby, Aoife Nessa Frances, Dani Larkin, Shobsy, Niamh Dunne, Anne-Marie O’Farrell, David Kitt, Jape, SOAK, Molly O’Mahony, Karan Casey, Wyvern Lingo and Celine Byrne have visited the iconic Studio One of the RTÉ Radio Centre to record their own songs and new material with the men and women of the Concert Orchestra. The programme has also presented new interpretations of works by Radiohead, Paul McCartney and Talking Heads. These sessions have also produced stand-along tracks, which have fed into RTÉ Radio’s music playlists, ensuring that the work of the Orchestra and the best of Irish talent feature across the schedule throughout the year.
Imogen’s Closet
Imogen Stuart is one of Ireland’s foremost artists, with a formidable body of work spanning over 75 years. This intimate documentary, shot by her grandson, Emile Dinneen, over 10 years, explores the fascinating life of an extraordinarily gifted woman, from her origins growing up in wartime Berlin, marrying into Maud Gonne’s family, right up to present day where, at the age of 96, she continues to produce new work from her studio in County Dublin.
Continental Riffs
This is a six-part series of half-hour programmes. Conversationally led, it visually shares with us an engagement with Europe through the eyes and experience of some of those whose living is immersed in visually creative practices. These include architecture, dance and performance. In each programme 2 people, one suggested by the other introduce us to a number of objects and observations that catch for them the essence of Europe. Europe and Ireland’s creative engagement with one another stretches centuries back, long before Ireland joined the European Union or the EEC as it was called in 1973. This series give a not nevertheless to 50 years of Ireland membership of the EU while taking a broader look at Europe beyond these borders. During the last fifty years our relationships with Europe have further evolved, some subtle and some more obvious, some light and some more profound.
Wexford Festival Opera
Wexford Festival Opera will include 70 events over13 days from 24th October to 5th November 2023. The 2023 festival promises a packed programme comprising of three mainstage opera rarities, two pocket operas, the Wexford Factory opera, 11 lunchtime recitals, an immersive community opera – a first for WFO, a choral recital with New Dublin Voices, the annual gala concert of festival favourites, film screenings, an impossible interview, the Dr Tom Walsh lecture which asks Are Women Peacemakers?, a myriad of joyous free pop-up events all around the town and an exuberant opening night. The programme for the 72nd festival centres around the theme of Women and War, with each chosen work highlighting a different aspect of the struggles women face; in conflict, fighting prejudice and in making their voices heard.
The Works Presents
Remembering Seamus Heaney
“Remembering Seamus Heaney” is a series of ten short pieces to mark the poet’s tenth anniversary. Across the series ten people from different walks and stages of life will choose a favourite Heaney poem and each episode will end with a reading of that poem by the poet himself from the landmark Collected poems box set produced by RTÉ with The Lanann Foundation and Faber. Guests include poets Michael Longley and Annemarie Ní Churreáin, campaigner and journalist Orla Tinsley, former Wexford hurler Diarmuid Lyng and secondary school student Luke Dolan the winner of the 2023 Seamus Heaney Poetry Aloud award. Supporting all disciplines of art within Ireland and abroad the well-established series of The Works Presents continues to explore how artists work. What inspires and drives them. In conversation with John Kelly unique insights are shared by well-established as well as upcoming creative persons. The series confirms why art and culture play such a vital role in all our lives.
Portrait of an Artist
Also on the Lyric Feature, “Portrait of an Artist” (Sundays, 6pm RTÉ lyric fm and as a podcast) is an intimate look at the life and work of James Hanley, RHA. James is one of Ireland’s finest portrait artists and his commissions include Ronnie Delaney, Maureen Potter and the official portrait of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. The programme is made by composer Daragh Dukes whose previous works for radio have earned him the special commendation at the Prix Europa, Berlin.
Magic on Winter’s Night
A new season of arts documentaries on The Lyric Feature (Sundays, 6pm RTÉ lyric fm and as a podcast) including “Magic on Winter’s Night” where Mary Brophy goes behind the scenes in the National Opera House, Wexford to witness the creative work behind the festival’s 2022 production of La Tempesta. This is the broadcast debut for the programme which earlier in the year was the first ever Irish radio programme to be selected for the Tribeca Festival.
RTÉ Short Story Competition 2023
Running for two weeks in October 2023 at 11.20pm on RTÉ Radio 1, we broadcast the top ten short stories from this year’s RTÉ Short Story Competition in honour of Francis MacManus, as chosen by from over 1700 entries by judges Ferdia MacAnna, Kathleen MacMahon and Claire Kilroy. It will be followed on Friday 27 October by an Arena/ RTÉ Short Story Special live at the Pavilion Theatre, Dún Laoghaire, hosted by Seán Rocks, featuring interviews with the shortlisted writers, extracts from their stories in performance, and the announcement of the top prizes (5000, 4000 and 3000 euros) from judges. The annual RTÉ Short Story Competition in honour of Francis MacManus has, since 1986, recognised and rewarded new Irish writing, and forms an important milestone in many Irish writers’ careers. Past winners and shortlisted writers include Claire Keegan, Danielle McLaughlin, Aingeala Flannery, Anthony Glavin, Chris Binchy, Nuala O’Connor, Liz Nugent, Colin Walsh, Stephen Walsh and Austin Duffy.
Hidden Treasures
This new primetime TV series aims to spotlight the cultural, creative, and challenging work behind the scenes in Irish museums as we meet the custodians of our national treasures. Supported by insightful contributors and a riveting narrative, we investigate the secrets, the stories, and the people who devote their craft and professional lives to preserving iconic and priceless artefacts behind closed doors. Hidden Treasures will spark a renewed focus on the vital cultural role of museums in Ireland – not just in documenting our history and protecting our heritage – but as repositories of engaging stories, windows to our past and, ultimately, guides to who we really are. This series is the story of Ireland itself.
RTÉ Player
Ireland’s Perfect Pubs – Player Original
Everyone thinks they know the best one… but stand-up comedian Anna Clifford is going on an epic Irish pub crawl to visit some of the country’s most unique, remote and picturesque pubs. Travelling to the four corners of the country (Derry, Inis Mor, Tipperary, Kerry), Anna and a friend will sample the atmosphere and ambience of the pub and explore the local tourist attractions. Setting out to discover what it is about the Irish public house that has made it such an important cultural institution. Guests include new faces: Simon Hennessy, Shanice Griffin, The Kerry Cowboy, Fiona Frawley
The Ultimate Rugby Challenge – Player Original
Two Rugby players and their respective team of ‘influencers’ go head-to-head in the ultimate rugby skills challenge. Who can pass, catch and kick like a seasoned Rugby player and who should stay on the bench? Throw a “commentator” from the world of comedy into the mix and what ensues is a seriously fun watch on RTÉ Player YouTube channel to accompany the Rugby World Cup.
Darren and Joe’s Rugby Bandwagon – Player Original
Free Gaff’s Darren and Joe invest in a chipper van to capitalize on Ireland’s recent sporting events, but it’s not going very well. With the Rugby World Cup on the horizon, they are hopeful, but there’s only one problem… they know nothing about Rugby! A documentary film crew decide to follow them on the road with their chipper van, as they explore everything they need to know about Rugby – the history, the fans, the culture, the rules, Irelands Call and why the ball is a weird shape.
SPORT
Qualifying campaign for Euro 2024
The Republic of Ireland men’s team continue their qualifying campaign for Euro 2024 with some giant fixtures still to play. On September the 7th, the Boys in Green go to Paris to face world cup finalists France, followed three days later by another crucial game, when Netherlands visit the Aviva Stadium. October sees matches against Greece and Gibraltar before the group concludes with a trip to Netherlands in November.
The UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League Group Stage kicks off once again in mid-September when the cream of European club football start off on the road to Wembley. The biggest names and the greatest clubs, like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Celtic, Bayern and Arsenal will all join champions Manchester City as they defend their title.
European Qualifiers
All Republic of Ireland matches, home and away. Matches – 7 Sept France away, 10 Sept Netherlands at home, 13 Oct Greece at home, 16 Oct Gibraltar away, 18 Nov Netherlands away On Air people (for both Champs League & European Qualifiers) include presenters – Joanne Cantwell, Darragh Maloney, Peter Collins. Commentators – Darragh Maloney, Des Curran and co-commentators include Ray Houghton, Ronnie Whelan and Stephen Kelly amongst others. Studio Guests include Didi Hamann, Richie Sadlier, Shay Given, Kevin Doyle, Lisa Fallon, Stephen Kelly and others.
Six Nations
RTÉ will bring live coverage as Ireland defend their Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam title won in such commanding fashion earlier this year. The 2024 tournament starts on Friday 2 February.
Irish Open Golf
RTÉ will have live coverage of all 4 days of the Horizon Irish Open as Rory McIlroy returns to the scene of his memorable 2016 triumph, the K Club in Kildare, his first professional win on Irish soil. The tournament runs from Sept 7-10.
RTE Sport Awards
Ireland’s sporting heroes will be honoured at the annual RTE Sport Awards this December. After another year with so much Irish sporting success, who will pick up the coveted RTE Sportsperson of the Year trophy in 2023?
World Gymnastics Championships
Rhys McClenaghan ruled the World in 2022, can he do it again in ’23? The Antrim pommel-horse maestro will lead a strong Irish team to Antwerp in search of major championship medals and qualification to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Horse Racing
RTE Sport will bring you the thrilling conclusion of another incredible Flat season AND the start of the National Hunt campaign this autumn and winter. Our 12 top-level fixtures between now and the end of the year culminate with the iconic Leopardstown Christmas Festival.
World Rowing Championships
Medals AND Olympic Qualification will be on the line when Team Ireland travel to Belgrade for the World Rowing Championships in September. All eyes will be on the reigning Olympic and World Champions, Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy as they look to continue their domination of the waters. RTE will have live coverage of all three A-Final sessions, September 8-10.
