In the 1840s, a catastrophic famine brought about the decimation of Ireland’s poor and the exodus of millions from the island. This major, ground-breaking documentary, narrated by Liam Neeson, explores the famine’s international origins and development in Europe, Britain and Ireland and charts its long-term legacy as it plays out for much of the century that follows. Today the Irish famine is recognised as the worst humanitarian disaster of the 19th Century but what is less recognised is that the crisis impacted far beyond Ireland’s shores. The story of the Blight pathogen that killed the potato crop, starts in the Andes of South America and then reaches into the heart of northern Europe where the collapse of potato crops causes the deaths of 100,000 people adding further fuel to social tensions that lead to Europe’s year of revolutions in 1848.
A two-part true-crime series looking at some of the most notorious cases of women who disappeared within a so-called Vanishing Triangle throughout the 1990’s.
An intimate portrait of a river and the people it meets on its way to the sea. The six-part documentary series captures the lives and stories of a diverse group of people who are unified by one thing, the river Liffey.
Charting the meteoric rise and staggering downfall of Quinns empire. Built on gravel, guts and genius, it nevertheless fell prey to infighting and eventual misinformation campaigns against former associates.
Documentary series on Kieran Kelly, who became infamous as the London underground serial killer. This final episode reveals the truth about Kelly's alleged crimes in the 1970's.
A team of expert presenters in engineering, architecture and geography explore some of the finest example of Ireland’s building and engineering heritage.
The Riordans was the second Irish soap opera made by Raidio Telefís Éireann. It ran from 1965 to 1979 and was set in the fictional townland of Leestown in County Kilkenny. Its use of Outside Broadcast Units and its filming of its episodes on location rather than in studio, broke the mould of broadcasting in the soap opera genre, and inspired the creation of its British equivalent, Emmerdale Farm by Yorkshire Television in 1972.
The story of the Irish politician Charles Haughey, told by his family as well as those who worked most closely with him in politics and in the private business circles from which his most controversial payments were drawn.
Growing Up Gay was a groundbreaking two-part documentary series broadcast on RTÉ One, which began on Monday 19 April 2010 at 9.35pm. It explored the experiences of the first generation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people growing up in an Ireland where it was legal to be themselves. Filmed over 18 months, it was made by Crossing the Line Films with the ongoing support and advice of Ireland's national organisation for Lesbian, Gay, Biseuxal and Trans young people, BeLonG To. It featured LGBT school-goers, Muslims, and young people facing persecution in their hometowns across Ireland.
RTÉ courted controversy by recommending that the documentary be suitable for viewing by "mature audiences" only, despite its stars all being teenagers. There was also a delay in the appearance of the second episode on RTÉ player.
Growing Up Gay was nominated for "Event of the Year" at the GALAs.
Hall's Pictorial Weekly, Incorporating the Provincial Vindicator is an Irish satirical television series which was broadcast on Radio Telefís Éireann from 1971 to 1980.
Regarded as RTÉ's flagship comedy show, it featured satirical sketches on current news stories and popular culture, as well as parody songs, comedy sketches, re-edited videos, cartoons and spoof television formats. The show was scripted and presented by Frank Hall, while a large ensemble cast, including Frank Kelly and Eamon Morrissey amongst others, performed the sketches.
Saturday Night with Miriam is a television chat show which was first broadcast in Ireland on RTÉ One in the summer of 2005. The show runs for six weeks as a summer filler, and is presented by Miriam O'Callaghan, the co-host of Prime Time.
Consuming Passions is an Irish television series broadcast on RTÉ One. Produced by Wildfire Films, it serves as summer filler for the station and two series have thus far been produced. The series examines various obscure obsessions which people have, ranging from cuddling reptiles to piloting light aircraft, beekeeping, living rockabilly, dancing the tango, truck-driving, birds of prey, horse whispering and sailing.
The show run until second season.
Know Your Sport is an Irish sports quiz show produced by RTÉ between 8 October 1987 and 1 April 1998. The show was presented by George Hamilton and featured Jimmy Magee and Mary Hogan as scorekeeper.
Rounds of questions included the "specialist subject", "great moment in sport", "mystery guest" and "buzzer" rounds.
In 2009 an appeal to re-introduce the show to RTÉ's schedule gathered support on networking website, Facebook.