From stars re-learning Irish to magical storytelling for children and from Peppa Muc to study and exam tips, RTÉ has something for everyone for #SnaG23 

RTÉ is delighted to once again partner with Conradh na Gaeilge for Seachtain na Gaeilge le Energia 2023 and play its part in encouraging people across Ireland, and the world, to celebrate all things Irish and use their ‘cúpla focal’. Running from Wednesday 1st March to Friday 17th March, Seachtain na Gaeilge is one of the biggest international celebrations of Irish language and culture and as media partner RTÉ will be there to support #SnaG23 with dedicated Irish-language campaigns and an enhanced slate of Irish-language content across television, radio and online.

Make sure to stay tuned for even more Irish language programming and content as part of St. Patrick’s Day on RTÉ.

>>>TELEVISION HIGHLIGHTS 

RTÉ continues to grow its Irish and bilingual programming, with an enriched range of lifestyle, cultural, entertainment and factual series broadcast in peak-time slots throughout Spring 2023.  

On Tuesday 28th February at 7pm on RTÉ one, RTÉ kicks off Seachtain na Gaeilge early with a four-part series set in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht.  Réaltaí na Gaeltachta will follow the ups and downs of well know Irish personalities, Des Cahill, Fred Cooke, Lauren Whelan, Amanda Brunker and Oisín Mullen, as they dust off their copybooks and immerse themselves in the full student experience in Coláiste Bhríde, Rann na Feirste, as they take on many challenges in their quest to re-learn the Irish Language, but who will ultimately emerge Réalt na Gaeltachta?

If you like what you see and you would like to improve your Irish, you can register for online Ciorcál Comhrá classes with Conradh na Gaeilge every Wednesday of Seachtain na Gaeilge, all details will be on www.rte.ie/gaeilge.

From Retrievers who won’t retrieve, to Bulldogs who won’t budge, vet Ellen Hegarty and behaviourist Paula Doohan take charge and solve all your dog problems in Madraí, which continues on Friday evenings at 8pm, on RTÉ One.

On Thursday 2nd March, First Dates Ireland will see daters, Aisling from Galway and Lochlainn from Armagh bond over their common love of the Irish Language, but will it be a Sea or ní hea to meeting again!

On Monday 6th March at 8pm a brand new six-part farming series begins on RTÉ One. Saol Na Feirme takes us into the lives of eleven very different Irish farming families and charts their lives from spring through to winter to see how they cope with everything that nature has to throw at them and how, more than ever, they are affected by environmental responsibilities. The series gives an insight into modern Irish rural life in Antrim, Armagh, Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Meath, Waterford and Kerry.

Later in the Spring, two titans of Irish Life, one from Entertainment and one from the world of Sport feature in Cloch le Carn.  To kick off the Championship season, Garry MacDonncha looks back on the life and legacy of Dublin GAA giant, Brian Mullins.  The four time All Ireland-winning midfielder is fondly remembered by many, among them former Dublin Captain, Tommy Drumm, and his family, brother Pádraig and son, Nathan Mullins.

As Eurovision fever mounts, Sinéad Ní Churnáin looks back on the life of our Eurovision prince, Shay Healy in a Cloch le Carn special on Monday 1st May on RTÉ One which presents an intimate portrait of one of Ireland’s most beloved entertainers. A man of many talents and contradictions, his friends, colleagues, and immediate family share his story with humour, love and searing honesty.

On Monday 17th April at 8pm on RTÉ One find out what twelve-hour shifts, on the spot decision-making, life and death scenarios and a diminished social life are like when we follow those who have signed up for the emergency services. It’s a vocation, and it’s not for everyone. 999 Faoi Oiliúint follows the next generation of emergency workers. who have opted for a life on the front line. Whether it’s a firefighter, a paramedic, mountain rescue or coast guard, we will follow these new cadets as they undergo intense and gruelling training and find out if they have what it takes to make the grade.

Every weekday afternoon on RTÉ One throughout the three weeks on The Today Show Seachtain na Gaeilge ambassador, Maura Derrane, along with her presenting colleagues, Sinéad and Dáithí will be encouraging viewers to expand their cúpla focal, with Focal an Lae features on the show and special video shorts on the show’s social media channels.

And there’s plenty of children’s Gaeilge content on RTÉjr, the RTÉjr You Tube channel and the kids’ section on RTÉ Player. Celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge by singing along as Gaeilge with your favourite characters from Fia’s Fairies, catch up with George and Peppa in a new series of Peppa Muc/Peppa Pig, and follow the adventures of bestie beasties, Bóín agus Beach who are back in the Wild Meadow.

Storytelling has always been intertwined with the Irish language and in this beautiful new children’s radio series, Scéalta for RTÉjr & RnaG from Wednesday 1st March, storytelling looks to work its magic on a new generation of listeners, leaving them entertained and enthralled. The series comprises ten beautiful Irish language stories written by some of Ireland’s finest writers, narrated by ten Irish personalities, and complemented with musical scores by some of Ireland’s finest musicians.

>>>RADIO HIGHLIGHTS 

Expect to hear more than a cúpla focal across RTÉ’s radio services throughout Seachtain na Gaeilge. 

On RTE Radio 1, Claire Byrne will be calling on her former co-presenter Dáithí Ó Sé to help her improve her Gaeilge, while the programme will also focus on many of the issues affecting Gaeltacht communities and explore topics like the lack of Mná tí in Gaeltacht areas.  Folk on One, South Wind Blows and The Louise Duffy Show will all feature special live musical performances throughout the three weeks, while Sinéad Ní Uallacháin will have special reports for The Ray D’Arcy Show throughout Seachtain na Gaeilge.

Tune in for plenty of fun and banter with Siún, Sinéad and Áine on RTÉ Radio 1’s popular weekly show and podcast Beo ar Éigean. To celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge and International Women’s Day the show will be broadcast from the Cultúrlann in Belfast.

Céilí House on Saturday 5th March will be a bilingual programme from the Marino Institute of Education featuring music and chat from staff and students, while The Rolling Wave on Saturday 12th March will broadcast Ceiliúradh ceoil ar 70 bliain de Cheirníní Ghael Linn/ a musical celebration of 70 years of Gael Linn Records.

RTÉ 2FM will broadcast the bilingual National Chart Show with Bláthnaid Tracey from 7.00pm – 10.00pm on Fridays and bilingual news and traffic reports daily throughout the three weeks.

RTÉ lyric fm presenters will bring you daily nuggets of old-school wisdom with Seanfhocail. Is deacair ceann críonna a chur ar cholainn óg ach beidh saíocht le cloisteáil ar lyric fm i rith Seachtain na Gaeilge agus muid ag diriú ar an seanfhocal. It’s hard to put a wise head on young shoulders, but we hope listeners will be inspired by the traditional Irish words of wisdom on lyric fm throughout Seachtain na Gaeilge.

In Éist le Manchán Magan, Seachtain na Gaeilge ambassador, Manchán Magan will illustrate a collection of words, as Gaeilge, which describe different elements of music, song and sound within Irish heritage, nature and culture.

On RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, it’s Seachtain na Gaeilge every week, and the station will continue to bring you the very best of music, chat, discussion and up to the minute, national, international and local news daily throughout the month too.

>>> ONLINE HIGHLIGHTS 

RTÉ is expanding online services as Gaeilge with a growing range of Irish-language content available on demand on the Gaeilge sections of RTÉ Player and RTE.ie.  

Over the three weeks of Seachtain na Gaeilge, RTÉ Player will curate the very best of Irish-language content for all ages on its home page, allowing viewers to discover the treasure chest that is RTÉ’s wide slate of Cláracha Gaeilge.

Meanwhile www.rte.ie/gaeilge will continue to showcase the very best of RTÉ’s Irish-language content from across RTÉ offering ideas and support for anyone hoping to expand their cúpla focail as well as highlighting the best of what Seachtain na Gaeilge has on offer.

On www.rte.ie/Learn we will be getting you ready for the Leaving Cert Irish Oral with top tips from examiner, Dean from Éasca Péasca.  For schools, teachers, parents and students we also have hundreds of great Home School Hub activity sheets as Gaeilge, as well as an array of curriculum-led Irish-language content for Junior and Senior Cycle students. We’ll also bring you great tips on how to use Fia’s Fairies in the classroom with recap videos on RTÉjr YouTube.

If you want to improve your Gaeilge over the next month, you’ll find lots of helpful content at Learning Irish (rte.ie).

Iriseoirí an Lae Amárach: From Tuesday 7th to Thursday 9th March, for the third year running, RTÉ, TG4, NUIG, COGG and the Department of Education have partnered to offer transition year students in Irish-medium schools a unique insight into journalism in an online course with some of Ireland’s finest television, radio and digital journalists and broadcasters.

Over 400 students registered for the inaugural course in 2021. This year twelve masterclasses will be presented by journalists and programme makers from RTÉ, TG4 and the independent sector.

For all the latest on Seachtain na Gaeilge on RTÉ, check out rte.ie/gaeilge and  rte.ie/culture, as well as RTÉ’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts using #snag23.

For more on Seachtain na Gaeilge, visit www.snag.ie.