RTÉ Brings You to the Heart of the Action this June Bank Holiday Weekend
– An action-packed weekend of live sport, including the Women’s Euro 2025 Qualifier, the GAA Championship, URC Live and the Champions League Final
– Catch all the fun at Bloom, with RTÉ One, Radio 1, lyric fm and RTÉJr on the ground
– 2FM broadcasts a Forbidden Fruit Festival special
– The definitive portrait of music icon Rory Gallagher, with never-before-seen footage, airs on RTÉ One & RTÉ Player
-The RTÉ Concert Orchestra Presents a Queen Symphonic Rock Spectacular on RTÉ Radio 1
Jump into summer with RTÉ this June Bank Holiday weekend, with a bumper offering of entertainment. The country will be alive with sport, music and festivals, and RTÉ will bring you to the heart of the action across RTÉ One, RTÉ2, RTÉ Player and all RTÉ Radio stations.
The bank holiday weekend kicks off in earnest from Thursday 30 May as RTÉ returns to the Phoenix Park for Bloom by Bord Bia. Marty Whelan begins RTÉ’s full five-day schedule from the festival at 10.00am on lyric fm, with great live music, chat and special guests until noon. Then at 7.00pm on RTÉ One & RTÉ Player, Áine Lawlor and Marty Morrissey will capture the atmosphere of the first day of the festival, from the show gardens on display to the best from the food village. Throughout the weekend, RTÉ has something for everyone at the festival, bringing great music, chat and live shows from RTÉ lyric fm favourites; magic and fun from RTÉjr and RTÉ Kids at the Budding Bloomers Stage; Countrywide live on RTÉ Radio 1; regular live RTÉ Weather updates, and much more (full schedule below).
RTÉ’s Summer of Sport continues with an action-packed bank holiday weekend of live sport. Friday 31 May sees presenter Marie Crowe alongside Áine O’Gorman and Lisa Fallon for live coverage on RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player of the Republic of Ireland v Sweden Women’s Euro 2025 Qualifier from the Aviva Stadium (7.00pm).
Saturday 1 June kicks off with Munster’s crucial URC derby with Ulster live from Thomond Park (5.15pm, RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player) followed by the Champions League Final between Dortmund and Real Madrid live from Wembley (7.15pm, RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player) when Joanne Cantwell will be joined by Richie Sadlier and Shay Given. Later on Saturday night, also on RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player (10.50pm), Damian Lawlor and guests will have highlights and analysis of all the day’s GAA Championship action on The Saturday Game.
Sunday 2 June sees a live double-header of GAA Football Championship games on The Sunday Game Live (1.30pm, RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player) presented by Joanne Cantwell with Meath v Kerry from Navan (2.00pm) followed by Derry v Armagh from Derry (4.00pm) while on Sunday evening Jacqui Hurley and guests will take a look back at the weekend’s action on The Sunday Game (9.30pm, RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player).
Dive into history on Sunday evening, with the first episode of Invasion: The Normans (6.30pm on RTÉ One & RTÉ Player), a documentary series exploring the 12th-century Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland, combining stunning location footage, atmospheric drama re-enactments, and vivid modern-day sequences.
On Bank Holiday Monday, celebrate the original Irish guitar hero with Rory Gallagher: Calling Card (6.30pm, RTÉ One & RTÉ Player). Featuring rare, never-before-seen archive and interviews with Rory’s closest friends and family alongside musical legends including Johnny Marr, Brian May and Bob Geldof, this is the definitive portrait of one of the greatest musicians ever to emerge from Ireland. Later that evening, Against the Head (8.00pm, RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player) will have highlights and analysis of the weekend’s rugby action.
The long weekend rounds out with a double-header of live international soccer. First up it’s the Women’s Euro 2025 Qualifier between Sweden and Republic of Ireland from Stockholm (5.00pm, RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player) followed by the men’s friendly between the Republic of Ireland v Hungary from the Aviva Stadium (7.30pm, RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player).
There are also plenty of boxsets to stream on RTÉ Player, from both seasons of The Dry to the Player Original Charleen and Ellie Go All In, and plenty of music, sport and chat to enjoy on RTÉ Radio across the bank holiday weekend.
On RTÉ Radio 1 on Monday, The Marty Morrissey Show will raise the spirits with conversation, music and entertainment from 9.00am. Vincent Woods gets to know the coastline, people and nature of County Antrim on The County Measure at 11.00am. The guest for Louise Duffy’s Studio Sessions at 12.00pm is Richard Hawley who will talk about his songwriting, musical influences and perform some of his favourite songs. In Services Ahead at 1.30pm, Brenda Donohue spends 24 hours in the Circle K Service Station near Gorey, off the M11 where people stop for all sorts of reasons – petrol, a coffee, a chat. Wildtrack at 2.00pm celebrates June with a free-flowing montage of speech, sounds and music. The RTÉ Concert Orchestra Presents a Queen Symphonic Rock Spectacular at 2.15pm, while at 3.00pm, in a Nature on One special, biologist Terry Flanagan covers a diverse range of topics from the prospect of recreating dinosaurs to the benefits of poo. Fiachna Ó Braonáin sits down with Mike Scott of The Waterboys at 4.00pm to talk about how they made This is the Sea, almost four decades on from its release.
On Saturday and Sunday, Graham Smyth will feature the music of the 2FM Rising artists performing at Forbidden Fruit Festival (RTÉ 2FM, 3.00pm-6.00pm), kicking off his show with two hours of hits and festival favourites from the acts playing on stage, before diving into a mix of current and classic dance tracks for the final hour. On Bank Holiday Monday, the theme on RTÉ 2FM will be Summer Anthems, bringing you the best tunes to get in the summer spirit. Dan Hegarty will also present a special on the highly anticipated Irish debut albums released so far this year. From Sprints to NewDad, Conchur White to Sick Love, it’s been a vintage year already, and Dan will bring us an hour of tracks, interviews and sessions.
On RTÉ lyric fm, favourites Marty Whelan, Niall Carroll, Lorcan Murray, Simon Delaney and Evelyn Grant will all broadcast live from Bloom at the Phoenix Park, and Liz Nolan will offer an immersive podcast of classical favourites, Walk in Beauty, that visitors can access on rte.ie and the RTÉ Radio Player via a unique QR code on site.
Beidh foireann spóirt RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta ag craoladh beo ón gComórtas Peile na Gaeltachta ar feadh an deireadh seachtaine. Beidh an t-aicsean uilig le cloisteáil beo ar RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.
>>> June Bank Holiday Weekend Highlights include:
RTÉ TELEVISION
THURSDAY 30 MAY
Bloom
RTÉ One & RTÉ Player, 7.00pm
Join Áine Lawlor and Marty Morrissey as they return to Bord Bia’s Bloom in the Phoenix Park in Dublin. Keen gardener Áine meets the award winning designers of the spectacular show gardens, some first timers to Bloom hoping to pick up a coveted gold medal. Marty mingles in the crowd capturing the atmosphere of the first day of the event and will make his way to the food village to show us what is there to taste.
FRIDAY 31 MAY
Women’s Euro 2025 Qualifier
RTÉ 2 & RTÉ Player, 7.00pm
Marie Crowe is joined by Aine O’Gorman & Lisa Fallon for live coverage of the Republic of Ireland v Sweden from the Aviva Stadium. Commentary: George Hamilton & Stephanie Roche.
SATURDAY 1 JUNE
URC Live
RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player, 4.45pm
Live coverage of Munster v Ulster from Thomond Park. KO 5.15pm.
Champions League Live
RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player, 7.15pm
Joanne Cantwell is joined by Richie Sadlier and Shay Given for live coverage of Dortmund v Real Madrid from Wembley. Commentary from Darragh Maloney and Ray Houghton. KO 8.00pm
The Saturday Game
RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player, 10.50pm
Damian Lawlor and guests with highlights and analysis of all the day’s GAA Championship action.
SUNDAY 2 JUNE
The Sunday Game Live
RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player, 1.30pm
Joanne Cantwell presents a live Football Championship double-header with Meath v Kerry from Navan (2.00pm) followed by Derry v Armagh from Derry (4.00pm)
Invasion: The Normans
RTÉ One & RTÉ Player, 6.30pm
This documentary series explores the 12th-century Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland. In 1166 Ireland is torn apart by war between rival kings. When two of these power players drive a rival into exile, he seeks help from Henry II and the Anglo-Norman lords of Britain. Narrated by Michael McElhatton (Game of Thrones), the series combines stunning location footage, atmospheric drama re-enactments, and vivid modern-day sequences.
The Sunday Game
RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player, 9.30pm
Jacqui Hurley and guests take a look back at the weekend’s GAA Championship action.
MONDAY 3 JUNE
Rory Gallagher: Calling Card
RTÉ One & RTÉ Player, 6.30pm
Rory Gallagher was the original Irish guitar hero, whose artistry with a battered ’61 Stratocaster became the stuff of legend. Bob Dylan and Muddy Waters admired him, the Rolling Stones tried to hire him – and his fans worshipped him. Clad in faded denim and a checked shirt, he sold 30 million records and became a charismatic icon of Irish music, inspiring musicians such as Brian May, The Edge, Slash and Johnny Marr.
But away from the stage, Rory was an intensely private man. His closest confidante was his brother Dónal who accompanied Rory on his rise from their childhood Everly Brothers stage performances and the Showband scene across the North and South of the Irish border through to the deafening heart of the ‘70s rock scene in London – and far beyond. Now, Dónal, along with insights from Rory’s friends and admirers, takes us on a musical journey through the life and career of this shy guitar hero to better understand what made him so great.
Against the Head
RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player, 8.00pm
Daire O’Brien presents the weekly Irish rugby programme with highlights and analysis of all the week’s action.
TUESDAY 4 JUNE
Women’s Euro 2025 Qualifiers
RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player, 5.00pm
Marie Crowe presents live coverage of Sweden v Republic of Ireland from Stockholm (KO 5.30pm)
International Friendly
RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player, 7.30pm
Peter Collins is joined by Didi Hamann and Shay Given for live coverage of the Republic of Ireland v Hungary from the Aviva Stadium (KO 7.45pm)
RTÉ RADIO – RTÉ RADIO 1
SATURDAY 1 JUNE
Countrywide Live from Bloom
RTÉ Radio 1, 8.10am-9.00am
Countrywide has visited Bloom every year it is has been on since it first started in 2007. This year, Philip Boucher Hayes will be meeting garden designers, food producers and singer songwriter Declan O’Rourke will join him for some live music and good conversation.
Saturday Sport
RTÉ Radio 1, 2.00pm-9.00pm
Gaelic Games: Coverage of the day’s championship action including Round 2 of the All Ireland Senior Football Championship; Rugby: URC Round 18, Munster v Ulster (17:15); Horse Racing: Epsom Derby plus interviews, panel discussions and the rest of the day’s sports news, reports and results
SUNDAY 2 JUNE
Sunday Sport
RTÉ Radio 1, 2.00pm-6.00pm
Gaelic Games: Coverage of all the day’s championship action including Round 2 of the All Ireland Senior Football Championship plus match reactions, interviews and the rest of the day’s sports news and results
Gig on One
RTÉ Radio 1, 6.00pm-7.00pm
We kick off the summer series of Gig On One with a concert from the olllam – a Transatlantic collective of formidable talent, marrying stunning instrumental virtuosity in the Irish tradition.
MONDAY 3 JUNE
The Marty Morrissey Show
RTÉ Radio 1, 9.00am-11.00am
Marty Morrissey presents two hours of conversation, music and entertainment to raise the spirits.
The County Measure
RTÉ Radio 1, 11.00am-12.00pm
Vincent Woods gets to know the coastline, people and nature of Co. Antrim. In this episode Vincent embarks on an island adventure in search of the golden hare, explores the musical heritage of Belfast, and takes in the beauty of Lough Neagh. There’s also a piece of original writing by Jan Carson and new music by Belfast punk band Problem Patterns.
Louise Duffy Studio Sessions
RTÉ Radio 1, 12.00pm-1.00pm
Louise’s first guest is Richard Hawley who will talk about his songwriting, musical influences and perform some of his favourite songs in Studio 8 in RTE’s Radio Centre.
Services Ahead
RTÉ Radio 1, 1.30pm-2.00pm
Over the past few years, big bright services stations have cropped up along the Irish motorways. People stop for all sorts of reasons, petrol, a coffee, a chat. Brenda Donohue spent 24 hours in the Circle K Service Station near Gorey, off the M11
Wildtrack – Sounds of the Summer
RTÉ Radio 1, 2.00pm-2.15pm
A free-flowing montage of speech, sounds and music to celebrate June.15
RTÉ Concert Orchestra Presents
RTÉ Radio 1, 2.15pm-3.00pm
RTÉ Concert Orchestra Presents: Queen Symphonic Rock Spectacular, recorded at the National Concert Hall in Dublin on Thursday 9 May 2024.
Nature on One
RTÉ Radio 1, 3.00pm-4.00pm
Last month, a unique collaboration between the Mooney Goes Wild team and academics from University College Cork, resulted in a series of short talks hosted in Dora Allman room on the university campus. In this special NATURE ON ONE feature, Biologist Terry Flanagan meets some of the speakers and chats with attendees who were treated to a diverse range of topics from the prospect of recreating Dinosaurs to the benefits of Poo.
Waterboys 1985 – The Making of ‘This Is The Sea’
RTÉ Radio 1, 4.00pm-5.00pm
1985 was the release year of the Waterboys This is the Sea album . and almost 4 decades on from its release – Fiachna O Braonan sat down with Mike Scott to talk about “1985” – how the Waterboys made “This is the Sea” .
RTÉ RADIO – RTÉ lyric fm
THURSDAY 30 MAY
MARTY WHELAN LIVE FROM BLOOM
RTÉ lyric fm, Thursday 30 May, 10.00am-12.00pm
Join Marty for chats with some of the garden designers taking part in this year’s festival, live music from Connor McKeon and his Big Band, and top tips for summer dining from chef, Neven Maguire. And there will be occasional dad jokes.
FRIDAY 31 MAY
NIALL CARROLL’S CLASSICAL DAYTIME LIVE FROM BLOOM
RTÉ lyric fm, 10.00am-1.00pm
Niall is live from Bloom with his regular show playing music from the heart of the classical repertoire with Sounds on Screen, a piece from either the big or the small screen at 11.00am, and at midday a piece from Antonio Vivaldi to wrap up his five selections for the week.
LORCAN MURRAY LIVE FROM BLOOM
RTÉ lyric fm, 1.00pm-4.00pm
If you’re interested in garden-design, growing your own fruit and vegetables or you simply enjoy the lure of the soil then join Lorcan Murray live from Bord Bia Bloom with music, chat and green-fingered guests. Lorcan will bring a bright and blossoming playlist for the event and some uplifting live musical performances.
SATURDAY 1 JUNE
SATURDAY AFTERNOON WITH SIMON DELANEY LIVE FROM BLOOM
RTÉ lyric fm, 1.00pm-3.00pm
Simon will be celebrating Ireland’s festival of flowers, food and fun. Fans of Simon’s Sunday afternoon show can expect the same mix of easy chat, good humour and great jazz as we join him in the perfect outdoor setting. We’ll also enjoy stage and screen favourites performed onstage by Cormac Kenevey and The Velvet Lounge Band.
EVELYN GRANT’S WEEKEND DRIVE LIVE FROM BLOOM
RTÉ lyric fm, 3.00pm-6.00pm
Evelyn Grant is live from Bloom, bringing a bouquet of the best music for your weekend. Whether you’re catching up on the gardening or out getting some fresh air, tune in to Weekend Drive for beautiful music and new releases, as well as news and weather updates.
RTÉ RADIO – RTÉ 2FM
SATURDAY 1 & SUNDAY 2 JUNE
Weekends on 2FM with Graham Smyth
RTÉ 2FM, 3.00pm-6.00pm
Graham Smyth kicks off his show with two hours of current hits and festival favourites from 2FM Rising acts playing at Forbidden Fruit Festival before diving into a mix of current and classic dance tracks from 5.00pm to 6.00pm.
MONDAY 3 JUNE
Dan Hegarty – The Alternative: Irish Debut Albums in 2024
RTÉ 2FM, 11.00pm-00.00am
The first half of 2024 has seen a number of highly anticipated Irish debut albums being released. From Sprints to NewDad, Conchur White to Sick Love, it’s been what you could call a vintage year already. Tonight, Dan brings us a 60-minute special on many of these; tracks, interviews, and sessions.
RTÉ RAIDIO NA GAELTACHTA
Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta
Dé Sathairn 1 Meitheamh / Sat 1 June 11.00am
Beidh cluichí ar siúl i bPáirc Uí Chuana i gCill na Martra, i mBaile Mhuirne agus Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh inniu agus tús á chur le Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta. Beidh foireann spóirt RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta i láthair ar feadh an lae óna 11 a chlog ar maidin go dtí go mbuailfear an cic deireanach ar an liathróid. Beidh siad ag craoladh beo ón gcomórtas ar feadh an deireadh seachtaine.
Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta
Dé Domhnaigh 2 Meitheamh / Sun 2 June 11.45am
Beidh cluiche ceannais idirmheánach na mban ar siúl inniu mar aon le cluichí leath-cheannais sinsir agus sóisir na bhfear agus na mban i gComórtas Peile na Gaeltachta agus beidh an t-aicsean uilig le cloisteáil beo ar RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta i rith an lae.
Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta
Dé Luain 3 Meitheamh / Sun 3 June 10.00am
Cuirfear clabhsúr le Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta i gCill na Marta inniu agus beidh an t-aicsean uilig beo ag foireann spórt RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta. Imreofar cluichí ceannais sóisir agus sinsir na mban agus na bhfear.
RTÉjr live on the Budding Bloomers Stage at Bloom
SUNDAY 2 JUNE
12.15pm RTÉjr – Lets Find Out (with Mark, Zoom and Amy)
1.00pm RTÉjr – Joe The Magician (Dizzy from Dizzy Deliveries)
3.15pm RTÉjr – Lets Find Out
4.00pm RTÉjr – Joe The Magician
MONDAY 3 JUNE
1.00pm RTÉjr – Joe The Magician
4.00pm RTÉjr – Joe The Magician
RTÉ PLAYER
Charleen and Ellie Go All In – Player Original
Join two of Ireland’s top influencers and podcasters Charleen Murphy and Ellie Kelly as they tackle the big question… What are Irish women thinking about?… A lot it seems!
The Dry (Seasons 1 & 2)
When Shiv returns to Dublin, newly sober and keen to stay that way, her family and her old life soon begin to test her.
Kin (Seasons 1 & 2)
Drama centred on a Dublin family embroiled in gangland war which speaks to the enduring unbreakable bonds of blood and family.
The Castaways
After the holiday of a lifetime, Lori and Erin have a huge fight. Erin never boards their final flight and the plane never arrives. Months later, no plane and no survivors have been found. Until now.
Fleishman Is in Trouble
Recently divorced Toby Fleishman dives into the brave new world app-based dating. But just at the start of his sexual freedom, his ex-wife disappears without a trace.
Chloe
Live the lie to find the truth. Becky’s lonely life is nothing like Chloe’s charmed one until one day, tragedy pulls her in deeper than she ever dreamed possible.
The Killing Kind
Lawyer Ingrid Lewis defends a dangerous client named John Webster against stalking allegations. But when he reappears in her life, Ingrid must do everything she can to escape him.