RTÉ’s exciting slate of homegrown content for children
Over 110 hours of new video and podcast content commissioned in 2024 for Ireland’s youngest citizens and their families
-RTÉjr podcast turned TV series Maddie + Triggs premieres on 21 October
-Supernatural drama series The Unreal airing on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player
-New animation series Adam Loves Adventure with Adam King
-Christmas Special with The Kabin Crew
RTÉ has today marked its exciting and unique line-up of homegrown Irish content for young audiences across video, audio and online, to inspire, empower, and celebrate Ireland’s youngest citizens.
RTÉ continues to collaborate with Ireland’s independent sector – from new and established animators, to creators, directors and emerging production talent – to create world-class content to educate, entertain and inform young Irish audiences. In 2024, RTÉ has commissioned over 70 hours of RTÉ Kids and RTÉjr video programming and 40 hours of new podcasts. There are currently over 1,000 hours and 5,000 episodes of kids’ content available on RTÉ Player, plus over 220 hours of RTÉjr and RTÉ Kids podcasts for families to enjoy.
From compelling new dramas to world class animations, educational podcasts, series on climate, and daily news, RTÉ’s offering for young people is packed with content that nurtures inclusivity, emotional literacy and environmental responsibility. A diverse range of new content is available across RTÉjr, RTÉ One, RTÉ2 and across podcast platforms. Over 1,000 hours of evergreen, ad-free content is also available to stream on RTÉ Player, as well as the RTÉjr and RTÉ Kids Youtube channels. Little listeners can also discover a world of fun sounds on RTÉjr radio, with quizzes, drama, science and a host of new podcasts, while rte.ie/learn has a myriad of free educational resources.
Kevin Bakhurst, RTÉ Director General said: “Serving Ireland’s youngest citizens is a key part of RTÉ’s public service mission and the range of programming and content we are announcing today certainly does that. By dedicating more than 100 hours to telling vibrant, fun and diverse stories which will celebrate and inspire our young people, RTÉ is reaffirming its commitment to young audiences all over the country and demonstrating that they matter. Thank you to all my colleagues across RTÉ and to our partners in the independent sector for putting together a slate we should all be very proud of.”
Suzanne Kelly, Head of Children’s and Young Peoples Content RTÉ said: “RTÉ’s mission is to empower children and young audiences by amplifying their voices and experiences through engaging fun and educational cross-platform content. We strive to create and deliver a safe and inclusive media environment that celebrates diversity, encourages active participation and is an inspiration to and a celebration of children & young people. Our slate of incredible animation & live action content, created in collaboration with the Irish Independent sector, stands testament to this and our ambition is to grow and build on this impressive foundation year-on-year. I am genuinely excited about the calibre of content coming out of Ireland and look forward to showcasing it to our audience.”
The Unreal, a new spooky supernatural comedy drama for all the family is currently airing Sundays at 5.30pm on RTÉ One, with the full series RTÉ Player. It all started as an RTÉjr Podcast, and now Maddie + Triggs, narrated by Siobhán McSweeney is coming to screens on October 21st. Adam Loves Adventure, a new animation series starring Late Late Toy Show hero Adam King as a problem-solving space-explorer, will air in 2025.
RTÉjr will bring lots of Christmas cheer to young audiences with a festive special of Irish language favourite, Fia’s Fairies complete with carols as Gaeilge. Cork’s finest, The Kabin Crew will cap off a wonderful year, including their recent longlist for the 2025 Grammy Awards, with their very own Christmas Special.
Step into a world of creativity with RTÉjr! Embark on an artistic adventure with Doodle Girl, which features Irish comedian Tony Cantwell, and This Is Art! Ireland’s all-island digital art competition is back and accepting entries all details available at rte.ie/thisisart and you can also check out This Is Art Club! on RTÉ 2 & the RTÉ Player to get inspired by the next generation of Irish artists.
RTÉ continues to educate and empower younger audiences on how they can help to protect our planet. What’s Next? is a new future-focused series featuring Demi Issac Oviawe, and The Scavengers is a new environmental animation series set in Ireland in the year 3000.
For younger audiences, Stories from Backwoods follows a city raccoon as she finds her place in a wild forest community, while Where the Wild Geese Go, a new animated documentary series that follows the migration of the light-bellied Brent goose from Ireland to Canada will premiere on RTÉ2 with Irish language version, Áit a dTéann na Géanna Fiáine also airing. Pre-schoolers can enjoy Hey Fuzzy Yellow, a spirited new spin on childhood edutainment through exploration and play, while a new series of Sir Mouse returns in December.
In the world of children’s podcasts, RTÉjr Radio has over 220 hours of podcasts available. New offerings include Time Tablet, which features curriculum-linked learnings for children from third to sixth classes. Other award-winning podcasts available to stream now include Ecolution, Cereal, and Nero’s Class. Plus, Stop the Bus, Storytime Takeover, We Love Books, Our Sustainable Village and Ireland’s Unreal continue to offer laughs for children aged 3 and above.
Search www.rte.ie/kids and www.rte.ie/learn to find more information on content and educational resources. 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.
-ENDS-
Date: October 16 2024
Images from today’s showcase have been issued to picture desks by Andres Poveda.
SERIES IMAGES: https://we.tl/t-9e3miwlBFq
RTÉ Communications: Éadaoin Nic Giolla Chomhaill and Sarah Neville
Notes to Editors
RTÉjr
Established in 2010, RTÉjr is Ireland’s premier destination for preschool kids’ content cross platform. Completely commercial free, RTÉjr offers a myriad of top class, internationally renowned animation and live action content, as well as dedicated Podcasts & a YouTube channel for children aged 0 – 6. RTÉjr offers children access to original, entertaining and educational content that reflects their lives and is made exclusively for them.
RTÉ Kids
RTÉ Kids is RTÉ’s cross platform content offering for our 7+ audience. Available from 1pm – 5pm Monday to Friday, weekend mornings on RTÉ 2 and always on RTÉ Player. RTÉ Kids is also available on YouTube, online, socials and wherever you get your podcasts! If you want to find out what’s next in top quality drama, animation, comedy, art, documentaries and more there’s only one place to go…RTÉ Kids!
Search rte.ie/kids and rte.ie/learn to find more information on content and educational resources. There are lots of lesson plans and activity sheets liked to content including Where the Wild Geese Go, Time Tablet and much more.
A safe space for young people to watch native content, RTÉjr offers programmes which are ad-free on RTÉjr TV, RTÉjr Radio and online at RTÉ Kids, as well as in Safe Mode on RTÉ Player.
news2day, RTÉ’s news service designed specifically for children features stories from Ireland and around the world about everything from major world events to cute animals. Florence Okojie is the newest addition to the news2day team. Broadcast Monday – Friday, 4.20pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ News channel. news2day is also watched on RTÉ Player in many classrooms and used as a teaching tool across Ireland. Visit rte.ie/news2day for more information.
Adam Loves Adventure
Set in the vast imaginative possibilities of space, Adam Loves Adventure stars real-life hero Adam King as a problem-solving space-explorer whose prime-directive is to explore the galaxy, using his big heart and space smarts to help aliens in need. Whether it’s responding to an S.O.S., or welcoming an unexpected space critter houseguest, Adam and his fun-loving crew’s skills of empathy, teamwork and a little mischief make them the ultimate intergalactic ambassadors, finding common ground with just about anyone, no matter how different they appear to me and you!
Maddie + Triggs
Maddie + Triggs follows the adventures of a curious little girl and her doggy best friend who find music and adventure in everyday sounds. Maddie is a seven-year-old girl who just so happens to have a vision impairment; and although she cannot see the world around her so well, she is a really brilliant listener. Triggs is Maddie’s fun-loving best friend, an adorable labradoodle who loves music, mischief and doggy biscuits. They live with their mum and dad in the colourful town of Higgledy-Piggledy, and together they experience the music and sounds of everyday life, by really listening to the world around them. Created in collaboration with Turnip and Duck and the BBC, the series will air on RTÉjr and RTÉ Player in Ireland and on BBC iPlayer in the UK on October 21st.
Doodle Girl
Grab your art supplies and come on an adventure with Doodle Girl! Along with her best friend Pencil. Doodle Girl spends each day exploring the different pages of the weird and wonderful sketchbook she lives in. On each adventure, Doodle Girl meets all sorts of doodly characters, made of all sorts of different arty stuff! Drawings, paintings, origami, pasta, sock puppets and more! All episodes will be available on RTÉ Player from November 4th at 7.55am on RTÉjr and RTÉ Player.
Fia’s Fairies
This Christmas, join Fia and her best friend Ameer in a heartwarming 10-minute special as they embark on another enchanting adventure on Fairy Island! As Fia and Ameer journey to help Daidí na Nollaig find his way to Fairy Island, the duo discover the true spirit of Christmas. Packed with heartwarming moments and beloved Christmas songs as Gaeilge, this special is set to become a family favourite. Tune in for the premiere as we celebrate the joy of friendship and the magic of Christmas with Fia’s Fairies!
Kabin Krewe Christmas Special
Cork’s finest The Kabin Crew will cap off a wonderful year with their very own Christmas Special. The Kabin Crew will introduce us to the wonders of Knocknaheeny in Cork City, the place that holds a magical space in their hearts. They perform songs celebrating who they are and where they come from. We see Cork through the eyes of young proud rappers with a story to tell.
The Unreal
Produced by award-winning production company Dyehouse Films, four-part series The Unreal is set against the lush and unmistakably Irish backdrop of Lough Dan in County Wicklow, where the Kellys decamp to for a reluctant family staycation. But the dilapidated holiday park isn’t as dull as it initially seems to 12-year-old Kevin, his screen-obsessed sister Katie and their distracted parents Mary and Tom. In fact, before long, things get really weird. Starring Senan Jennings (Vivarium, Faithless), Kate Brady, Ally Ní Chiarnáin (Calm With Horses, Black 47), Kathryn McKiernan (Love’s Portrait, The Den) and Joseph McGuckan (Darren and Joe’s Free Gaff). Sundays on RTÉ One, starting Sunday 13th October
This is Art Club!
This is Art Club! is back for a third television series to inspire the next generation of Irish artists. This series helps to demystify some of the golden rules of art making, when to use them and even when to lose them! The tv series coincides with the 2024 This is Art! digital art competition for young people of all artistic abilities living on the island of Ireland. This year’s theme is “This is Imagination!” and young artists are invited to go wild with their entries. Leading Irish artists including Maser, Leah Hewson and Aideen Barry will choose this year’s most imaginative entries. ‘This is Art!’ 2024 is open for entries for young people aged 18 and under until November 3rd. Full details available on www.rte.ie/thisisart.
What’s Next?
What’s Next? is a new 6-part future focused series that invites young people from across Ireland compete against each other to come up with the next big idea that might just save the planet. The overall winner gets to pitch their idea to a millionaire investor. Hosted by award winning Irish inventor, entrepreneur and environmentalist Fionn Ferreira and sidekicks, actress Demi Issac Oviawe, YouTuber Adam Beales and comedian MC Fitzpatrick, the real stars are the kids whose ideas could just save the world. The future is in very safe hands. What’s Next airs from November 14th, 5.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
The Scavengers
Set in Ireland in the year 3000, a Scavenger crew are the first (and only!) humans to live on earth in a thousand years. Join Arrow (13) along with his sister Starla (15) and best-bud robot ARG, as they navigate the comedic chaos and unexpected dangers of life on future Earth. The Scavengers begins on RTÉjr and RTÉ Player on November 11th.
Stories from Backwoods
Join Ranger Rooney and her new best friend, the local Hare as they try to turn the wild Backwoods forest into a pretty park… and wind up finding that their community of eccentric animals is perfect as it is. Tune in from November 25th on RTÉjr and RTÉ Player.
Where the Wild Geese Go
Irish children are about to embark on an extraordinary journey with Where the Wild Geese Go, a brand-new 13-part animated documentary series from EZ Films. This thrilling adventure follows the migration of the Light-Bellied Brent Goose from Ireland to Arctic Canada, and back again. Through the eyes of young ‘Goose Detectives’ and a dedicated team of scientists, viewers will embark on a journey to uncover the secrets of these amazing animals’ remarkable journey. Along the way, they’ll witness breathtaking landscapes and learn about the diverse cultures and people that the geese encounter. Premiering on RTÉ 2 and RTÉ Player on October 21st and through a dedicated interactive website, www.rte.ie/goose.
Hey Fuzzy Yellow
Hey Fuzzy Yellow, coming to RTÉjr on November 18th is a spirited new spin on childhood edutainment with a focus on independent thinking and self-expression through exploration and play. Every day, kids are bombarded with messages about how they should act and who they should be. Fuzzy Yellow and friends give kids the tools and confidence to try on plenty of (literal and figurative) hats, learning all about our very textured world along the way.
Sir Mouse
Sir Mouse is a comedy series for boys and girls, coming to RTÉjr in December about an unusual friendship between a bossy knight, Sir Mouse, and her forgiving, gentle friend Dragon. With a modern, feminist twist, together the two friends challenge our preconceptions of all the existing fairytale clichés.
Podcasts – Time Tablet
Brother and sister duo Bob and Annie find themselves zapped all the way back in time to Ancient Egypt and must evade capture and make it home before time runs out. This fast-paced adventure is as much fun to listen to at home as it is in the classroom and teachers can avail of free curriculum-linked classroom resources for children in 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th classes.
Our Sustainable Village is a podcast series following kids in Cabra as they create solutions to make their community a healthier, greener, happier place to live, aiming to inspire kids across Ireland to engage in climate action and create positive change in their own communities.
Check out We Love Books for book chat, author interviews, news, reviews, competitions and more! We’ll be back with a bang for a new monthly series. Plus, we hear from our CBI Book Heroes outlining their favourite reads of the year, we have plenty of listener questions to answer and maybe even a prize or two to be won when you get scribbling yourself.