Jam-packed weekend of Irish entertainment, sport and music across RTÉ for St Patrick’s Day
The Late Late Show Show St Patrick’s Day special
Dancing with the Stars finale
Live sport – Men’s Six Nations and GAA
BellX1 perform on RTÉ Radio 1
New documentary Turbulence – The Story of Ryanair
The Oscars are live
This St Patrick’s weekend, RTÉ promises all the ingredients for a great celebration of Ireland, showcasing the very best of Irish entertainment, sport, culture, music and storytelling across video, audio and online.
From live coverage of the St Patrick’s Festival Parade and the nail-biting final weekend of the Men’s Six Nations, to the glitzy final of family favourite Dancing with the Stars, RTÉ brings you all the action from the weekend. And across RTÉ Radio 1, 2FM, RTÉ lyric fm and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, RTÉ will celebrate Ireland’s unique identity and heritage through songs and culture with Irish music to suit every taste.
Great Entertainment
Experience the colour and fun of the St Patrick’s Festival Parade live from Dublin on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player from 12:15pm on St Patrick’s Day. Doireann Garrihy joins the presenting team of Dáithí Ó Sé and Emer O’Neill to host this year’s parade coverage. The parade has the theme of “roots” and will feature some incredible floats, including Buí Bolg and Macnas. RTÉ News: Six One will have footage from parades around the country in an special St Patrick’s Day bulletin.
The St Patrick’s Day party gets started on Friday night with The Late Late Show on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player. Patrick Kielty is joined by Irish comedian and podcaster, Joanne McNally along with acclaimed musician Glen Hansard, Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and a host of other well‑known Irish personalities.
Sunday night offers great family viewing at 6:30pm on RTÉ One as Tolü Makay, Eric Roberts, Katelyn Cummins and Paudie Moloney dance for the final time on Dancing with the Stars. Each celebrity will perform the judges’ favourite routines from the season, as well as an epic show dance in their efforts to win the Glitterball trophy.
Irish Sport
With all to play for in the Men’s Six Nations 2026 this weekend, Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1 will have live commentary of Ireland v Scotland from the Aviva Stadium (2:10pm) on the final day of the competition. Who wins this year’s trophy will all be decided in the final Six Nations double header on television with Wales v Italy and France v England live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from 4:15pm.
RTÉ has live Gaelic Games action this St Patrick’s weekend, as Kerry face Mayo in Tralee on Saturday, with live commentary of the Allianz League action on the programmes Saturday GAA Live on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player and on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1 and on Spórt an tSathairn on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta. Throw-in 4pm. RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta will also have more coverage of the Allianz Football and Hurling league on Spórt an tSathairn, Spórt an Tráthnona and Spórt an Lae over the weekend. Tune in for coverage of Donegal v Roscommon from 1:30pm, Waterford v Tipperary and Galway v Monaghan from 3:45pm on Sunday 15 March.
Irish Music
Irish music is to the fore across all RTÉ radio stations this weekend. One of Ireland’s most enduring and acclaimed bands BellX1 perform some of their best-loved songs in The Louise Duffy Sessions at 3pm on RTÉ Radio 1 on St Patrick’s Day. Westlife’s Mark Feehily celebrates the Irish acts that went global – from The Cranberries and Enya to Snow Patrol and Sinead O’Connor in another edition of Mark Feehily’s Musical Icons from 11am.
Raidió na Gaeltachta and 2FM join forces for An Club, a new series of special simulcasts on St Patrick’s Day, with Hugh Carr and Aindriú De Paor presenting the best of new Irish music and plenty of craic agus comhrá from 9pm.
On RTÉ lyric fm, Aedín Gormley rolls out the green carpet on Movies and Musicals on Saturday at 1pm with her annual look at Irish made and Irish themed films, from Michael Collins to An Cailín Ciúin and on St Patrick’s Day Lorcan Murray’s Classic Drive in a special programme has live performances from the finest traditional Irish musicians including fiddle player Kevin Burke, harpist Fiana Ní Chonaill and duo Cormac Breathnach on whistle and Martin Dunlea on guitar from 4pm. From 9pm on RTÉ lyric, Donal Dineen spends the evening unravelling the rich tapestry of sound that sets this golden age of Irish music apart in The Blue of the Night in Green.
Irish Storytelling
Irish storytelling is celebrated across the platforms for our national festival. On RTÉ One and RTÉ Player on Monday at 9:35pm, Turbulence – The Story of Ryanair is a new documentary series telling the story of Ryanair’s transformation from a single route airline to a giant of European aviation. The second episode drops on RTÉ Player later that evening. The Tommy Tiernan Show on Saturday night will have three more guests on to tell Tommy their stories. On Sunday night, The Great House Revival, presented by much-missed Hugh Wallace, returns with the first episode in a new series and at 11pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player viewers can watch the 98th Academy Awards live as Jessie Buckley is hot favourite to win an Oscar for her role in Hamnet. On St Patrick’s Day, RTÉ Washington Correspondent Jackie Fox will report for RTÉ News from The White House as Taoiseach Micheál Martin delivers the traditional bowl of shamrock to US President Donald Trump.
On radio on St Patrick’s Day, Naomh Pádraig on RnaG at 9:15am tells the stories and folklore about the Patron Saint of Ireland and from 9am on RTÉ Radio 1 The Marty Morrissey Show will hear stories from comedian “giz a laugh” Enya Martin and World Championship figure skater Chloe Loane. At 4pm, Adamstown at 21 tells the story of the West Dublin community which turns 21 this year. On RTÉ One, viewers can get a nosy around three more gorgeous Irish homes in Home of the Year at 7pm.
In Carrigstown, you can rely on Fair City to bring the drama this St Patrick’s Day Weekend. As Mondo’s court case looms, the Raffertys tighten their grip and push their plan to have him locked up for good.
On Wednesday at 7pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, presenter Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh presents a special programme on Nationwide on the legacy of the great musician and storyteller Shane MacGowan.
RTÉ Player will have Irish film and television favourites available to watch anytime over St Patrick’s weekend encompassing drama, comedy, factual, lifestyle and entertainment including Father Ted, Normal People, Hardy Bucks, Other Voices and many more.
-ENDS-
Sarah Neville, RTÉ Communications