Your Public Service Media Do Mheáin Seirbhíse Poiblí

32 children will represent their county in the Toy Show Parade
Tune in tonight at 9:35PM on RTÉ One and worldwide on RTÉ Player

#LateLateToyShow

It’s Toy Show Day and the final day of a week of Christmas programming announcements in which the theme of this year’s Late Late Toy Show has been revealed as Christmas movie favourite Home Alone!

Make sure you’re not on a flight to Paris shouting ‘Kevin!’ this Friday night and join Patrick Kielty and a host of little Kevin McCallisters and Wet Bandits as they come together to protect the McCallister home! Run, Run Rudolph, this is the most magical time of the year and the best night to bring your family together for ‘eating junk and watching The Late Late Toy Show’ – and no one is going to stop you!

In true ‘I made my family disappear’ style, there’ll be plenty of mischief with staircase sliding, snowball throwing, Wicked performances, and lots of rocking around the Christmas tree.  This year’s Late Late Toy Show, with all 250 toy testers and performers, promises to be a night of surprises that will warm your heart and take you out of this world making wishes come true.

Speaking ahead of tonight Patrick Kielty said, “I am so excited to be bringing Home Alone to all the kids of Ireland tonight. It’s the dream movie theme for me, when I walked out onto the set earlier this week it brought a tiny tear to my eye. The big kids are going to love the nostalgia around it. Take a nap before we get started, because tonight is going to epic!”

A stunning set created by RTÉ production designers will take the big kids among us back in time to Kevin’s kitchen, his sitting room, the treehouse and not forgetting Buzz’s bedroom; The Late Late Toy Show will be giving nineties nostalgia. There will be surprises revealed all throughout the night as we also mark the fifth year of the Toy Show Appeal; more than 1.1 million children, young people and their families in every county on the island of Ireland have been impacted by this funding.

A first for The Late Late Toy Show, kids from every county in Ireland will take to the studio floor to show their pride for their county in the Toy Show County Parade! Expect swirling and twirling, gymnastics and pageantry, Marshal Kielty will attempt to keep all 32 kids in their line!

In fashions Kate McCallister would be proud of, the RTÉ Costume and Make-Up Departments have been working diligently to create the world of this Chicago Christmas wonderland while children from all across Ireland will be entertaining audiences on Friday night with the games they’ve been playing such as the Beyblade X Xtreme Battle Set, Hot Wheels Monster Truck Epic Loop Bundle, and the cute and cuddlies FurReal Peanut the Playful Monkey and Real FX Disney Stitch Puppet Interactive Toy.

The much-loved book section of the show will see our readers sharing mythologies and histories; reviewing The Dictionary Story by Oliver Jeffers, The Story of Irish Rugby by Gerard Siggins and Nina Peanut: Mega Mystery Solver by Sarah Bowie.

Irish toys they’ve been playing and creating with include Stomp Rockets and an Irish Bracelet Weaving set to name a few. A list of the toys featured will be available on the show’s website rte.ie/lifestyle following the broadcast. All toys featured on the night will be donated to charities.

RTÉ Player

Stream Free Worldwide  
In 2023, a global audience from 158 countries tuned in to watch The Late Late Toy Show on RTÉ Player, with viewers from London to New York, Toronto, Madrid, Amsterdam, Berlin, Sydney and Auckland.

Stream The Late Late Toy Show tonight on RTÉ Player at 9:35pm and catch-up or rewatch on demand.

Subscribe to The Late Late Show YouTube channel for all of the best bits.

RTÉ Social Channels

Catch all the excitement from behind the scenes on the official social channels. RTÉ 2FM’s Taran & Aindriú will host a 30-minute TikTok Live at 6.30pm on Friday, with AAA passes! They’ll catch up with Patrick backstage, bring you on a tour of the set and meet the people who bring the greatest night of the year to life.

The official hashtag is #LateLateToyShow. You can follow the Late Late Show accounts right now to make sure you don’t miss a single second of the greatest TV night of the year – @latelaterte on TikTok @latelaterte on Instagram, @RTELateLateShow on X and @TheLateLateShow on Facebook.

ISL
The Late Late Toy Show with Irish Sign Language (ISL) will broadcast live on the RTÉ News Channel and RTÉ Player.  For the second year, our ISL coverage will feature Deaf presenters, Sarah-Jane O’Regan and Jason Maguire – working with hearing interpreters, Ciara Grant and Lisa Harvey-Coleman. The Late Late Toy Show ISL is a real celebration of Irish Sign Language, Ireland’s third official language!  The Late Late Toy Sow ISL will be available to stream shortly after the live broadcast and will be repeated in the ISL block on Wednesday, 11th December.

Audio Description
Audio Description (AD) will also be available for the repeat show on Sunday 8th December at 15.05 on RTÉ One, and on Monday night at 24:05 and afterwards on RTÉ Player.  Audio Describers this year will be Clara Murray and Berni Stack.

The RTÉ Toy Show Appeal 
Working in collaboration with Community Foundation Ireland, the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal is back for its fifth year to improve the lives of children and their families by funding essential support, health, wellbeing, play, and creativity initiatives. It has so far raised an astonishing €21.3m and has provided support to 302 different charities and given 492 grants over that time. It supported 127 different children’s charities last year alone and is estimated to have helped over 1.1 million annually since its inception.

The public can donate by going to www.rte.ie/toyshowappeal, or with the appeal’s official donation partner Revolut Pay.

The Late Late Toy Show airs tonight on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player at 9:35PM.

-ENDS-

6 December 2024

Photography: Google Drive [Credit Andres Poveda Photography]

Further Information: Jilly McDonough Press Officer | jilly.mcdonough@rte.ie

Notes to Editor:
The Late Late Show is proudly sponsored by PTSB.

ISL:
Sarah-Jane O’Regan works on RTÉ’s ISL News & Weather team.  Sarah-Jane is a qualified Deaf Interpreter (DI) and has also provided ISL for several arena concerts, including P!nk, Taylor Swift and Coldplay!  She’s also signed at Electric Picnic! Sarah-Jane is a teacher at the Holy Family School for the Deaf.

Jason Maguire, a seasoned Deaf Interpreter with years of experience in TV settings, works as a Special Needs Assistant (SNA) at Holy Family For The Deaf. Jason’s expertise in Deaf culture and language, combined with his passion for supporting students, has made him a key member of the team. 2024 will be Jason’s third year working with The Late Late Toy Show ISL!

Ciara Grant is an experienced ISL interpreter, comfortable and well-experienced in a studio environment. Ciara is one of the ISL interpreters working in the Broadcasting Unit of the Houses of the Oireachtas.  She is currently undertaking postgraduate studies in Multilingual Sign Language Translation and Interpreting. This will be Ciara’s third year to work on The Late Late Toy Show ISL!

Lisa Harvey-Coleman is an experienced ISL interpreter. She has provided interpretation for many different events, including high profile and performance interpreting. Lisa has recently been part of a team of interpreters bringing access to concerts and festivals such as Taylor Swift, Coldplay & Electric Picnic.

Audio Description:

Berni Stack joined RTÉ’s audio description team three years ago and is delighted to be involved in this year’s Late Late Toy Show! She has worked across all genres from documentary to feature film and loves describing for younger audiences. Her most recent project for RTE Jr was the animated series Doodle Girl.

Clara Murray: You will know Clara from Bright Sparks on RTÉ Jr! Clara was RTÉ’s first Audio Describer and has AD’d lots of your favourite shows from RTÉ Jr, in addition to movies and drama series. Clara also works on RTÉjr Radio! She can’t wait to be part of The Late Late Toy Show AD team again this year.

About Community Foundation Ireland
Since 2000 Community Foundation Ireland has awarded over €140 million in grants. Community Foundation Ireland is a registered charity, (Registered Charity Number: 20044886) and is committed to the highest standards of trust and governance. Community Foundation Ireland and its partners believe in equality for all in thriving communities. They work with individuals, families, corporates and other trusts and foundations as well as Government to translate giving in the moment to giving that is strategic, sustainable and impactful.

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YouTube: youtube.com/@rtelatelateshow

RTÉ celebrates sport with exciting line up this Christmas season   

Celebrate 2024’s top Irish sporting stars with RTÉ Sport Awards live from RTÉ Studios on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player 

A packed live sporting schedule including Investec Champions Cup, Racing from Leopardstown and Champions League Live on RTÉ2, RTÉ Player and RTÉ Radio 1 

Marty Morrissey presents the All-Ireland Quiz on RTÉ Radio 1  

Documentaries paying tribute to Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh, celebrating Steve Collins’ One Night in Millstreet and What Daire Did Next featuring Jürgen Klopp 

There’s a double-header of live Investec Champions Cup action on RTÉ2, RTÉ Player and RTÉ Radio 1 this Christmas with Munster taking on Stade Francais in Thomond Park this Saturday 7th December, KO 5.30pm while on Saturday 14 December Leinster face Clermont Auvergne at the Aviva Stadium Clare MacNamara will be alongside Fiona Coghlan Jamie Heaslip for these crucial Champions Cup games on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player with Michael Corcoran on commentary on RTÉ Radio 1.

URC Live 

The feast of festive Rugby continues with the Interpros taking centre stage in the URC. Leinster face Connacht at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday 21 December and Connacht take on Ulster on Saturday 28 December. Clare MacNamara will be joined by Bernard Jackman, Jamie Heaslip and Darren Cave as the Irish provinces go head-to-head in the traditional Christmas inter-provincial games with Michael Corcoran on radio commentary.

The RTÉ Sport Awards 2024  

Joanne Cantwell, Darragh Maloney and Jacqui Hurley present the RTÉ Sport Awards 2024 on Sunday 15 December on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player. After a stellar year for Irish sport, the stars gather in Studio 4 in RTÉ to celebrate the achievements of Irish sportsmen and women this year. The Awards being handed out on the night include RTÉ Sport Sportsperson of the Year, RTÉ Sport Team of the Year, RTÉ Sport Manager of the Year and RTÉ Sport Young Sportsperson of the Year. The nominees for this year’s RTÉ Sport Young Sportsperson of the Year will be announced today, Thursday 5 December by Jacqui Hurley, live on news2day – RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player at 4.20pm.

Racing from Leopardstown 

The festive tradition that is the Leopardstown Christmas Festival begins on St Stephen’s Day with four days of action live on RTÉ2, RTÉ Player and RTÉ Radio 1. Hugh Cahill, Jane Mangan, Ruby Walsh, Barry Geraghty and Lisa O’Neill alongside reporters Brian Gleeson and Katie Walsh will bring viewers all the action from one of the highlights of Christmas.

Champions League Live  

The UEFA Champions League continues live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player with Darragh Maloney presenting coverage of Juventus v Manchester City alongside Stephen Kelly on match day 6, Wednesday December 11.

Inspiring Stories  

What Daire Did Next  

Heart-warming documentary following Irish Liverpool fan Daire Gorman (12) after his meeting with Jurgen Klopp in December 2023 went viral last Christmas. In this documentary, Liverpool fan Daire Gorman, who made headlines last Christmas after a visit to Anfield, takes us into his extraordinary world during a whirlwind six months. Over the duration of the documentary Daire says goodbye to primary school, competes in an international powerchair football tournament in Paris, gets fitted with a state-of-the-art robotic arm, undergoes challenging surgery and becomes a teenager – all while coming to terms with the news that his hero Jürgen Klopp is stepping down as Liverpool manager at the end of the season. Watch on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, Sunday 29 December

Cloch le Carn, MICHEÁL 

An intimate portrait about the GAA legend whose energy for life was there for all of his 93 years. Dlúth-léargas ar shaol laoich an CLG, nár chaill a mhisneach riamh le linn an 93 bliain a bhí sé ar an bhfód.  How do you create a portrait of a man who for 93 years never stopped, getting the most he could out of every day. Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh was the voice of the nation, the king of commentators, who travelled the world promoting the game he loved. But he was also a family man who took his 8 kids and his loving wife Helena along for the rollercoaster ride that was his life. Watch on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player on New Year’s Eve.

One Night in Millstreet 

The story of Ireland in 1995, a snapshot of a country told through a high stakes prize fight in Millstreet, Cork between the then unknown underdog Steve ‘The Celtic Warrior’ Collins and the larger-than-life champion Chris ‘Simply the Best’ Eubank. Featuring interviews with Steve Collins and Chris Eubank, along with Irish boxing legend Barry McGuigan, Chris Eubank’s former manager Barry Hearn, writer Paul Howard, and Tony Quinn, Steve Collin’s Mind Trainer, the film conjures a time and place when the country was undergoing enormous social and economic change.

On the Radio 

Jacqui in Paris  

Jacqui in Paris delves in to Jacqui Hurley’s summer diary and the story of Ireland’s memorable haul of seven medals over the course of a week at the 2024 Olympic Games. With Kellie Harrington, Rhys McClenaghan and Daniel Wiffen among those who made it a great summer for Irish sport, Jacqui in Paris takes listeners on a journey through Paris, recounting her experience of a magical summer. Listen in on RTÉ Radio 1, Friday, December 27 at 4pm.

The All-Ireland Quiz  

On St Stephen’s Day at 5pm Marty Morrissey hosts an all-star panel of pundits as hurlers take on footballers in a festive GAA sporting quiz on RTÉ Radio 1.

Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1 will bring listeners live commentaries, news and sporting reviews over the Christmas period.

For more information contact:  

Fergus McCormack, RTÉ Communications, fergus.mccormack@rte.ie.
Maureen Catterson, RTÉ Communications Manager, maureen.catterson@rte.ie

10 Irish television network premieres on RTÉ this Christmas
Over 150 movies available to stream on RTÉ Player

In the third day of a week of Christmas programming announcements, get ready to nestle up on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn for an exciting lineup of movies across RTÉ to enjoy over the festive period. Throughout Christmas, RTÉ will air 10 Irish television premieres across RTÉ One, RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player including That They May Face the Rising Sun, Top Gun: Maverick and Soul. RTÉ Player will stream over 150 new and classic movies including Irish feature films So This is Christmas, Who We Love and Lies We Tell.  From festive favourites to new releases, there is something for all the family!

10 Irish television premieres

RTÉ is thrilled to announce an incredible lineup of critically acclaimed and beloved films, airing for the first time on Irish television. Prepare for some entertaining movie nights – from breathtaking action to heartfelt drama and animated releases.

Fresh from cinema screens, That They May Face the Rising Sun is among the movies premiering on Irish television this Christmas. Adapted from John McGahern’s celebrated novel, Joe and Kate Ruttledge leave London to live and work in a small lakeside community in Ireland.

The Crawley family and their entourage head to southern France in Downton Abbey: A New Era, when the Dowager Countess becomes heir to a villa.

Another recent release available on RTÉ this Christmas, Where the Crawdads Sing tells the story of Catherine, abandoned by her family at a tender age, she attempts to fend for herself.

Feel the need for speed? Maverick trains a group of elite Top Gun graduates to prepare for a high-profile mission in Top Gun: Maverick. 

Dinosaurs and humans collide in Jurassic World Dominion pushing humankind to its limits as it faces a new era where both species fight to survive in a shared world.

Spider-Man seeks the help of Doctor Strange to forget his exposed secret identity as Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

For those looking for an action-packed comedy, tune into The Lost City where a romance novelist Loretta Sage is kidnapped by a billionaire seeking a hidden treasure.

Also premiering on Irish television this Christmas are family favourites bound to captivate young audiences. Viewers meet Joe a middle-school band teacher whose true passion is jazz in Soul, before discovering the untold story of Gru, a 12-year-old with big dreams in Minions 2: The Rise of Gru. Helen sets off on a mission to restore public faith in superheroes Incredibles 2.  

Blockbusters 

RTÉ also announces a spectacular lineup of blockbuster hits to keep everyone entertained. Relive the thrilling adventures of Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull  or dive into the world of espionage with Bond classics including No Time to Die, Casino Royale and Skyfall. Get your heart racing with the action-packed holiday favourite Die Hard 2.

Enjoy family fun with animated gems like Finding Dory, Paddington and Toy Story 3. Or perhaps it’s time to rewatch old classics such as Casablanca or The Graduate, also available on RTÉ this Christmas.

Christmas Classics 

RTÉ brings a selection of Christmas classics to ignite the festive spirit. Enjoy the magic of White Christmas and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, fun-filled films perfect for all ages. Relive the timeless tale It’s a Wonderful Life, while Jack Frost delivers a touching story of family and second chances. For a hilarious holiday adventure, Jingle All the Way follows a father’s frantic quest to find the perfect Christmas gift. For the season romantics, Christmas at Maple Creek and Christmas Setup are the flicks for you.

RTÉ Player 

Not available to tune in live? Why not catch up on RTÉ Player where movies will be available to stream following television broadcast.  And if that’s not enough, a mix of Irish films and feature documentaries such as Brooklyn, Intermission, So This is Christmas, Who We Love, Lies We Tell and much more are also available on RTÉ Player.

For a detailed schedule and more titles to be announced, you can explore RTÉ’s Christmas content listing which will be available in the coming days.

-ENDS- 

For more information: 

Caoilinn Putti, RTÉ Press Officer | Caoilinn.putti@rte.ie
Maureen Catterson, RTÉ Communications Manager, TV, Radio and Online | maureen.catterson@rte.ie

–  2.2 million* TV viewers tune in across the weekend
–  Over 31 million online page impressions on RTÉ.ie and RTÉ News app over the count weekend
– 14.35 million video views of count coverage on RTÉ social channels
– Results coverage on RTÉ Player streamed in 154 countries including China, Mali and Kazakhstan

Huge audiences engaged with RTÉ’s comprehensive General Election 2024 results coverage across all platforms as it unfolded this weekend.  

RTÉ delivered comprehensive coverage of this weekend’s General Election results, with all the breaking news and updates from count centres throughout the country as well as analysis on developments delivered across video, audio, app and online to audiences at home and abroad.

RTÉ News’ online coverage received over 31 million page views in just two days on the RTÉ News App and

RTE.ie. In addition 14.35 million video views of election coverage were consumed across all RTÉ’s social media channels and platforms including Tik Tok, Instagram, X, Bluesky and Facebook.

2.2 million* viewers tuned into RTÉ’s Election 2024 results and news programming across the three days as RTÉ broadcast 30 hours of live television coverage.

On RTÉ Player, election results coverage and news content generated over 622,000 streams to date from 154 countries worldwide, including China, Venezuela, Mali and Kazakhstan.

Over 50 hours of live radio coverage was also delivered across RTÉ Radio 1 and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.
RTÉ co-produced over 15 hours of live Irish language election results coverage for TG4 in addition to regular Nuacht bulletins on RTÉ One.

RTÉ also continued its commitment to supporting the future development of Irish media and journalism with 50 third level journalism students from UL, DCU, University of Galway and Ballyfermot College of Further Education employed to work alongside RTÉ teams in count centres throughout the country, gaining first-hand experience and contributing to multi-platform coverage of the General Election.

Kevin Bakhurst, Director-General RTÉ said: “Providing quality coverage of the General Election across all platforms is central to RTÉ’s role as Ireland’s public service media organisation. It is a responsibility that RTÉ and teams across the organisation have shown their commitment to these past few weeks and over last weekend, with coverage from every count centre and every constituency across the country. RTÉ’s quality results coverage and analysis engaged huge audiences on every platform – across tv, radio, online and on social media – highlighting RTÉ’s commitment to serve as Ireland’s public service media”.

– ENDS – 

Date: Tuesday 3 December 2024.

Contact:
Sharon Brady, Senior Communications Manager, RTÉ, 087 685 8975, Sharon.Brady@rte.ie
Laura Fitzgerald, Communications Manager, RTÉ News & Current Affairs, Laura.Fitzgerald@rte.ie

Sources: 
Television viewing figures source – TAM Ireland / Nielsen TAM, Live + VOSDAL

Online figures source – Piano Analytics

*Election 2024 and News related programming combined registered a +1 minute reach figure of 2.2 million for Individuals RTÉ One & RTÉ One +1 (Sat & Sun broadcasts) and RTÉ2 & RTÉ2 +1 Exit Poll Special only (Friday)

RTÉ has announced The Walsh Sisters, a new six-part drama series based on celebrated Irish author Marian Keyes’ best-selling novels about a chaotic, dysfunctional but deeply loveable family of five sisters, a devout mother and a bemused father.

Set in their Dublin hometown, The Walsh Sisters follows the lives of Anna, Rachel, Maggie, Claire and Helen as they navigate the peaks and troughs of their late 20s and 30s. This is a sisterhood full of in-jokes, hand-me-down resentments and more than a few old wounds. But their DNA, history and shared love of power ballads keep the Walsh sisters together in the face of heartbreak, grief, addiction and parenthood.

The series is based on five of the Walsh Family novels by Marian Keyes, one of the most successful Irish novelists of all time, whose many accolades include being named the 2022 Author of the Year at the prestigious British Book Awards. Since her first novel was published in 1995, more than 39 million copies of Keyes’ books have been sold around the world, translated into 36 languages.

A multi-award-winning writing team has been signed to the project, consisting of Dublin-based screenwriter, author and actor Stefanie Preissner (Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope) and writer and executive producer Kefi Chadwick (Rivals; Death in Paradise). The Walsh Sisters will be directed by Ian Fitzgibbon and produced by award-winning indies Cuba Pictures, based in London, and Irish based Metropolitan Films International, in association with the BBC and Screen Ireland. Cineflix Rights is the exclusive worldwide distribution partner on the six-part series which has been pre-bought by the BBC for its viewers.

Marian Keyes said: “This is SO exciting!!!! I’m beside myself! I love the scripts; they’ve really kept the spirit of the books. It’s been almost impossible to keep this a secret and it’s a great feeling that the news is now out in the world.”

Stefanie Preissner said: “It was such an honour to be asked to adapt Marian’s amazing books. Rachel’s Holiday was the first book I ever bought with my own money, and she has lived in my heart since that day. The team at Cuba are a joy and the whole process has been gorgeous. I cannot wait for everyone to see the magic we are making”.

David Crean, Head of Drama at RTÉ said: “It’s beyond exciting to be able to announce the news that The Walsh Sisters is going into production. Marian Keyes is a much-loved author and Stephanie Preissner and Kefi Chadwick have brilliantly captured and re-imagined her world. It’s going to be a huge treat for audiences everywhere. I’m delighted to add this brilliant drama series to our slate for 2025 and beyond.”

Dixie Linder, CEO at Cuba Pictures said: “We are incredibly proud to bring The Walsh Sisters to life, working alongside such talented partners as RTÉ, BBC, Screen Ireland, Cineflix and Metropolitan. With the incomparable stories of Marian Keyes as our foundation, Stefanie Preissner and Kefi Chadwick have crafted a rich and heartfelt adaptation that captures the humour, resilience, and emotion at the heart of these beloved characters and with Ian Fitzgibbon at the helm as director, we can’t wait to share the series with everyone.”

The series will shoot in early 2025.

RTÉ Communications: Maureen Catterson

Mushroom Media: Cheryl Clarke

Notes to Editor
The executive producers are RTÉ’s head of drama, David Crean, and director of co-productions and acquisitions, Dermot Horan; Cuba Pictures’ joint CEOs Dixie Linder and Nick Marston; Metropolitan Films producer and director David McLoughlin; the BBC’s head of fiction acquisitions, Sue Deeks; and James Durie and Tom Misselbrook for Cineflix Rights.

About Cuba Pictures
Cuba Pictures is a BAFTA, Emmy, RTA, and BIFA-winning production company celebrated for high-profile TV and film projects. TV highlights include McMAFIA with James Norton (BBC One/AMC), based on Misha Glenny’s bestseller and winner of the 2019 International Emmy for Best Drama, Coalition (RTS Award for Best Single Drama), Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell starring Eddie Marsan and Bertie Carvel (multiple BAFTA-winner), and Paula with Denise Gough (BBC Two/RTE which one the IFTA for best screenplay).

Film credits include Boy A with Andrew Garfield (BAFTA-winning), Broken with Tim Roth and Cillian Murphy (including best film BIFA), The Ones Below with David Morrissey, and London Road with Olivia Colman and Tom Hardy and The Delinquent Season starring Cillian Murphy and Andrew Scott.

In collaboration with The National Theatre, Cuba produced 4 films including Romeo and Juliet with Jessie Buckley and Josh O’Connor (RTS-nominated) and Death of England: Face to Face (BAFTA/RTS-nominated). Most recently, Cuba produced The Chemistry of Death, an adaptation of Simon Beckett’s crime novels, which premiered on Paramount+ in 2023.

Currently Cuba are in production on The Rumour, an adaptation of Lesley Kara’s bestselling novel.

About Metropolitan Films International:

With more than 25 years of experience in film and television production, Metropolitan Films International, in association with its global network of partners, develops, produces and provides a comprehensive suite of production services to international film and television projects locating in Ireland.

Metropolitan’s numerous award-winning feature film co-productions include Martin McDonagh’s Oscar-nominated The Banshees of Inisherin, for Fox Searchlight, Disney’s Disenchanted, the sequel to 2007’s Enchanted; Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel, for Fox, starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Jodie Comer; Silver for Constantin Film & Amazon Studios and most recently Fifth Season’s & Lionsgate’s gripping political thriller Anniversary, starring Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler and Zoey Deutch.

Current projects in production include Wednesday Season 2 for MGM/Netflix; Harry Wild Season 4, for Acorn & ZDF starring Jane Seymour, Sanctuary Season 2 for AMC, and How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, Lisa McGee’s follow up to Derry Girls for Hat Trick & Netflix. Metropolitan has also produced a wide variety of critically acclaimed television series, including the award-winning Irish crime drama KIN seasons 1 & 2 for BRON Studios, AMC, RTÉ and Screen Ireland, acquired by BBC and Netflix, The Tourist 2, starring Jamie Dornan, for Two Brothers Pictures, BBC & All3Media, Vikings and Valhalla for MGM and Netflix, Penny Dreadful for Showtime; Greta, directed by Neil Jordan for Sidney Kimmel Entertainment and Universal, and Into The Badlands for AMC.

About Cineflix Rights

Cineflix Rights is the UK’s largest independent TV content distributor to broadcasters and streamers worldwide with a catalogue of standout scripted series and movies as well as must-watch, long-running factual brands.

Our scripted slate features the new crime drama Virdee, based on the best-selling books by A.A. Dhand, for BBC; the return of the international cult sensation with a Wynonna Earp: Vengeance special for Tubi; dystopian thriller Heart Attack for Fuji TV; and 2024 Séries Mania Official Selection, So Long, Marianne, inspired by the love story between Leonard Cohen and Marianne Ihlen. These new titles join returning seasons of International Emmy® Best Drama Award-winning espionage series Tehran for Apple TV+, Paramount+ Australia’s crime drama Last King of The Cross; Reginald the Vampire starring Spider-Man’s Jacob Batalon for SYFY US; Irvine Welsh’s Crime with Dougray Scott in his International Emmy® award-winning role for ITVX/BritBox, and Acorn TV’s cozy crime procedural Whitstable Pearl.

Entertaining the world since 2002, Cineflix Rights is based in London, and is part of the Cineflix Media group of companies.

About Marian Keyes

Marian Keyes is the multi-million copy, internationally bestselling author of some of the most widely loved, genre-defying novels of the past thirty years – such as Rachel’s Holiday, Anybody Out There and Grown Ups (Penguin Michael Joseph). She has amassed millions of fans around the world who are irresistibly drawn by her warmth and wit, fearless honesty, relatable characters and relationships, and sheer storytelling magic. Her books have explored some of the most challenging issues of our time, including addiction, immigration, depression, domestic violence and the Repeal the Eighth campaign.

Marian is a passionate champion of storytellers everywhere, playing an active role in encouraging the next generation of writers. She has been the chair of judges for the Comedy Women in Print prize, a sponsor of the Curtis Brown Creative Marian Keyes scholarship, and most ran her own hugely popular Instagram Live series bringing free creative writing courses to thousands of viewers.

Both critically acclaimed and commercially unstoppable, Marian’s sixteenth novel, My Favourite Mistake – was an immediate No. 1 bestseller in five global territories: UK, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, a No. 1 Audible bestseller and one of Audible’s audiobooks of the year – My Favourite Mistake will be published in paperback on 13th February 2025. In addition to her novels, Marian has written two collections of journalism, one of which was used as the inspiration of her hit BBC Radio 4 show Between Ourselves. She also co-presents the popular BBC Radio 4 podcast Now You’re Asking with actress Tara Flynn, which has been praised by Guardian for its ‘warm-hearted joy’. Marian is based in Dublin.

RTÉ celebrates Irish culture through festive food and musical specials this Christmas

– Christmas in Kildare on Christmas Eve on RTÉ One, RTÉ Player and RTÉ lyric fm
– A wide and varied selection of music specials on RTÉ Radio 1 and RTÉ 2FM
– Culinary inspiration with a wide range of cooking specials on RTÉ Player

In the second of a week of Christmas programming announcements, RTÉ will indulge viewers in festive treats with a selection of Irish music specials and Irish culinary offerings with inspiration and the best tips to entertain guests this festive season. Marty Whelan and Celine Byrne will be hosting Christmas carols in Christmas in Kildare featuring some of the biggest names in Irish music including Paul Noonan from Bell X1, Lisa Hannigan, Kingfishr and Grammy Award winner, Rhiannon Giddens to name a few. RTÉ will also air some of the best music documentaries and radio features including Henry Mount Charles: A Lord in Slane, Nanci Griffith – From A Distance and David O’Doherty and his Dad do Jazz. Neven Maguire’s Neven’s Christmas at Cashel along with Rory O’Connell’s How to Cook Well at Christmas will feature as part of a feast of festive food specials on offer across RTÉ this Christmas season.

Christmas Carols in Kildare 

A musical delight this December, RTÉ invites audiences to join in a celebration of the season on Christmas Eve with a spectacular concert, Christmas in Kildare, hosted by soprano Celine Byrne and presenter Marty Whelan at 8.40pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ lyric fm, and RTÉ Player. Featuring the RTÉ Concert Orchestra alongside an extraordinary lineup of artists, set against the stunning backdrop of the historic St. Brigid’s Cathedral in the heart of Kildare, this a concert not to be missed. This year’s performers include May Kay, Paul Noonan of Bell X1, Lisa Hannigan, Méav Ní Mhaolchatha, and Colm Mac Con Iomaire. Also joining the celebrations are the 25-strong all-female choir Dulciana, rising stars Kingfishr, the Theodora Byrne ensemble, Grammy Award-winning artist Rhiannon Giddens and the afore mentioned world renowned soprano and another Kildare native, Celine Byrne.

Music Specials on RTÉ Radio 1 and 2FM

On RTÉ Radio 1 this December, kick-start the festive listening with Around The World at Christmas with Loah at 8pm on Christmas Eve.

To get the Christmas Day festivities underway Christmas Miscellany will air at 9am offering a magical mix of words and music recorded in early December at an annual event at the National Concert Hall with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, featuring special guests.

David O’Doherty and his dad will bring listeners on a relaxing jazz journey as they reminisce by a grand piano at 5pm on Christmas Day in David O’Doherty and his Dad do Jazz.  

Acclaimed Irish songwriter Oisin Leech will take listeners on a lyrical journey with tunes for the heart and soul in a Christmas Caravan Radio Special from 6pm.

Finishing off Christmas Day and Stephen’s Day – with interviews before worldwide fame, directly after it and on through the 90s right up to a couple from the past four years, Dave Fanning will deep-dive into the incredible career and life of one of Ireland’s most important artists, Sinéad O’Connor in Dave and Sinéad from 7pm.

As the year draws to a close, a new series, Routes, will ask the simple but profound question, ‘How did I get here?’ Each episode will weave together the meandering adventures and musical biography of a special guest starting with Rick Epping, originally from Southern California who decided to settle in the quiet south Sligo townland of Carrickbanaghar. Tune in on New Year’s Eve at 12pm on RTÉ Radio 1.

Ringing in the New Year, Louise Duffy will host Damien Dempsey in a Studio 8 Session at 12pm.

And on 2FM this Christmas Day catch-up on all of the biggest and best music and entertainment stories of the year with Lottie Ryan and Conor Behan.

Across the festive season 2FM will have celebrity takeovers where some well-known names in Irish entertainment will be handed control of the Christmas playlist. First up is Chubby Cat followed by Davina Devine.

The legendary 2FM Christmas Quiz will air on St. Stephen’s Day where presenters will be pitted against each other to see who comes out victorious and has bragging rights for the next 12 months.

Music on RTÉ lyric fm

Lorcan Murray and RTÉ lyric fm will be bringing the Christmas cheer on Christmas Eve with Lorcan Murray’s Classic Drive from 4pm. Aedín Gormley will have an hour long special of her favourite mellow seasonal music in Oíche Chiúin With Aedín Gormley from 8pm.

Marty in the Morning will be waking up listeners on Christmas morning, with a feast of festive tunes, carols and some of his best Christmas cracker jokes from 8am. Tune in to Centuries Of Christmas With Vlad Smishkewych with a millennium of music for this special festive day from 10am. Paul Herriott will bring us a playlist of Christmas music from around the world with Christmas Around The World With Paul Herriott from 7pm. Finally, George Hamiliton will be stepping in for The Full Score with Liz Nolan from 1pm on St. Stephen’s Day, bringing listeners a Christmas Concert from La Scala Orchestra and Chorus with Daniel Harding conducting Kirill Gerstein, piano for Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy.

Music Documentaries 
Finally, to round out the musical offering this festive season, RTÉ will be showcasing an exciting selection of documentaries with Henry Mount Charles: A Lord in Slane on Friday 27th of December, Nanci Griffith – From A Distance on Sunday 29th of December and The Great Pretenders on Monday 30th of December – all available on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.

Henry Mount Charles – A Lord in Slane looks at Lord Henry Mount Charles, the bankrupt estate he inherited and a music festival that would change the world of Irish entertainment forever. The documentary looks at how it all came at a cost to Lord Mount Charles’ health and marriage which saw him spiral into the depths of alcoholism. Now in recovery he faces another battle with lung cancer.

Nanci Griffith – From A Distance follows the story Nanci Griffith who arrived in Ireland in 1987, and within a year, the country and its people had taken her to heart, making her the biggest-selling female artist of the day. This documentary hears from Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, Dolores Keane, Mary Black, and those who knew her best as they search for Nanci Griffith’s life and times – from a distance.

The Great Pretenders explores the vibrant and increasingly popular tribute band scene in Ireland from the perspective of the musicians and their fans as they try to replicate the sound and the look of music legends. While some of these tribute bands have made music their full-time commitment, others do it for fun and for the thrill of being on stage in front of a live audience.

Culinary Specials 
Viewers will be spoilt for choice with new Christmas specials from some of Ireland’s top home-chefs, Mark Moriarty, Rory O’Connell and Neven Maguire.

Join Neven Maguire on Tuesday 3rd and 10th of December, in a two-part special as he takes viewers to Tipperary’s Cashel Palace Hotel in Neven’s Christmas at Cashel. In part one, Neven joins Head Chef Stefan McEnteer in the hotel’s Bishop’s Buttery restaurant where they prepare a salmon and trout wreath, a traditional baked ham, and a ham terrine. In part two, Neven meets Master Butcher Una O’Dwyer and prepares a crab gratin, turkey roulade and pavlova. He also chats to World Champion trainer Aidan O’Brien at Ballydoyle Racing stables.

Rory O’Connell is back with another Yuletide offering in How to Cook Well at Christmas, airing on Sunday December 22nd at 7.30pm and Monday December 23rd at 7pm. Rory will be sharing festive recipes and creative cooking tips to help make cooking over the holiday period a stress free and enjoyable experience. In the first of these two specials, Rory prepares a salad of roast butternut squash with chickpeas and salmoriglio and follows this with savoury turkey and ham, bread and butter pudding, and a chocolate and pear flan. In the second special, Rory prepares a choux pastry and choux rings with smoked trout and almonds, a three cheese mille feuille with cranberries and a very seasonal Christmas ice-cream with whiskey-soaked prunes, served in an ice bowl.

At 6.30pm on Monday 23rd of December Mark Moriarty will be sharing his tips and tricks for a stress-free 3-course meal in a delectable Off Duty Chef Christmas Special. Mark invites a group of friends to road-test his festive menu ahead of the big day, ensuring everything runs seamlessly when it matters most. From French onion soup to sticky soy-glazed ham and even a vegetarian glazed and studded swede – Mark has all bases covered this Christmas.

Viewers can also find culinary inspiration with a wide range of cooking specials on the RTÉ Player, including Neven’s Christmas at Adare, Neven’s Christmas at Muckross Traditional Farm, Donal’s Feasts, Fasts and Festivals and How to Cook Well at Christmas with Rory O’Donnell. 

Find the full selection of festive treats on RTÉ this Christmas. 

-ENDS-

For more information:
Adam Thibault, RTÉ Press Officer | adam.thibault@rte.ie
Maureen Catterson, RTÉ Communications Manager, TV, Radio and Online | maureen.catterson@rte.ie

RTÉ 2FM has today announced the eagerly anticipated list of 2FM Rising Artists for 2025. Chosen each year by a panel of experts, the class of 2025 are Amble, Annie-Dog, BOLD LOVE, CamrinWatsin, Celaviedmai, Cliffords, ESSIRAY, F3miii, Fortúne Igiebor and Pastiche.

All ten selection artists were announced today on The Tracy Clifford Show and 2FM will champion them all through the next year with particular focus on the acts unveiling exclusive new music and interviews during Rising Week which takes place from Monday 2nd December to Sunday 8th December.

Adam Fogarty, Director of Music at RTÉ 2FM said: “2FM is delighted to announce our 2FM Rising list for 2025. Now in its 8th year (since its inception in 2018) our ambition is to continue to build on 2FM’s rich history of supporting Irish artists and music. Building on the legacy of 2FM Rising – that in recent years has brought you acts such as Dermot Kennedy, Denise Chaila, For Those I Love, Fontaines DC, Jafaris, Pillow Queens, Kojaque, Biig Piig, Monjola, Gemma Dunleavy, Sello, Aby Coulibaly, Chubby Cat, Jordan Adetunji, New Dad, 49th & Main and many more – we remain committed to bringing our audiences exciting new Irish acts that are helping shape the future of Irish music. We’re very excited for another great year in Irish music and to bring 2FM Rising to audiences in 2025.” 

Previous 2FM Rising artists also include Lyra, The Murder Capital and Wild Youth. For details on the all of this year’s artists visit: www.rte.ie/2fmrising

Director of Marketing & Membership Development with IMRO, Keith Johnson added: “IMRO is delighted to once again partner with RTÉ 2FM Rising to support Ireland’s next generation of musical talent. The Rising initiative has become a vital springboard for artists, offering them the resources and exposure needed to reach new audiences. In 2025, we’re excited to see these incredible songwriters and musicians bring their unique sounds to listeners across Ireland and beyond.” 

ENDS 

Date: 02/12/2023

RTÉ Communications:  Sarah Neville

About the 2025 2FM Rising Acts 2025: 

Amble 

In the summer of 2023, the Irish folk trio, Amble – Longford’s Ross McNerney, Leitrim’s Robbie Cunningham and Sligo’s Oisin McCaffrey – had known each other for what the Irish call a ‘wet day’ when a phone call from Los Angeles changed their lives. They weren’t to know it then, but their day jobs (respectively, a secondary school teacher, a primary school teacher, and a data scientist) were soon to end. Amble jumped from relative obscurity to signing to a major label. Amble by name, amble by nature? You only have to hear the music to appreciate just how accurate this is. Amble’s tunes conjure up truisms instead of clichés: Across their newly released EP, The Commons, tracks such as latest singles “Little White Chapel” “The Commons,” plus “Thoughts Flood Back to You,” “One Man’s Love,” and “Luke the Navigator” present indelible marks of deft rural-related storytelling and a musicality that is equally traditional and current.

Annie-Dog 

Influenced by a plethora of fellow idiosyncratic artists including Dean Blunt, Imogen Heap, and Alex G, Annie-Dog self-produces her own material and crafts bittersweet shapeshifting pop tracks that occupy a world somewhere between PinkPantheress and Grimes. Annie-Dog released her self-titled debut EP in 2024 via Leeds indie-label, “Dance to the Radio”, and is set to share her sophomore EP, “15”, in February 2025. Although her debut track, “The Pressures of the Heart”, only came out earlier this year, she has already been put on the bill for the likes of Ireland Music Week, Pitchfork Music Festival, Dot to Dot, Live at Leeds, and Other Voices.

BOLD LOVE 

The band made up of Cian Ó’Maonlaí (lead vocals), Jack Cody (guitar/vocals), Megan Nic Ruairí (vocals, keys/synth), Dan Aherne (bass), Anton Shovlin (drums), and Adam Curtis (lead guitar) have been gathering significant momentum having been tipped by the likes of Hot Press in their Hot for 2024, Whelan’s Ones To Watch, and RTÉ Recommends, for their widescreen indie-pop inflected alt-rock live sound. This culminated in a scintillating show at the annual Ireland Music Week showcase festival and one of three acts chosen by Dermot Kennedy for his inaugural Misneach festival. Having sold-out numerous early headline shows around Dublin at staple venues such as The Workman’s Club and The Grand Social, as well as playing major festivals such as Electric Picnic and Other Voices, the band will mad their first headline appearance in London at Old Blue Last on 19th November.

CamrinWatsin 

Cameron Watson first had success with a take on Jorja Smith’s hit “Blue Lights” which garnered over 120,000 plays on TikTok and was No.1 on Soundcloud New and Hot Charts in Ireland and England. Following multiple releases gaining success and a busy gig schedule, Camrin caught the eye of Sony label Robots & Humans, signing a record deal. The success keeps on rolling for CamrinWatsin as he collaborated with BL3SS to release the massive track “Kisses” featuring bbyclose. The track, as of the end of 2024, amassed 100milllion streams, entering the Top 5 in the Irish charts and the Top 5 of the UK singles chart. Camrin’s latest release on Sony “Blew My Life Up” has just dropped and with exciting collaborations and further releases ahead, CamrinWatsin continues to climb to the very top.

Celaviedmai

Celaviedmai has emerged as one of the most thrilling names in the Irish music scene. Her career reached new heights in 2023 with significant achievements such as opening for Kelis, being recognised as a Breakthrough Artist by GAY TIMES and Coca Cola, and performing live for the first time at UK festivals and in Prague and Brussels. This year, she released her most successful project, ‘ISSA NEW ERA!’, which received widespread praise, televised performances, headlined small festivals and was selected for Ireland Music Week 2024. Hailing from Galway, Celaviedmai’s music is revered for its genre-blending within urban contemporary music. Her lyrics include English, French, and Irish, paying homage to her Ivory Coast heritage. Mai’s live performances distinguish her from most rappers, with a full band, live vocals and unbelievable connection with the audience.

Cliffords 

After forming in a garage in Cork as teenagers, Cliffords have emerged as an electrifying act bursting out of the Irish scene. The band built their dynamic indie-rock sound by relentlessly playing venues across Cork, captivating audiences with their emotional and cathartic performances. Cliffords went on to receive widespread recognition after the release of their critically acclaimed debut EP ‘Strawberry Scented’, which came out in April this year. Following this release the band went on to play numerous venues across Ireland and the UK,including a packed-out performance at Electric Picnic’s ‘3 Stage’, solidifying Cliffords as a live experience which is not to be overlooked

ESSIRAY 

ESSIRAY is an Irish singer, songwriter, and producer known for her dynamic electronic pop music. She combines fast-paced breakbeats with layered vocals and harmonies, creating a vocal-led sound that feels both energising and calming. Rooted in storytelling, her music explores unique soundscapes that push genre boundaries. Having started her music career as an opera singer, ESSIRAY is no stranger to experimentation and thinking outside the box when it comes to her music-making. This year, she curated an all-female electronic night at Whelan’s, showcasing artists who blend electronic music with other genres. Since her debut two years ago, ESSIRAY has been recognised as “The Future of Irish Music” by District Magazine, won the Goldeneire Songwriting Competition, and performed at festivals such as Beyond the Pale and Forbidden Fruit. She showcased her work at Ireland Music Week 2023 and has supported acts like the South African electronic duo Goldfish at The Grand Social in Dublin and LA-based songwriter Miya Folick. Her work has also been featured on major Spotify playlists, including New Music Friday UK and Fresh Finds: Pop. Hot Press describes ESSIRAY as “a breath of fresh air.”

F3miii  

Dublin-based producer and vocalist F3miii is known for his melodic voice and vibrant chords. Music has always been F3miii’s passion and he got his start singing in a gospel choir. The talented artist debuted his career with the release of ‘Beautiful’ on SoundCloud, this tune elevated him to where he is today with over 2 million streams on his last 3 singles collectively. F3miii has collaborated with amazing artists like KhakiKid, Pat Lagoon, Monjola, and Bricknasty. The vocalist finds solace in creating music about love and heartbreak that people can relate to. F3miii was chosen as a District Magazine Alumni 2024 and showcasing artist at Ireland Music Week in 2022. No stranger to live crowds, F3miii’s has performed at Electric Pinic, Forbidden Fruit festival, Cork Jazz Festival. The emerging artist also sold out his headline shows in London 2024 and Dublin 2022 and 2024.

Fortúne Igiebor 

Fortúne Igiebor is a rising star in Irish hip-hop, praised not just for his musical talent but for his authentic approach to artistry. Known countrywide for his eccentric genius, combining heartfelt lyricism with bold, genre-blending production. Fortúne’s rapid rise includes sold-out shows, a documentary debut, and two #1 hits in 2023 alone, making him a standout voice in the Irish music community. His fearless approach and public persona make Fortúne an artist who captivates and inspires – a true breath of fresh air in Irish music.

Pastiche  

Pastiche is undeniably transforming the Irish music landscape with her captivating pop sound. With a sonic blend reminiscent of Dua Lipa and Chappell Roan, she masterfully fuses classic electronic dark pop with vibrant 80s influences, all delivered through her sharp and witty lyrics.Her debut headline show at Whelan’s sold out in an astonishing 72 hours, a clear indicator of her surging  popularity. Having showcased at Ireland Music Week, Iceland Airwaves and Primavera Pro, she is an export-ready star. Audiences have been mesmerised by her larger-than-life persona at venues like The 3Olympia and Collins Barracks. Additionally, she has secured spots at major Irish festivals, including Sea Sessions, Indiependence, SoFFt Nights, and Dublin’s Pride Festival.

Her debut EP, Freak Show Symphony, achieved remarkable success, garnering millions of radio impacts, hundreds of thousands of streams, and tens of thousands of radio plays. Following that, she dazzled listeners with “Dizzy” and “Abandon The Planet,” continuing to rack up millions more radio impacts and thousands of streams. With her consistent success, Pastiche firmly establishes herself as one of Ireland’s most promising independent pop writers, ready to take the world by storm.