Your Public Service Media Do Mheáin Seirbhíse Poiblí

RTÉ Prime Time interview Kerry mother whose 5 year old daughter and husband died in arson attack 

– Kelly O’Brien spent 10 years seeking answers after Gardaí ruled fatal house fire an accident
– In 2022, a man came forward confessing to being a part of the crime

In 2012, Kelly O’Brien’s husband, Anthony, and their five-year-old daughter, Nadine, were killed in a house fire. For years, Kelly insisted the fire was deliberate but Gardaí ruled it an accident and closed the case.  In 2022, Philip Griffin came forward with a confession that he and another man had broken into Kelly’s home and the fire was deliberately set. Tonight, in her first television interview, Kelly O’Brien speaks to RTÉ Prime Time about that night and her continued fight for justice.

On the night of the fire, Anthony managed to get Kelly out of a first-floor window of their home, but he was unable to save himself or Nadine.

Recalling the night of the fire Kelly tells RTÉ Prime Time, “I was screaming for help, I was screaming ‘help Anthony, help Anthony’. The plan was I was to catch Nadine. So, I was just sitting there with my hands open, screaming for help and waiting for Nadine. But I got a bad feeling, I knew something was wrong.”

When fire crews gained access to the house in the early hours of that morning, they found Anthony and Nadine together in the back bedroom beneath the window.  Nadine was cuddled into her father.

“I carry them with me all the time, the strength I saw from Anthony that night, and even Nadine, she was five, she fought, she did, she fought to try and be here.  The only comfort I have is that Anthony had her in his arms, she didn’t die alone.”

The intervening years took a toll on Kelly’s mental health, “I was put in and out of psychiatric (care).  I attempted to take my life several times.  I was in there because I was told that I wasn’t accepting the fact my husband and daughter were deceased.  I was explaining ‘no I know they’re deceased; it’s the reason why they’re deceased that I have a problem with.”

After a decade, Philip Griffin confessed to Gardaí that he and another individual had broken into the O’Brien house in the early hours of 12 May 2012, and the other man set fire to a couch because of a disagreement on the previous day. At a Central Criminal Court hearing in December 2024, the court heard that Gardaí had closed the file on the case in 2013 after no evidence of a crime was found. Mr. Griffin pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison.

A fresh Garda investigation to bring to justice the other person involved in the crime continues. Kelly O’Brien says she will continue to keep pressure on those with information to bring it forward. She is urging people to ‘do the right thing’.

Watch the full interview on Prime Time tonight March 11, at 9:35pm RTÉ One and RTÉ Player and read the online report on RTÉ.ie/primetime.

Celebrating 20 Years of the RTÉ Choice Music Prize

RTÉ Choice Music Prize

In association with IMRO and IRMA

RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Album of the Year 2024

Fontaines D.C. – Romance

RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Song of the Year 2024

Kabin Crew & Lisdoonvarna Crew – “The Spark”

Irish Artist of the Year 2024

Jordan Adetunji

Irish Breakthrough Artist of the Year 2024

KNEECAP

Classic Irish Album

Watermark by Enya

TV Highlights Programme – Thursday 13th March at 22.35 on RTÉ2

Fontaines D.C. have been announced as the winner of the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Album of the Year 2024 for their album Romance (Partisan Records). The 20th winners of the prize! Previous AOTY winner, Neil Hannon, made the announcement in Vicar St after the judging panel, made up of Irish music media professionals, and chaired by Jim Carroll, gathered this evening to decide on the winning album. Artist Roisin El Cherif accepted the award on behalf of the band, as they are currently on tour in Australia.

Fontaines D.C received a cheque for €10,000, a prize which has been provided by the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) and the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA), as well as a specially commissioned award.

The event, hosted by RTÉ 2FM’s Tracy Clifford, took place live in Vicar St and was broadcast live on 2FM with Beta Da Silva, included exclusive performances from eight of the nominated artists.

Kabin Crew & Lisdoonvarna Crew were voted the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Song of the Year for their song “The Spark”. The song was selected from a shortlist of 10 songs by public vote (Ireland only), via the RTÉ 2FM and Choice Music Prize websites, and was announced by Tracy Clifford on her show this afternoon.

KNEECAP won Breakthrough Irish Artist of the Year presented by 2FM’s Beta Da Silva.

Irish Artist of the Year was won by Jordan Adetunji, presented by Gemma Bradley, BBC NI.

Julie Feeney, the first winner of the RTÉ Choice Music Prize AOTY (2005), welcomed Priscilla Kotey (Warner Music MD) to the stage to collect Enya’s award for the Classic Irish Album for her 1998 LP Watermark.

RTÉ2 will broadcast a one-hour TV programme of the RTÉ Choice Music Prize, featuring performances from the eight acts and hosted by Tracy Clifford on Thursday 13th March at 22.35.

——————————————————————————————————————–

The 20th annual RTÉ Choice Music Prize will once again celebrate the best in Irish recorded music. The Prize has become one of the music-industry highlights of the year since its inception in 2005. The Irish Album of the Year award is chosen from a shortlist of ten albums by a panel of eleven Irish music media professionals and industry experts. The list of judges is available via http://www.choicemusicprize.ie

The winning Album of the Year act will receive €10,000, a prize fund which has been provided by The Irish Music Rights Organization (IMRO) and The Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA). All shortlisted acts will receive a specially commissioned award.

RAAP, Culture Ireland, FMC, Minding Creative Minds, Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet and Coimisiún na Meán are also official project partners of the RTÉ Choice Music Prize.

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Choice Music Prize: Liza Geddes, Recode Publicity I lizageddes@gmail.com

RTÉ: Neil O’Gorman | neil.ogorman@rte.ie

Notes to Editor:

The RTÉ Choice Music Prize is organised by co-founder David Reid. Editor of RTÉ Brainstorm & co-founder of the prize, Jim Carroll, is the chairman of the judging panel for Irish Album of the Year. It is unique in that the judging of the Irish Album of the Year focuses simply and solely on the music (as opposed to sales or airplay). A different group of judges has been put in place for each of the three categories. The full list of all the judges will be on the RTÉ Choice Music Prize website starting 8th January, and through the week as each shortlist is announced, along with some further details. This is the twentieth year of the prize. Past winners can be found via http://www.choicemusicprize.ie/past-prizes/

Stay up-to-date with the latest RTÉ Choice Music Prize news by following @choiceprize, @rte2fm, @rte and @rte2 on Twitter and Facebook and @explorerte and @rte2fm on Instagram using #rtechoiceprize.

Further information can be found at:

• http://www.choicemusicprize.ie
• http://2fm.rte.ie/
• http://www.rte.ie/
• http://x.com/choiceprize
• https://recodepublicity.com/

Here is your host, Patrick Kielty!

Olympic gold and bronze medallist and world champion, Daniel Wiffen will be sitting down with Patrick for the first time since becoming an Olympic champion. Daniel will be looking ahead to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, he will be sharing stories of racing fans in a swimming pool in Bali and also, going head-to-head with his brother Nathan for the first time in four years.

Ireland Head Coaches Heimir Hallgrímsson and Carla Ward will join Patrick this Friday night. Together they will be chatting about taking over as the new men’s and women’s Head Coaches, looking ahead to 2025 fixtures, World Cup qualifications and the future of Irish football.

In 2019 a Dublin Poker Festival hit the headlines when one of its players disappeared. 41-year-old Jón Jónsson had arrived from his home in Iceland, visiting Ireland for the first time. Within 24 hours of arriving in Dublin, he vanished. A new RTÉ podcast series Where is Jón has been investigating Jón’s disappearance; tomorrow night Jón’s mother Hanna, his sister Anna Hildur and brother David will join Patrick on The Late Late Show. Jón’s family will be making a special appeal to the Irish public to come forward with any information on his disappearance.

After a tumultuous week in American politics with reverberations felt around the world, Patrick will be chatting to Kerry’s man in the US, CNN senior correspondent Donie O’Sullivan. Donie will be chatting about all things Donald Trump, MAGA and how Taoiseach Micheál Martin should approach his upcoming visit to the White House.

Singer songwriter Kate Nash will be in studio tomorrow night to have a chat about her career, her Irish roots, reconnecting with Irish music and how the cost-of-living crisis is affecting touring musicians.

Music producer Moio has been rising amongst the music scene and is now being recognised for his own talents. He will be making his Late Late Show debut with his performance of Moments.

The Late Late Show is proudly sponsored by PTSB.

-ENDS-

6 March 2025

RTÉ Communications: Jilly McDonough

Notes to Editor:
For more updates follow The Late Late Show online:
Instagram @latelaterte
TikTok: tiktok.com/@latelaterte
Blue Sky: latelateshow.rte.ie
X: @rtelatelateshow
Facebook: facebook.com/thelatelateshow
YouTube: youtube.com/@rtelatelateshow

This week, RTÉ is the home of unmissable live sporting action, delivering a jam-packed schedule of world-class events free-to-air across video, audio and online with exclusive coverage of local, national and international sporting events. With access you won’t get anywhere else from the Champions League to the Six Nations; from the European Indoor Athletics Championships to the Allianz League, sporting fans can follow every moment, wherever they are across multiple platforms with expert analysis and coverage.

The action kicks-off tonight (Wednesday) with Champions League Live showdown as Liverpool travel to Paris to take on Paris Saint-Germain in the Round of 16, first leg (7.30pm, RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player) while tomorrow sees the first of four days of thrilling competition featuring 20 of Ireland’s top Olympians and athletes as we broadcast comprehensive coverage from the 2025 European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn in the Netherlands across RTÉ One, RTÉ2, RTÉ Player and RTÉ Radio 1.  

A very strong Irish team is travelling to the Netherlands featuring a host of Olympians including Sharlene Mawdsley (400m), Sarah Healy (3000m), Jodie McCann (3000m), Sarah Lavin (60mH), Kate O’Connor (Pen), Andrew Coscoran (1500m), Cathal Doyle (1500m) and Paralympian Orla Comerford (60m), RTÉ will be with them every step of the way.

Coverage begins on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player at 6.00pm tomorrow; Paul O’Flynn will be joined by Derval O’Rourke, Rob Heffernan and Sonia O’Sullivan with David Gillick reporting from trackside with Greg Allen and David Matthews on commentary. The Athletics continues across the weekend on RTÉ One, RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player with radio coverage across all news bulletins and on Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1.

This weekend, the rugby begins on Friday night (7.35pm, RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player) in Cork as Ireland’s U20s take on France when Daire O’Brien will be alongside Darren Cave and Hannah Tyrrell for live coverage from Virgin Media Park, Cork. Commentary comes from Connor Morris and Fiona Coghlan. Meanwhile RTÉ Player will have standalone coverage of England v Italy from Bath.

Saturday sees the highly anticipated live clash from the Aviva Stadium as Ireland take on France in the Guinness Six Nations. Jacqui Hurley will be joined from 1.15pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player by Jamie Heaslip and Stephen Ferris with commentary from Hugh Cahill, Donal Lenihan and Bernard Jackman. On RTÉ Radio 1 Des Cahill will be live from the Aviva with analysts Niamh Briggs and Shane Byrne while Michael Corcoran will bring listeners all the action along with co-commentator James Downey. Pitch side, we’ll be getting immediate reaction from the players with Damien O’Meara.

The Guinness Six Nations continues on Sunday from 2.15pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player with Jacqui Hurley joined by Donal Lenihan, Fiona Coghlan and Stephen Ferris for live coverage of England v Italy from Twickenham with commentary from Des Curran and Darren Cave. Monday sees a look back at all the weekend’s games on Against the Head (8.00pm, RTÉ2 and RTÉ player) when Daire O’Brien and guests Bernard Jackman, Darren Cave and Donal Lenihan will have highlights and analysis from a defining weekend in this year’s Guinness Six Nations.

In Gaelic Games, the Allianz Leagues in Football and Hurling are heating up ahead of this year’s GAA Championships which begin next month, Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1 will have live commentaries and reports across the weekend while on Sunday night (9.30pm, RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player) Joanne Cantwell will be joined by Jackie Tyrrell and Liam Sheedy for highlights and analysis of a very busy weekend of Hurling including Limerick v Galway, Clare v Cork and Kilkenny v Tipperary. In Camogie, RTÉ Sport Online will have the latest from the Very National League including Galway v Tipperary, Dublin v Waterford and Cork v Kilkenny.

RTÉ Sport Online will have live blogs, previews and reports on all the major events as well as highlights of the action on RTÉ social media platforms and the RTÉ website and RTÉ News app. GAA, soccer and rugby podcasts and the thoughts of top name columnists including Jonny Holland (rugby), soccer with Eoin Doyle, Shane McGrath on hurling and Gaelic football columnist Lee Keegan will have up to date reaction and analysis for listeners on the go.

Sport has the power to bring people together, inspire future generations, and create lasting moments. By making these major events free-to-air, RTÉ delivers all the live action whether you’re watching at home, tuning in on radio, streaming RTÉ Player on the go or catching up across RTÉ Podcasts, our expert analysis and in-depth storytelling ensure you get the most from every game.

-ENDS- 

5 March 2025

RTÉ Communications: Fergus McCormack and Jilly McDonough

Leading discount retailer Lidl marks 25 years in Ireland with new three-year product placement deal with Ireland’s longest running drama

New deal with RTÉ Commercial is the largest broadcast product placement in Ireland

Ireland’s best value supermarket retailer Lidl has started construction work to develop a brand-new store in Carrigstown, located in Fair City, as the retailer continues to deliver on its ambitious expansion plans.

Lidl Ireland has secured a successful three-year product placement deal with Ireland’s longest running soap, Fair City. On-set construction of Lidl Carrigstown at RTÉ studios in Donnybrook is currently underway, with the first episode including the new supermarket retailer due to air in early summer.

Transforming the local supermarket, residents of the fictional Carrigstown will soon be able to ‘Go Full Lidl’ in the new Lidl Carrigstown store.

Featuring a realistic Lidl shop interior and exterior set designed by the retailer in collaboration with RTÉ, the store will be built in line with Lidl’s ‘concept’ store design which offers all of Carrigstown a premier shopping experience.

Designed to exacting standards to fit the requirements of the film set, Lidl Carrigstown will include key store features such as a modern welfare area for employees, a Deposit Return Machine and Lidl’s much-loved in-store bakery. As Ireland’s Most Sustainable Retailer, the Carrigstown store will also be fitted with some of Lidl’s pioneering energy solutions including EV charging points for customers.

Fair City, which first debuted on RTÉ in September 1989, is Ireland’s longest running drama series. Broadcasting four new episodes per week on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, the series delves into the daily lives, relationships, and challenges of its residents.

The new deal will place Lidl in the homes of over 600,000 viewers weekly* – with a further 100,000 viewers* streaming the show every week on RTÉ Player – and further embed the brand amongst key audiences as the retailer celebrates its 25th anniversary in Ireland this year.

Turning the sod at Lidl’s new Carrigstown store on the set of Fair City, Lidl Ireland Senior Project Manager, Tom Mughal said:

“Fair City is synonymous with Irish culture, so it’s only fitting that Lidl marks its 25th anniversary in Ireland by announcing a new, high profile product placement deal with the soap and the development of a brand-new Lidl Carrigstown store.

With 184 stores across Ireland welcoming around 2 million weekly customers, Lidl has an extensive reach, and our partnership with Fair City will further extend brand awareness amongst viewers. Located in the heart of the Carrigstown community, the new Lidl store will appear across the series over the next three years.

We’ll see characters interacting with our new Lidl Carrigstown store manager Renee and the store will incorporate all of Lidl’s latest in-store activity to support our wider sponsorships including with Ladies’ Gaelic Football Association and our charity partner Family Carers Ireland. We’re also looking forward to promoting our quality product range through product placement in the show, offering a chance to profile our extensive range of products sourced from our large network of Irish suppliers.

After 25 years of serving communities across Ireland, it’s fantastic to have our brand integrated into such an iconically Irish show and we look forward to promoting the partnership through our extensive store network, in-store leaflet and Lidl Plus app.”

Commenting on the news, Gavin Deans, Commercial Director, RTÉ said:

“We are delighted to work in partnership with Lidl on the largest broadcast product placement in Ireland. This partnership is a prime example of how a commercial partnership can seamlessly integrate an iconic retailer Lidl and Ireland’s favourite soap Fair City together. We’re looking forward to seeing Lidl become part of daily life in Carrigstown.”

Brigie de Courcy, Executive Producer, Fair City (pictured left above) added:

“We are thrilled to welcome Lidl as the new on-screen store in Fair City. Their commitment to supporting local communities aligns perfectly with the spirit of Carrigstown, and we’re excited to bring this partnership to life on screen. The shop is a central meeting point for the community and this collaboration opens up exciting new storytelling possibilities. The beloved Renee Phelan will soon take up her new position as Store Manager at Lidl Carrigstown. We look forward to seeing how Lidl’s presence enhances the vibrant world of Fair City for our viewers.”

Lidl Ireland currently employs more than 6,000 employees in its 184 stores, Head Office in Tallaght and three distribution centres and regional offices based in Charleville, Newbridge and Mullingar.

Lidl Ireland was recently named a ‘Top Employer’ by the Top Employers Institute for the fifth year running. The retailer was also named Most Reputable Retailer and 2nd Most Reputable Company in the 2024 RepTrak Ireland study, and was named Most Sustainable Retailer in Ireland, ranking #3 in the RepTrak® Sustainability Index for 2024.

//ENDS//

Caoilinn Putti, RTÉ Communications Lead | caoilinn.putti@rte.ie

Brand new RTÉ Kids show Total Football kicks off

Starting Saturday morning
March 15 on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player at 10am

Football fans, get ready! Total Football, a brand-new weekly show, is taking young fans behind the scenes of the beautiful game, starting Saturday, March 15 at 10am on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. This 10-part series is packed with exclusive access to top players, elite coaches, and the personalities who make football magic happen.

Presented by sports presenter Aisling O’Reilly and rising star Rasdi Nsimba, Total Football isn’t just another football show – it’s a full-throttle experience. Each week, viewers will see insider insights from the biggest names in the game, while also taking on fun challenges both in-studio and across Ireland!

From national heroes to international sensations, Total Football is calling in the stars. Expect to see Ireland and Premier League aces Caoimhín Kelleher and Evan Ferguson, current Irish stars Amber Barrett and Katie McCabe and former international Julie-Ann Russell – plus a host of surprise guests from the world of football and pop culture. But it’s not just the big names making an impact; young reporters from across Ireland will also hit the pitch to interview players, broadcasters, and even sports photographers who bring the game to life.

Suzanne Kelly, RTÉ Group Head of Children’s and Young Peoples said, “We’re thrilled to launch Total Football and bring RTÉ Kids content to Saturday morning television. This exciting, fun-filled programme is all about football -designed to inspire young viewers to get active, get involved, and most importantly, have fun! It’s fantastic to partner with the FAI on this, helping to grow connections with grassroots football while also celebrating Irish footballing success at home and overseas. We can’t wait for kids to tune in, have fun, and even kick-start their football journey!”

The FAI’s Director of Grassroots, Ger McDermott said: “Having partnered with RTÉ to create Total Football we are excited for the public to see a show that fosters Ireland’s love of football and showcases the fun to be had with the beautiful game. Total Football is a wonderful platform for children to learn skills, be active at home, socially with friends and in schools. By putting children at the forefront of the programme we will speak to thousands of youngsters who love to play football across the country.”

Each episode will be a mix of deep dives and good vibes, featuring exclusive interviews with top footballers and insiders, hilarious challenges—including a trip to Ireland’s largest water slide, local legends in the spotlight, a mixture of international and national teams and ways to level up with information on skills and drills.

Episode One
The debut episode wastes no time getting into the action. The Total Football team will sit down with Evan Ferguson, head to Galway to catch up with Julie-Ann Russell, and meet the rising stars of Salthill Devon F.C. It’s everything a young football fan needs to get inspired, improve their game, and most importantly—have fun!

Get ready to tune in, take on the challenges, and level up with Total Football!

For more information: Sharon Sorohan, RTÉ Communications | Sharon.sorohan@rte.ie

Chef Kevin Dundon has become the sixth celebrity to hang up his dancing shoes and Stetson hat after being voted off Dancing with the Stars tonight. 

Speaking about his time on the show Kevin said: “I feel great. I’ve had the time of my life. It’s been an absolute pleasure getting to know this lady – she has the patience of a saint our Rebecca!”

Rebecca said of Kevin, “He’s so kind, so generous and a ray of sunshine!” 

Kevin and his pro partner Rebecca Scott will speak to Laura Fox on 2FM at 9.30am tomorrow morning for their first broadcast interview following their exit from the show.

The two celebrities who found themselves in the dreaded dance off were Kevin and Aishah Akorede.

Here’s the lowdown on the rest of the ninth show:

Dancing with the Stars brought a never-before-seen twist to proceedings this Sunday evening with the introduction of a very special theme: Country Week!

In a first for the series, the six quarter finalists danced a series of toe-tapping country music-themed performances in honour of one of the most popular music genres in the country, transforming the dancefloor into a Nashville style honky tonk for one night only!

Taekwondo athlete, Jack Woolley opened the show tonight dancing a Quickstep to Dasha’s 2024 top five hit Austin (Boots Stop Workin’) alongside his pro dance partner Alex Vladimirov.

Judge Loraine Barry said: “You absolutely rocked the quick step. Well done.”

Judge Arthur Gourounlian said: “That kicked in faster than my morning coffee! You were like a hurricane, it was effortless and electrifying! If the dance floor had a speed limit you’d have broken it.”

Jack and Alex scored a total of 35 points.

Next up lip-syncing social media star Kayleigh Trappe and her partner Ervinas Merfeldas performed a romantic Rumba to I Will Always Love You by Dolly Parton.

Judge Brian Redmond said: “Overall, I think you did a very good job. There were the odd moments where you lost a bit of softness in the body . . . .parts got as stiff as Dolly Parton’s corset. But the rest of it was exemplary.”

Judge Karen Byrne said: “The Rumba is difficult and that was particularly difficult because the music was very slow . . . You have to have a certain balance. I have to say you’ve some set of legs! Well done!”

Kayleigh and Ervinas scored a total of 33 points.

With a string of entertaining performances under his belt, chef, Kevin Dundon glided into week nine alongside his professional dance partner Rebecca Scott with a Charleston to Rompin’ Stompin’ by Scooter Lee.

Brian Redmond said: “You’re not always everybody’s favourite but those who like you love you. I can’t believe I’m feeding into this but you’re becoming a guilty pleasure.”

Karen Byrne said: “The Charleston is about having fun and making people smile. Did you do that? In bucket loads!”

Kevin and Rebecca scored a total of 21 points. 

Following on from his leader board-topping dance last week, Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Rhys McClenaghan and his professional dance partner Laura Nolan performed an American Smooth to Nathan Carter’s classic version of Wagon Wheel.

Karen Byrne said, “It’s roasting in here but you give me goosebumps. You’re such a joy to look at. You make it look easy.”

Loraine Barry said: “Everything and I mean everything was perfect in this routine… absolute perfection.”

Rhys and Laura scored a total of 39 points. 

Having earned her first ever 10 score paddle last week, former Miss Universe Ireland Aishah Akorede was hoping to maintain her good form when she and partner Robert Rowiński Jive to Lainey Wilson’s recent country hit, Hang Tight Honey.

Brian Redmond said: “Aishah with a capital A! The timing was a little behind Robert but lots of great jive content and overall lots of country cuteness.”

Loraine Barry said, “Blondes certainly have more fun. And with that fun, you also have to have a lot of energy for that jive. I really enjoyed the whole production. Well done!”

Aishah and Robert score a total of 32 points.

After finding himself in last Sunday’s Dance-Off, Mrs. Brown’s Boys actor Danny O’Carroll will be hoping his luck will change when he and partner Salome Chachua took on a Quickstep to Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire.

Arthur Gourounlian said: “It was fun, fast and fantastic.”

Loraine Barry said, “It was a toe tapping performance. You gave it your best and that’s all we can ask for.”

Danny and Salome scored a total of 30 points.

Week nine also saw the annual Team Dance challenge return! After their individual dances, the final six couples were divided into two teams of three. The couples performed again in their teams hoping to increase their judges’ score.

Whatever points they earned in the Team Dance were added to their individual score meaning everything was to play for.

Team Footloose consisted of Kevin, Kayleigh and Jack dancing to Footloose by Kenny Loggins.

Loraine said, “Wow – that was incredible. Tremendous!” 

Brian praised Kevin for being a “true leader” and Arthur admired Jack and Ervinas’ helicopter lift saying how “versatile and powerful” they were.

Team Footloose scored a total of 35 points. 

Team Timber consisted of Danny, Aishah and Rhys dancing to Timber by Pitbull featuring Kesha.

Loraine said, “You knocked it out of the park – the lifts, the tricks, the synchronization!”

Arthur said, “You brought the magic. Aishah – you were shining and dominating the dancer floor.”

Team Timber scored 39 points and won the challenge.  

The Pro dance was a Hoe-Down to The Girl’s Gone Wild by Travis Tritt.

The semi final of Dancing with the Stars – Fright Night airs next Sunday March 9th, 6:30pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.

-ENDS- 
Date: Sunday March 2nd 2025

Photography credit: Kyran O’Brien

RTÉ Communications: Rayna Connery and Éadaoin Nic Giolla Chomhaill

Notes to Editor: 

ABOUT DANCING WITH THE STARS 2025

Filling our Sunday evenings with glitz and glamour from January, the RTÉ One series sees 11 well-known figures team up with a professional dancer to perform a live routine every week.

Each pairing will have a different dancing genre to master every week, from the Charleston to hip hop, and they’ll have just seven days to perfect their routine before performing live to the nation.

Each celebrity couple will be scored by an expert panel of four judges and the viewing public at home, with the winning couple claiming the much-coveted glitter ball trophy at the end of the series.

Dancing with the Stars is produced by ShinAwiL for RTÉ.

Dancing with the Stars is proudly sponsored by Hyundai.

You can follow all the action as it unfolds live on the Dancing with the Stars tracker on www.rte.ie/entertainment

For all the latest news and backstage gossip on Dancing with the Stars, keep an eye on our social channels:
Instagram: @RTEOne & @DWTSIrl
TikTok: @RTEOne
Facebook: @RTEOne
Twitter: @RTEOne @DWTSIrl
#DWTSIrl

This March, RTÉ is delighted to support St. Patrick’s Festival, along with 20 other amazing arts and cultural events all over Ireland spanning theatre, film, literature, music, opera, dance, festivals, exhibitions and more.

St. Patrick’s Festival in Dublin, taking place from 15^th – 17^th March, will be marked by parades, performances, and diverse expressions of Irish heritage. Also in Dublin, Disrupt Disability Arts Festival, curated by and for the disability community, will feature theatre, dance, literature-based performance and visual arts, all delivered through a range of accessible formats in relaxed spaces.

The Franco-Irish Literary Festival will welcome writers in both the English and Irish languages, together with writers of the wider francophone world with panel discussions, interviews, readings, signings and exhibitions. In theatre, The Ark will present The Haircut, a tale for ages 8+ about magic, music, and hair by Wayne Jordan and Tom Lane, while Shakespeare’s masterpiece King Lear continues at the Gate Theatre.

Also this month, The Dublin Literary Award, which celebrates outstanding achievements in global literature, will announce the 2025 Shortlist, and The Irish Film Institute in Dublin’s Temple Bar will host The East Asia Film Festival Ireland bringing audiences innovative, independent and inspiring cinema from East Asia, with a special on tour programme in venues in Galway, Limerick and Cork.

There will be lots of music events taking place around the country. Finding a Voice, in Clonmel, is a festival of music by women composers through the ages and around the world. It will feature performances from leading Irish and international musicians with music across eras and genres. Chamber Choir Ireland will perform Sing Before Night at the festival, with a programme celebrating choral music by women composers throughout the centuries

The Limerick Early Music Festival, promoting early repertoires from around the world on period and modern instruments, will take place in different venues across the medieval city. Also hosting an array of music performances are Music for Wexford Spring Season, Drogheda Classical Music 24/25 Series and Wigmore Series Dublin.

In Clare, the Ennis Book Club Festival will celebrate reading, with readers both from Ireland and further afield, coming to Ennis to share the joy of reading. And finally, in Cork, the First Cut Youth Film Festival will present films in all genres by individual filmmakers, schools and youth groups as well as offering workshops and talks by film industry professionals.

For more information about the amazing events we are supporting this month, check out the websites listed below:

Dublin Wigmore Series Dublin | www.riam.ie/whats-on?category=581

Clare Ennis Book Club Festival | www.ennisbookclubfestival.com

Wexford Music for Wexford Spring Season | www.musicforwexford.ie

Louth Drogheda Classical Music 24/25 Series | www.droghedaclassicalmusic.com

Dublin Dublin International Film Festival 2025 | www.diff.ie

Cork Ortús Chamber Music Festival | www.ortusfestival.ie

Dublin IMMA Collection: Art as Agency | www.imma.ie

Dublin King Lear | www.gatetheatre.ie/production/king-lear-2025

Tipperary Finding a Voice 2025 | www.findingavoice.ie

Dublin Disrupt Disability Arts Festival 2025 | www.disruptfestival.ie

Dublin The Haircut | www.ark.ie/events/view/the-haircut-2025

Limerick Limerick Early Music Festival 2025 | www.limerickearlymusic.com

Dublin, Nationwide and International St. Patrick’s Festival | www.stpatricksfestival.ie

Dublin Franco-Irish Literary Festival | www.francoirishliteraryfestival.com

Cork First Cut Youth Film Festival | www.firstcutfilmfestival.com

Nationwide and International Dublin Literary Award 2025 Shortlist Announcement | www.dublinliteraryaward.ie

Dublin Dublin Bowie Festival 2025 | www.dublinbowiefestival.ie

Clonmel Sing Before Night | www.chamberchoirireland.com/events/sing-before-night

Dublin, Limerick and Cork East Asia Film Festival Ireland | www.eaffi.ie

Nationwide Irish National Opera | www.irishnationalopera.ie

Dublin Abbey Theatre | www.abbeytheatre.ie

Every year, RTÉ supports 170 arts and cultural events all over Ireland through the RTÉ Supporting the Arts scheme. Spanning film, music, dance, opera, festivals, literature, theatre and exhibitions, and with dedicated promotion on RTÉ’s television, radio and digital services, and extensive support across RTÉ’s social channels, the RTÉ Supporting the Arts scheme is a lifeline to Ireland’s creative and cultural sectors.

To find out more information about RTÉ Supporting the Arts and to apply visit
About RTÉ Supporting the Arts – About RTÉ (rte.ie)

Find out what’s happening near you on www.rte.ie/culture