AH, CHRISTMAS TIME. When you can hunker down in front of the telly at 3pm with an open tin of Roses and a cup of tea, and need no excuse.
If you were wondering what the Irish channels have lined up for the festive season, we’ve had a look at what RTÉ and TV3 have in store, and picked out the highlights.
More antics with Mrs Brown and co.
The cast and crew of Glenroe look back at how Wesley Burrowes’ rural Irish series became our favourite Sunday night ritual.
Conductor David Brophy finds out how the High Hopes choir’s lives changed.
A gameshow that delves into the RTÉ archives and quizzes the contestants on their knowledge and memory of the 80’s, 90’s, Noughties and Now, hosted by Mike Murphy
TV version of his radio chat show on RTÉ 2FM where neither the host nor the audience knew the identity of the guest until they walked out on stage.
Ireland’s top hoteliers Francis and John Brennan are back to undertake a special Christmas project with one of Cork’s oldest caring organisations, Penny Dinners, a soup kitchen.
Music fans will be tempted by shows like:
Archive footage and news reports from when The Beatles came to Dublin for two concerts on 7 November 1963 and the teenagers of the country went crazy.
Utilising RTE’s Library alongside rare material from The Dubliners private archive collection, stars recall Kelly’s life.
An hour-long Christmas special, recorded in Dublin’s Mansion House.
Get some last-minute tips before you cook that turkey.
Ring in the new year:
Kathryn Thomas and 2FM’s Keith Walsh ring in the New Year live from the 3Arena this year.
Christmas Day: Mrs Brown’s Boys D’Movie, Oz The Great and The Powerful, Brave
Christmas Eve: Gravity
St Stephen’s Day: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Captain Philips
Also the Irish premiere of Les Miserables and the likes of Up, Shrek the Third, Cars 2, We Bought a Zoo and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, The Quiet Man, White Christmas, The Sound of Music, It’s a Wonderful Life, High Society, Beaches and Back to the Future, plus all the Indiana Jones movies.
The Al Porter Show is an all singing, all dancing and unashamedly old school (but oh-so-modern) variety show for RTÉ2 filmed at the Olympia theatre.
Panti Bliss looks through the highs and lows of 2015, joined by a host of celebrities.
A brand new sketch show, set in the city of Cork.
Music shows include:
Movies on RTÉ2
Premieres include Anchorman 2, Man of Steel, Elysium, Frankenweenie, I am Ali, Iron Man 3 and One Direction: This is Us, plus ET, Happy Feet Two, James and the Giant Peach, Naked Gun and Airplane!
Lots of Christmas-themed bake-off fun.
Meet the Christmas lights fans who will go to any lengths.
This brand new TV3 fly-on-the-wall documentary follows the lives of three families battling eviction from their homes.
Tens of thousands of Irish people are living and working abroad. This brand new TV3 special tells the story of those who are left behind.
Broadcaster Ivan Yates visits four Dublin pubs and reviews the year over a Christmas drink with high profile figures from the world of sport, politics, business and entertainment.
Emotionally charged and uplifting one hour documentary about families as they prepare for the imminent arrival of cherished family members who have long been out of sight, but never out of mind.
The ‘Queen of Ireland’ Panti Bliss takes to the screen to reflect on the moments that have defined 2015.
Former winners return for a special one-off.
This show takes a look back at the Red Rock story so far.
The final ever episode of the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning drama hits our screens.
Music video mogul Myles O’Reilly documents a night of live music at Vicar Street in memory of the late great Tony Fenton, including Ham Sandwich, Aslan, Something Happens, The Stunning, Wallis Bird, Mick Flannery, Gavin Glass and Mario Rosenstock.
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