Ireland is a great home for television. There are all kinds of wonderfully entertaining shows that broadcast from the Emerald Isle, some of them popular on an international scale. But the best judge of some of the great shows in Ireland is to just look at what’s popular in the country itself.
There is a huge variety of TV entertainment in Ireland, from the best, most world-class dramas to the simplest and most enjoyable sports news shows.
So, let’s look at some of the great shows from Ireland.
- The Late Late Show
In any country, any culture, anywhere in the world, one staple of late-night television is the talk show. These shows date back to the 1940s when they were part of variety shows, and talk interviews were moved from radio onto TV. The early genesis mostly occurred in the United States, featuring familiar names like Bob Hope and The Ed Sullivan Show.
Even with this long running history, Ireland’s primary late night talk show, The Late Late Show, is actually the second longest continuously running late night chat show, second only to The Tonight Show. First broadcast on 6 July 1962, it has been on Irish screens ever since.
It’s one of the most popular shows in the country and has featured a huge variety of guests and musical performances over the years, featuring stars like Sinéad O’Connor, U2, and Westlife.
It is a really genuinely impressive feat to have been broadcasting longer than almost every other late night talk show, in a world where such shows thrive everywhere.
The Late Late Show is, without doubt, one of Ireland’s best shows.
- Against the Head
Ireland may not be as well known for its late-night talk shows as the States are, but one thing Ireland is known for is sports. Rugby, particularly, and that’s why Against the Head is another one of Ireland’s most popular shows and is popular with rugby fans, sports fans and betting fans. The show regularly discussing betting odds giving you the opportunity to see better results at Irish betting websites. A panel show featuring regular hosts and a variety of guests, Against the Head looks at rugby news on a weekly basis.
The show features a variety of formats, from interviews, reviews of games, game highlights, and discussions about rugby news in Ireland. During the height of the rugby season between February and May, the show provides coverage of all the major championships, from 6 Nations and Heineken Cup to the AIB League.
First broadcast in 2003, it has been continuously providing the best and most up to date rugby news for almost 20 years. Given the popularity of rugby in Ireland, it is not surprising that Against the Head has been bringing in a large and regular audience for close to two decades.
- Kin
But Irish TV isn’t all interviews and real-life coverage. Ireland also produces some world class dramas, and now more than ever these sorts of shows are what a large portion of the audience want. one of the most popular and successful of these shows has been Kin, staring Aidan Gillen and Charlie Cox. The show is a crime drama which takes place in Dublin, originally conceived by Peter McKenna and Ciaran Donnelly.
Inspired by the true stores of the Kinahan gang, Kin tells the fictional story of a Dublin family caught up in gang violence and war. It received warm reviews from critics, who felt that the show, in premise, lacked originality, but that it really just served as a fantastic opportunity for the actors to do what they do best.
Originally broadcast by RTÉ but having since moved over to the subscription service AMC+ in the States, it has gained international acclaim and attention.
- Father Ted
Though originally produced for Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, there is perhaps no show more Irish than Father Ted. Written by Irish writers and set on a remote Irish island, Father Ted is the best loved sitcom to have ever come out of the Irish world. It tells the stories of three priests living together on the island, and the various situations they find themselves in.
For many people, Father Ted might be the first thing they think of when they think of Irish TV. Despite this, it only went for a three year run from 1995-98, but it has been repeatedly voted for and won BAFTAs for Best Comedy series.
Father Ted is without doubt one of the most widely loved Irish shows, and one of the best of all time.
One thing is for sure, then: you’re not short of variety. Irish shows are some of the best in the world by any standard, and whatever your entertainment needs are, they will be met. Though Irish media doesn’t always have the same wide reach that even media about Ireland might have, it’s nonetheless up to the same incredibly high standard as the most highly produced Hollywood series. Ireland has a ton of great shows.
