TG4’s Autumn schedule is being launched in the Tribeton, Galway today, where a wide variety of programmes have been announced for this coming season on the channel.
The diverse programmes provide plenty of laughs from the likes of Hector, Daithí Ó Sé, Daniel O’Donnell and interesting guests from near and far.
The highly successful ‘Underdogs’ return after a ten-year break, with renowned footballers Paul Galvin, Valerie Mulcahy & Ray Silke as this year’s selectors, putting a new group of skilled hopefuls under pressure and creating plenty of healthy competition for places on their team.
Heartbreak and anguish are portrayed in the hard hitting documentary series’, ‘Finné’ & ‘Tabú’, presented by renowned journalist Orla O’Donnell and radio star Eoghan McDermott respectively. The programmes deal with controversies relating to injustice and the burning questions facing Irish society today.
The weekly current affairs series ‘7 Lá’ returns and the highly acclaimed documentary series ‘Fíorscéal’ kicks off with the Irish broadcast premiere of John & Gerry McColgan’s hard hitting film, ‘This is Palestine’, this Thursday, 6th September.
TG4 also announced an informative new series on the history, traditions and culture of food in Ireland – ‘Blasta’, as well as following a year in the life of the team in a renowned rural hotel, the ‘Shandon’, in Donegal.
Series’ such as ‘Bailte’, ‘Gaeil UK’, ‘Turas Bóthar’, ‘Beidh Aonach Amárach’ and ‘Bádóirí’ give us a unique insight into the lives of ordinary people and particular communities, in Ireland and Britain, in a contemplative but entertaining way.
Sports coverage on TG4 continues to go from strength to strength as the high point in the LGFA year approaches, with the women of Cork and Dublin meeting in the All-Ireland football final. A new programme, building up to the big match will be broadcast live the night before, 15 September, from the Mansion House in Dublin, with lots of music, sports stars and other female role models taking centre stage.
We will have the best of the Guinness Rugby PRO14 championship, as well as the County Finals and AIB Club championship in football and hurling, between October and December 2018, with a live match every Sunday.
We will also be given an insight into the personal lives of some of our greatest GAA stars in a new series of ‘Laochra Gael’, featuring the likes of Jackie Tyrell, Rena Buckley & Colm Cooper.
Some of the greats of Irish traditional music will feature in a new series of ‘Sé Mo Laoch’, including Frankie Gavin, Alec Finn, Arty McGlynn & Sarah Ghriallais. And as is customary for TG4, we have more top class musical offerings in ‘Gradam Cheoil TG4’, ‘Tradfest’,‘Lurgan 2K18’ and ‘Junior Eurovision’.
TG4 is building a reputation for outstanding live events over the last number of years and that is central to the new schedule as well, in programmes such as ‘Samhain Live’, ‘Fáilte 2019’ on New Year’s Eve and ‘The Irish Post Awards’ from London, not to mention our comprehensive coverage of events as part of Oireachtas na Samhna, in programmes such as ‘Steip’, ‘Lárstáitse’, ‘NuachtTG4’ and much more across TG4’s varied platforms.
Announcing the new schedule, TG4 Director General Alan Esslemont says: “People recognise themselves in TG4 programming.
“They can relate to material which is inspired by them. They appreciate that TG4 constantly strives to provide the most comprehensive mix possible, at the highest quality, from our ‘Súil Eile’ perspective, for our viewers at home and abroad.
“We are particularly proud this year of the strong output in Entertainment and our powerful Documentaries.
“We are constantly increasing our presence on digital platforms as well, so that people can access us worldwide through the player at TG4.ie, or on our app which is available in IOS, Android and SmartTV versions. I hope that more people than ever will enjoy these new programmes in the coming months.”
10 not to be missed programmes from TG4’s Autumn schedule:
Hector – Ó Siberia go Saigon
Intrepid traveller Hector starts an epic journey in the heart of Siberia
Underdogs
The classic GAA programme returns after ten years with footballing greats Paul Galvin, Valerie Mulcahy & Ray Silke as selectors
Finné
The real-life testimonies behind some of the biggest stories of the last fifty years in Ireland.
Gaeil UK
An insight into the lives of Irish emigrants today in the main areas where they settled in Britain.
Rugbaí Guinness PRO14
Exclusive free to air coverage of matches in the Guinness PRO14 2018/19 rugby championship
Cluiche Ceannais Peil na mBan Beo
Live exclusive coverage of the Ladies Gaelic Football Championship finals from Croke Park on September 16th
Oireachtas na Gaeilge
Live coverage from Killarney, over four days, of Ireland’s premier Irish language arts and cultural festival .
Samhain Live
A live Halloween night extravaganza from Derry
Tradfest
Top class traditional music recorded live at Dublin’s Tradfest
C.L.U.B.
An entertaining new series where young people introduce us to their GAA clubs in the company of their sporting heroes
