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RTÉ News
12 hours ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
On This Week: THAT 'Normal People' Chain raises €70k for charity
On This Week: Irish Moments from History (2nd - 8th June) Welcome to On This Week, where we delve into the standout stories from the years gone by, featuring standout news stories, major sporting events, and pop culture highlights that helped shape Irish life. Here's your dose of Irish nostalgia from 2nd - 8th June. This Week In Irish News McDonagh Tower, a 15-storey block of flats in Ballymun, north Dublin, was reduced to rubble as part of a regeneration project. Thousands of people gathered to witness the tower's demolition, which was brought down by a controlled explosion. Oscar McAuley, the great-great-grandson of Thomas McDonagh, one of the leaders of the 1916 Rising, after whom the tower was named, pressed the detonator. 2024: CSO marked 75 years of counting the Irish economy The Central Statistics Office (CSO) celebrated its 75th anniversary this week. The CSO was established in 1949 to gather, analyse and publish independent statistics and insights about Irish society, its economy, and the environment. In 1951, it carried out its first census, the first Census of Population, which is conducted every five years. This Week In Irish Sports Barry McGuigan captured the WBA and lineal featherweight titles after 15 rounds against Eusebio Pedroza. The fighter, nicknamed the 'Clones Cyclone', was on a 27-fight winning streak before facing Pedroza, who held the title for seven years and made 19 successful defences before this fight. Yet it was McGuigan who had the upper hand, flooring Pedroza in the seventh round before winning unanimously. 2024: Gold for Ireland in 4x400m mixed relay in Europe Team Ireland produced a magnificent performance to win gold at the European Athletics Championships. The relay team included Chris O'Donnell, Rhasidat Adeleke, Thomas Barr & Sharlene Mawdsley who finished in a time of 3:09:92, a championship record. The four join Sonia O'Sullivan as the only gold medallists for Ireland in the 90-year history of the European Championships. This Week In Irish Entertainment Gay Byrne returned to the Late Late Show set to mark the 50th anniversary of the talk show. After receiving a standing ovation upon his arrival, Byrne spoke about how people hated it when the show started, but it quickly became popular, and the rest is history. The anniversary also included Brendan Balfe, who was in the audience for the very first Late Late Show, who recalled his memories of the first show. 2020: Paul Mescal raises €70,000 raffling THAT chain for charity Paul Mescal raised over €70,000 for suicide prevention charity Pieta by raffling off the iconic chain worn by his Normal People character Connell. The chain became a hit with fans to the point that it had its own Instagram account with over 180,000 followers. Mescal said he particularly wanted to help Pieta because "suicide and depression are themes directly linked to Normal People." This Week In Irish Culture 2003: St Anthony relics tour Ireland The relics of the Franciscan monk Saint Anthony of Padua, one of the Catholic Church's most popular saints, came to Ireland for a nine-day tour. Saint Anthony is famous for his power to return lost possessions, and his tour began at Fairview in Dublin. At one point, the poles used to carry the reliquary were lost in Dublin Airport, but Franciscan Conventual friar Father Xavier Goulet, who helped organise the tour, knew who to turn to. They found them about an hour before the official reception of the relics in Fairview started. 2023: Largest collection of Cumann na mBan memorabilia goes on display One of the largest and most comprehensive collections of Cumann na mBan memorabilia has gone on display at the Cork Public Museum after its surprise discovery in a dusty attic. The archive, which contains over 5,000 items, including photographs, letters, pamphlets, and newspaper clippings, gave insight into the role of the women's Republican paramilitary organisation during tumultuous times in the country's history, especially during the Civil War. The collection would have been lost forever if a house owner had not contacted the museum and asked them to assess the material before selling the property in 2007. What was Number 1 in Ireland This Week? 1979: 'Sunday Girl' by Blondie Sunday Girl was written by Blondie's guitarist Chris Stein and was inspired by Debbie Harry's cat having run away. 1983: 'Every Breath You Take' by The Police The Police's signature song was recognised by BMI in the US as the most played song in radio history. 1998: 'C'est La Vie' by B*Witched The iconic song from B*Witched made them the youngest girl group ever to have a UK number one. Irish Celebrities Celebrating Birthdays This Week Liam Cunningham (64) Actor best known for roles in Game of Thrones, The Wind That Shakes The Barley, and Hunger. Donal Skehan (39) Television presenter, chef and food writer. Helen McEntee (39) Minister for Education and Youth, and Deputy Leader of Fine Gael. Other Irish Trivia From This Week 2019: The Irish pigeon who played a vital role in D-Day An Irish pigeon played a small but vital part in bringing the news of the Normandy landings on D-Day 75 years ago. Paddy the Pigeon was one of 32 pigeons released from Normandy to bring back the news of D-Day to England. He travelled 368 km (230 miles) in four hours and 50 minutes. For this feat, Paddy was awarded the Dickin Medal, which has been described as the animal equivalent of Britain's Victoria Cross, and is the only Irish animal to have been so decorated. Looking Ahead
RTÉ News
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
On This Week: Success for Skibbereen and RTÉ Radio 2 launches
On This Week: Irish Moments from History (26th May - 1st June) Welcome to On This Week, where we delve into the standout stories from the years gone by, featuring standout news stories, major sporting events, and pop culture highlights that helped shape Irish life. Here's your dose of Irish nostalgia from 26th May to 1st June. This Week In Irish News Prince Charles arrived in Dublin on the first official visit by a member of the British royal family since Irish independence. A banquet was held in Dublin castle which included then-Taoiseach John Bruton who commented on the importance of building a lasting peace. 2007: Wild Golden Eagle hatches for first time in almost 100 years A wild Golden Eagle chick hatched in Co Donegal, for the first time in almost 100 years. Golden Eagles last bred in Glenveagh, Co Donegal in 1910 and became extinct in Ireland after the last breeding attempt in Co Mayo in 1912. They were reintroduced into Glenveagh National Park as part of a Golden Eagle reintroduction programme in 2001. This Week In Irish Sports 2017: European hat-trick for Skibbereen at European Rowing Championships It was a busy time at the European Rowing Championships as Ireland took three medals, all from members of the Skibbereen Rowing Club. Shane O'Driscoll and Mark O'Donovan took the gold in the lightweight men's pair, Denise Walsh took silver shortly afterwards in the lightweight women's single sculls, while Paul and Gary O'Donovan also won silver in the lightweight men's double sculls. 2022: Sarah Healy breaks Sonia O'Sullivan's 31-year-old U23 1500m record Sarah Healy broke the Under-23 National 1500m record at a World Athletics Continental Tour gold meeting in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Healy finished sixth with a time of 4:02.86, shaving three seconds off the previous record set by Sonia O'Sullivan back in 1991. Healy set two other U23 records that year, including the indoor 1500m (4:06.94) and indoor 3,000m (8:53.67) records. This Week In Irish Entertainment 1979: RTÉ Radio 2 launches in Ireland RTÉ launched a new radio station aimed at a wide audience and a commitment to supporting Irish contemporary music. Launched by the Minister for Post and Telegrams Pádraig Faulkner on 31st May 1979, it began broadcasting at Donnybrook with presenters such as Larry Gogan, Dave Fanning, Gerry Ryan, and Marty Whelan on the lineup. RTÉ Radio 2 would eventually change to 2FM in 1988 before changing its name again to RTÉ 2FM. 1985: Bruce Springsteen headlines Slane Concert Over 65,000 people saw Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band kick off their European tour at Slane Castle. The crowd was the largest that Springsteen had ever played to before, and they played for almost three hours on a hot summer day. Springsteen and the E Street Band are the only acts to play at Slane without support. This Week In Irish Culture 1991: Recreating the Pirate Queen's Journey A replica galley, the 'Aileach' set sail from Mayo to the Outer Hebrides in Scotland to celebrate the links between Ireland and Scotland in the sixteenth century. The voyage also commemorated the pirate queen Grace O'Malley, setting sail from her territory in Co Mayo to Somerled, Scotland's Lord of the Isles. The 40-foot vessel was built from larch and oak, and the voyage took approximately six weeks. What was Number 1 in Ireland This Week? 1972: 'A Thing Called Love' by Johnny Cash A cover of a Jerry Reed song, A Thing Called Love became Cash's biggest hit in Europe. 1990: 'Put 'Em Under Pressure' by The Republic Of Ireland Football Squad Produced by U2's Larry Mullen and featuring an intro by Moya Brennan of Clannad, Put Em Under Pressure quickly became the anthem of Irish football. 2011:' Lipstick' by Jedward Representing Ireland in the Eurovision, Jedward finished eighth in the final, giving Ireland its best result in eleven years. Irish Celebrities Celebrating Birthdays This Week Colm Meaney (72) Actor best known for The Snapper, The Van, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Derval O'Rourke (44) Former Irish hurdler, now sports pundit on RTÉ Sport. Colin Farrell (49) Award-winning actor known for In Bruges, The Banshees of Inisherin, and The Batman. Other Irish Trivia From This Week 1989: The first Dublin Bus champion driver William Smith from Walkinstown in Dublin became the first driver to win The Dublin Bus Champion Driver of the Year. The competition featured a number of rigorous tests challenging the skills of each competing driver. It was aimed at sharpening the skills of the Dublin bus driver fleet, inspired by a similar competition run in England which claimed to have improved standards of driving. Looking Ahead Each Monday, On This Week will bring you a mix of stories from the last 75 years, to celebrate Volkswagen's 75 year anniversary, featuring the big news stories, sporting highlights and major pop culture moments. Volkswagen has been part of those unforgettable moments - driving families to milestones, memories, and moments that matter. Join us every week as we look back at the moments of yesteryear.
RTÉ News
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
On This Week: Garth Brooks serenades fans and history made for Irish women's soccer
On This Week: Irish Moments from History (12th - 18th May) Welcome to On This Week, where we delve into the standout stories from the years gone by, featuring standout news stories, major sporting events, and pop culture highlights that helped shape Irish life. Here's your dose of Irish nostalgia from 12th - 18th May. This Week In Irish News Ardmore Film Studios was officially opened by Seán Lemass, Minister for Industry and Commerce, who described it as a significant development for the Irish film industry. Since it opened, it's been the base for over 100 films and many successful Irish and international productions such as Braveheart, My Left Foot and Veronica Guerin. 2017: Rare giant squid caught off Dingle An extremely rare giant squid, measuring nearly six metres long, was landed off the coast of Dingle, Co Kerry. The 5.8m (19') squid was caught by the crew of the fishing vessel Cú na Mara during a trawl on the Porcupine Bank, 120 miles west of Dingle. This marked the sixth time said specimens have been recorded since records began almost 350 years ago. This Week In Irish Sports The Republic Of Ireland's women's national team played their first international match, an away game against Wales in Stebonheath Park, Llanelli. The game ended with a 2-3 win for the Irish thanks to a Paula Gorham hat-trick. The team would also play Northern Ireland and France later that year. 2008: Scott Evans becomes first Irish male badminton player to qualify for Olympics Scott Evans became the first Irish male badminton player to qualify for the Olympic Games. It was confirmed he had qualified for Beijing because of his world ranking of 43. The Beijing Olympics would take place later that year in August 2008, and Evans would later compete in London 2012 and Rio 2016. This Week In Irish Entertainment 1997: Garth Brooks serenades fans in Bray Country music fans in Bray, Co Wicklow, got a special treat when Garth Brooks performed 'Friends In Low Places' for them from the roof of his minibus. During the song, the crowd joined in and sang along. Brooks sold out five consecutive concerts in Croke Park that year, and it was one of the largest concerts ever staged in the country. 2022: Fair City hits the 5,000th episode mark Fair City reached a milestone when it broadcast its 5,000th episode on RTÉ One. The episode featured dramatic scenes where the much-loved character Nora Keogh was knocked down in an incident at Molloy's Car Garage. The soap began 33 years earlier, in 1989, and has been a permanent fixture on Irish television. This Week In Irish Culture 2020: Áine Ní Ghlinn named as Laureate na nÓg Irish language author Áine Ní Ghlinn became the sixth Laureate na nÓg, Ireland's Children's Literature Laureate. She was the first author who wrote exclusively in Irish to be awarded the honour, and she will hold the title from now until 2022. What was Number 1 in Ireland This Week? 1970: 'All Kinds of Everything' by Dana The first Irish singer to win the Eurovision in Amsterdam 1970, Dana's song became an international hit. 1983: 'True' by Spandau Ballet The title track from the band's third studio album, True reached number one in several countries, including the US, where it became their first song to reach the Billboard Hot 100. 1990: 'Give It A Lash Jack' by Liam Harrison and the GOAL Celebrities As the Republic Of Ireland soccer team headed to the World Cup finals in Italy, The Gay Byrne Radio show ran a competition to find an anthem with 'Give it a Lash Jack' winning. Irish Celebrities Celebrating Birthdays This Week Domhnall Gleeson (42) Actor who appeared in About Time, Ex Machina, and The Revenant. Enya (64) Singer and composer who is the best-selling Irish solo artist Pierce Brosnan (72) Actor who is best known for playing James Bond in four films, including Goldeneye. Other Irish Trivia From This Week 1968: The time the King of Belgium played hurling On a visit to Ireland in 1968, King Baudouin of Belgium was encouraged to try out the game of hurling. He tried out the game at Áras an Uachtaráin, while instructed by Taoiseach Jack Lynch, who was a five-time All-Ireland Hurling Championship winner. For dignitaries visiting Ireland, it's a tradition for them to plant a tree on the premises, a tradition going back to the 1850s. Looking Ahead Each Monday, On This Week will bring you a mix of stories from the last 75 years, to celebrate Volkswagen's 75 year anniversary, featuring the big news stories, sporting highlights and major pop culture moments. Volkswagen has been part of those unforgettable moments - driving families to milestones, memories, and moments that matter. Join us every week as we look back at the moments of yesteryear.
RTÉ News
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
On This Week: Roy Keane's farewell and 'The Portal' connects Dublin and NYC
On This Week: Irish Moments from History (5th-11th May) Welcome to On This Week, where we delve into the standout stories from the years gone by, featuring standout news stories, major sporting events, and pop culture highlights that helped shape Irish life. Here's your dose of Irish nostalgia from 5th to 11th of May. This Week In Irish News Thousands of people travelled to Enniscrone to see a Boeing 767 successfully beached. The aircraft left Shannon on a barge, and after it was beached, it was then brought to Quirky Nights Glamping village in Enniscrone, where it will be the accommodation centrepiece in a glamping village. The site already had a number of old London taxis and a double-decker bus ready to be converted into accommodation on the site. 2024: The Visual 'portal' connects Dublin with New York City Dublin and New York became connected through a new art installation broadcasting a 24/7 livestream of both cities. 'The Portal' allows for real-time interactions between Dubliners, New Yorkers and visitors to both cities. Dublin's portal faces onto O'Connell Street, while the New York portal was located on the Flatiron South Public Plaza at Broadway. The New York portal would later be relocated to Philadelphia and would eventually include livestreams of the cities of Vilnius and Lublin. This Week In Irish Sports Ken Doherty defeated the defending champion Stephen Hendry 18-12 to win the World Snooker Championship title. Playing at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, the Dubliner became the first man to win the World Championship at junior, amateur and professional levels that day. Doherty would later reach the finals two more times, the following year in 1998 as defending champion and later in 2003. 2006: Roy Keane's testimonial takes place at Old Trafford Close to 70.000 people turned up to see Roy Keane's farewell from playing professional football. Keane played for Celtic in the first half before changing to Manchester United's colours. The game ended with Manchester United winning 1-0, thanks to a Cristiano Ronaldo goal in the second half. Keane told the crowd at the end: "I'd just like to thank the fans for showing up, United fans and Celtic. "I'd like to thank all the players - I know it's a long season, and this is the last thing they needed, but I do appreciate it. Thanks very much. "That's it. Hope you have had a great night - it's something I shall remember for the rest of my life. All the best." This Week In Irish Entertainment 2017: Saoirse Ronan stars in Ed Sheeran's Galway Girl video Ed Sheeran unveiled the video to his hit song Galway Girl, which starred Saoirse Ronan. The video takes place in Galway City and features cameos from several Irish celebrities, including Tommy Tiernan, Hector Ó hEochagáin, Peter Coonan, and Laurence Kinlan. Sheeran shot the music video himself, which was directed by Jason Koenig, who also directed the music video for Shape of You. 2023: The Banshees of Inisherin and Bad Sisters big winners at IFTAs The films The Banshees of Inisherin and Aisha and the TV series Bad Sisters were among the big winners at the Irish Film and Television Awards in Dublin. The Banshees of Inisherin, which was nominated for nine Oscars that year, won Best Film, while Bad Sisters won Best Drama. The Banshees of Inisherin star Brendan Gleeson was honoured with the Supporting Actor - Film award at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre, having received an Oscar nomination earlier that year. This Week In Irish Culture Further discoveries were made at a site in Usher's Quay in Dublin as archaeologists uncovered a 13th-century wooden harbour. Excavation work had begun on the site in 1990, as it was known to contain remains of the old Dublin city wall. In April 1990, a Norman harbour, a wooden dock made from giant oak timbers, was uncovered. It was believed all harbours in Dublin were built and situated outside the old city wall, but this discovery shed more light on how Dublin developed after the Norman takeover. Property developers Ballymore Homes Limited undertook the required archaeological excavation before seeking planning permission. The plan was to construct an office block at Usher's Quay on the site of the old Provincial Hotel. What was Number 1 in Ireland This Week? 1976: Fernando by ABBA Fernando is one of ABBA's best-selling singles, selling six million copies that year and 10 million copies worldwide. 1991: The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss) by Cher This cover by Cher was featured in the soundtrack of the 1990 film Mermaids, which she also starred in. 2012: We Are Young by Fun featuring Janelle Monáe Featured on Fun's second studio album, We Are Young achieved commercial success worldwide and reached number one in several countries. Irish Celebrities Celebrating Birthdays This Week Mary Coughlan (69) Iconic jazz and folk singer and actress Christy Moore (80) Irish folk singer, songwriter and guitarist Bono (65) Lead singer of U2 and activist Other Irish Trivia From This Week 2021: Dusty the Dolphin delights divers off Clare coast Dusty the bottlenose dolphin, appeared to two young divers off the coast of west Clare. During a shore dive near Miltown Malbay, two sisters with the Burren Sub Aqua Club were joined by Dusty. It was the club's first dive since the easing of Covid-19 restrictions.
RTÉ News
23-04-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
On This Week: Dalkey wedding proposal and a Eurovision homecoming
Welcome to On This Week, where we delve into the standout stories from the years gone by, featuring standout news stories, major sporting events, and pop culture highlights that helped shape Irish life. Here's your dose of Irish nostalgia from 21st to 28th April. This Week In Irish News 2012: Paul O'Connell awarded Freedom of Limerick city Former Ireland and Munster rugby player Paul O'Connell was given the Freedom of the city of Limerick. O'Connell captained Munster, Ireland, and the British and Irish Lions throughout his career. He is regarded as one of the best second row players in the world, and one of the most outstanding sportsmen of his generation. Then mayor of Limerick City Jim Long described O'Connell as an icon thanks to his contribution to the world of sport, in particular the game of rugby. 2022: Famous Irish tales recreated on giant tapestry Over 40 volunteers recreated the Táin Bó Cúailnge - or the Cattle Raid of Cooley - on a giant tapestry. The tapestry was unveiled at the Táin Arts Centre in Dundalk with each panel depicting a scene from the great tale of the Táin. Volunteers across counties Roscommon, Longford, Westmeath, Meath and Louth all worked on the project. The famous myth tells the tale of Queen Méabh of Connacht and her husband Ailill, who plot to steal the sacred stud bull Donn Cuailnge from Ulster. This Week In Irish Sports Shane Long put himself in the history books by scoring a goal in 7.69 seconds. Playing for Southampton against Watford at Vicarage Road, Long blocked down a clearance before lifting the ball over the goalie, putting the Saints ahead and breaking the Premier League record. He beat the original record by more than two seconds, held by Ledley King, who scored in 9.82 seconds in 2000. However, it wasn't enough to secure a win for Southampton, as the game ended all square at 1-1. 2015: Champion Tony McCoy signs off chequered career Tony McCoy ended a prolific career with a third-place finish at the Handicap Hurdle at Sandown. The rider, who had ridden far more winners over fences than any other jockey, amassed 4,357 victories in Ireland and Britain, including two Cheltenham Gold Cup wins. McCoy was given a guard of honour from fellow jockeys and serenaded by the entire grandstand, who sang 'For he's a jolly good fellow' before collecting the trophy for a champion jockey for the 20th consecutive year. This Week In Irish Entertainment Eurovision Song Contest winners Johnny Logan and Shay Healy were greeted by supporters at Dublin Airport. Logan won the Eurovision Song Contest in The Hague, Netherlands, with Shay Healy's song 'What's Another Year'. It was his first time winning the competition with 'What's Another Year', which became a hit all over Europe and took the number one slot in the UK charts. 2024: Hozier becomes fourth Irish artist ever to top US Billboard 100 Hozier became the fourth Irish artist ever to have a No 1 in the US on the Billboard 100 song charts. 'Too Sweet' went to No 1 three weeks after it debuted, surpassing his breakthrough hit 'Take Me to Church' which reached No 2 in that chart in 2014. Hozier joined Sinead O'Connor, U2 and Gilbert O'Sullivan as artists who have reached the pinnacle of the US song charts. This Week In Irish Culture 1976: Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Cultúrlann opens its new headquarters Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann opened its new headquarters in Monkstown, Co. Dublin. Cultúrlann na hÉireann provides the organisation with educational facilities, a library, a recording studio, and a performance space. The organisation was founded in 1951 to revive interest in traditional Irish music, dance, and language, with Cultúrlann na hÉireann helping further that mission. What was Number 1 in Ireland This Week? 1984: 'Hello' by Lionel Richie One of his most iconic songs, Lionel Richie's ballad became one of the singer's most successful songs. 1992: 'Stay' by Shakespears Sister Initially formed by Irish singer-songwriter Siobhan Fahey, 'Stay' was its first and only number-one hit. 2022: 'As It Was' by Harry Styles The lead single from his third album, 'As it Was' became the best-selling global single of 2022. Irish Celebrities Celebrating Birthdays This Week James McClean (36) Irish international footballer currently playing for Wrexham. Róisín Shortall (71) Founding joint leader of the Social Democrats and longest-serving female TD in the State's history. Glen Hansard (55) Singer-songwriter best known for 'Once' which won the Academy Award for best Original Song. Other Irish Trivia From This Week 1985: Wedding proposal on a billboard A man from Dun Laoghaire decided to pop the question in a unique way. Pat Allen from Dalkey and his girlfriend Kathleen Langan from Dun Laoghaire have been together for three years. Wanting the proposal to be different, he made it with a giant billboard in Dalkey. He had planned it for weeks and had friends help him put it up the night before. Langan was in shock, but thankfully the answer was 'Yes'. Looking Ahead Each Monday, On This Week will bring you a mix of stories from the last 75 years, to celebrate Volkswagen's 75 year anniversary, featuring the big news stories, sporting highlights and major pop culture moments. Volkswagen has been part of those unforgettable moments - driving families to milestones, memories, and moments that matter. Join us every week as we look back at the moments of yesteryear.
