2019 in Irish television

Overview of the events of 2019 in Irish television
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The following is a list of events relating to television in Ireland from 2019.

Events

  • 2 February – The second series of Ireland's Got Talent debuts on Virgin Media One.
  • 15 February – To coincide with the launch of RTÉ2 +1, RTÉ One +1 begins broadcasting 24 hours a day. Previously it had only broadcast from 7pm to 2am.[1]
  • 19 February – Launch of the timeshift channel RTÉ2+1.[2]
  • 8 March –
  • 24 March – Mairead Ronan and dance partner John Nolan win the third series of Dancing with the Stars.
  • 27 March – Virgin Media announces that its partnership with Sky's AdSmart will to go live in Ireland in the final quarter of the year.[3]
  • 7 April – BSD win the second series of Ireland's Got Talent.
  • 16 May – Sarah McTernan becomes the fifth Irish act in six years to not reach the Eurovision Song Contest final, when she is among the semi-finalists who are not selected for the final.[4]
  • 23 June – The Sunday Independent reports that the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland has recommended that on-demand television services broadcasting in Ireland should pay a levy to do so.[5]
  • 25 June – Pensioners stage a protest outside the BBC studios in Belfast and Derry following the BBC's decision to end universal free UK television licenses for those aged 75 and over, a decision that will affect those living in Northern Ireland.[6]
  • 28 June – Veteran presenter Gay Byrne is honoured with the Ireland-US Council's Lifetime Achievement Award at a ceremony at Dublin Castle, but is unable to attend the event due to a broken wrist and chest infection.[7]
  • 15 August – Eir Sport and Virgin Media Sport contract a deal to show Virgin Media Sport on eir Vision and eir Sport 1 on Virgin Media Ireland.[8]
  • 12 September – Virgin Media Sport HD launches on Sky on channel 422.
  • 4 October – Virgin Media One launches a new weekday schedule, which sees Ireland AM extended by an extra hour, running from 7.00am – 11.00am, replacing the simulcast of ITV's This Morning. Ireland AM is followed by Elaine.[9]
  • 4 November – The death is announced of veteran broadcaster Gay Byrne, who presented The Late Late Show for 37 years.[10]
  • 7 November – It is announced that Aertel will be shut down as part of cost-cutting measures at RTÉ.[11][12]
  • 12 November – It is confirmed that Pasquale La Rocca will join the fourth series of Dancing with the Stars as a professional dancer.[13][14][15]
  • 14 December – Golfer Shane Lowry is named the 2019 RTÉ Sports Person of the Year.[16]
  • 15 December – The McSharry family from County Sligo, coached by Donncha O'Callaghan, win season seven of Ireland's Fittest Family.[17]
  • 31 December – Rob and Marian Heffernan and their family win the 2019 Christmas celebrity special of Ireland's Fittest Family together with €10,000 for their charity of choice.[18]

Debuts

  • 6 January – Resistance on RTÉ One (miniseries)[19] (2019)

Changes of network affiliation

Shows Moved from Moved to
Fireman Sam RTÉjr Virgin Media Three

Ongoing television programmes

1960s

  • RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock (1961–present)
  • RTÉ News: Six One (1962–present)
  • The Late Late Show (1962–present)

1970s

1980s

  • Fair City (1989–present)
  • RTÉ News: One O'Clock (1989–present)

1990s

2000s

2010s

Ending this year

  • 4 October – Xposé (2007–2019)

Deaths

See also

References

  1. ^ "Saorview | News | Brand new RTÉ2+1 service and extended 24 hour RTÉ One+1 available on Saorview". www.saorview.ie.
  2. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "RTÉ 2+1 Launching 19th February On Saorview" – via YouTube.
  3. ^ "Virgin Media sets date to run addressable TV ads through 'game changer' Sky AdSmart". The Drum. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  4. ^ "Eurovision 2019: Ireland knocked out in second semi-final". BBC News. BBC. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  5. ^ McCaughren, Samantha (23 June 2019). "Apple TV faces Irish levy under new BAI rules". The Sunday Independent. Independent News and Media. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  6. ^ "TV licence: Protest at BBC for over-75s decision". BBC News. BBC. 25 June 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  7. ^ "Gay Byrne honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award". RTÉ News. RTÉ. 28 June 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  8. ^ Croke, Ruaidhrí. "Eir Sport and Virgin Media agree deal to share sports packages". The Irish Times.
  9. ^ Costello, Emma (25 September 2019). "This Morning and Loose Women AXED from Irish TV as Virgin Media TV shake-up schedule". Extra.ie.
  10. ^ a b "Gay Byrne: Veteran Irish broadcaster dies aged 85". BBC News. BBC. 4 November 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  11. ^ "TV Wrap – A requiem for Aertel and Page 220". The 42. 7 November 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  12. ^ "Widespread RTÉ cuts: 200 jobs to go, digital stations scrapped and top presenters hit with 15% pay cut". The Journal. 6 November 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  13. ^ "Dancing with the Stars reveals new pro dancers after Curtis Pritchard's exit". RTE. 14 November 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  14. ^ Gallagher, Katie (14 November 2019). "Dancing With The Stars changes as four professional dancers to be swapped out". irishmirror. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  15. ^ Townsend, Michelle (13 November 2019). "Pictures: Dancing With The Stars Ireland professionals 2020". rsvp. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  16. ^ "Shane Lowry is RTÉ Sportsperson of the Year 2019". RTÉ News. RTÉ. 14 December 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  17. ^ "Sligo family named the winners of Ireland's Fittest Family 2019". 15 December 2019.
  18. ^ "Heffernans complete 'obstacle course from hell' on Ireland's Fittest Family to win €10k for Cork charity". www.irishexaminer.com. 31 December 2019. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  19. ^ "Resistance review: 'It isn't nearly as vital or as thrilling as it needs to be – but there is something here'". Irish Independent. 6 January 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
  20. ^ "Father Ted actor Pat Laffan – best known as 'Pat Mustard' – has passed away aged 79". Irish Independent. 14 March 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  21. ^ "Veteran Fair City star Tom Jordan dies". RTÉ News. RTÉ. 29 June 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  22. ^ "Comedian Brendan Grace has died". RTÉ News. RTÉ. 11 July 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  23. ^ "Brendan Grace: Irish comedian and Father Ted actor dies". BBC News. BBC. 11 July 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  24. ^ "Karl Shiels: Irish TV and theatre star dies at 47". BBC News. BBC. 15 July 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  25. ^ "Danika McGuigan: Actress and daughter of ex-boxer dies aged 33". BBC News. BBC. 24 July 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2019.

External links

  • List of 2019 Irish television series at IMDb


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