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Laughter, Sadness and Love at heart of TG4’s new Autumn Schedule
#Fómhar18

Autumn Launch 2018

05.09.18

A huge mix of emotions can be experienced in the range of programming showcased at the entertaining launch of TG4’s Autumn schedule today in the Tribeton, Galway.

The diverse range of 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.

We also have 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 is going from strength to strength as we approach the high point in the LGFA year, where the women of Cork and Dublin meet in the All Ireland football final. A new programme, building up to the big match will be broadcast live the night before, 15^th 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.

We take a similar approach with some of the greats of Irish traditional music also 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’. As well as fantastic country music in ‘Opry le Daniel’, ‘Glór Tíre’ and from the ‘Irish Post Country Music Awards’, which we will be broadcasting live from the Millennium Forum in Derry, on the 11^th September.

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.

All the kids’ favourites will be back on Cúla 4, such as ‘Whiz sa Chistin’, ‘Horrid Henry’, ‘Spongebob’ and ‘Masha’, as well as newly commissioned programmes, including ‘Ár Scéal’, where children will bring 52 newly written stories to life through the medium of art and ‘CLUB’, where young people introduce us to their GAA club in the company of some of their sporting heroes.

If you add all of this to the comprehensive coverage from ‘Nuacht TG4’, an exciting new series of ‘Ros na Rún’ and top quality drama such as ‘Un Bore Mercher/Keeping the Faith’, ‘West Wing’, great films and much more, there’s no doubt that the new schedule offers everyone the mix of programmes that they want on TG4, worldwide.

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.

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