RTÉ Television Centre
Encyclopedia
RTÉ Television Centre is a television studio complex which is owned by Radio Telefís Éireann and has been home to the national broadcaster of Ireland since 1961. It is situated at Montrose, Donnybrook
, Dublin 4
. The studios are the main studios for RTÉ Television
.
in Donnybrook
became the favoured site for the new television centre.
On 3 October 1960 Radio Éireann signed a £500,000 contract for the construction of the television centre at the proposed location. A few hours after this the contractors began to move in. The contract was awarded to Messrs. E. Stone & Sons Ltd. from Thorncastle street in Dublin, one of four firms invited to tender.
Only two television studios were originally built in 1960, however, since then a number of new studios and sound stages have been added to the existing complex. Studio 1 was originally the largest studio on the complex measuring 4000 sq ft (371.6 m²). The studio can comfortably accommodate an audience of 120. The studio was originally designed for variety shows, dramas and musicals and was the original home to programmes such as The Late Late Show
. Studio 2, the second of the original studios, measures 1700 sq ft (157.9 m²) and was designed for interviews, panel games and current affairs broadcasts.
Donnybrook, Dublin
Donnybrook is a district of Dublin, Ireland. It is situated on the southside of the city, in the Dublin 4 postal district, and is home to the Irish state broadcaster RTÉ. It was once part of the Pembroke Township...
, Dublin 4
Dublin 4
Dublin 4 is a postal district of Dublin, Ireland including the suburbs of Sandymount, Ballsbridge, Donnybrook, Ringsend and Irishtown on the South side of Dublin....
. The studios are the main studios for RTÉ Television
RTÉ Television
RTÉ Television is a department of Ireland's state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann.The first channel to broadcast was Telefís Éireann which began broadcasting on 31 December 1961...
.
History
When plans for an Irish national television station were developed in the late 1950s attention quickly turned to a suitable location for the new television studios and adjoining offices. By September 1959 a 25-acre piece of ground on the Stillorgan roadin Donnybrook
Donnybrook, Dublin
Donnybrook is a district of Dublin, Ireland. It is situated on the southside of the city, in the Dublin 4 postal district, and is home to the Irish state broadcaster RTÉ. It was once part of the Pembroke Township...
became the favoured site for the new television centre.
On 3 October 1960 Radio Éireann signed a £500,000 contract for the construction of the television centre at the proposed location. A few hours after this the contractors began to move in. The contract was awarded to Messrs. E. Stone & Sons Ltd. from Thorncastle street in Dublin, one of four firms invited to tender.
Building
The television centre, designed by the Scott-Tallon-Walker firm of architects in Dublin, is 30 feet high with the tops of the two television studios rising a further 15 feet above the roof line.Only two television studios were originally built in 1960, however, since then a number of new studios and sound stages have been added to the existing complex. Studio 1 was originally the largest studio on the complex measuring 4000 sq ft (371.6 m²). The studio can comfortably accommodate an audience of 120. The studio was originally designed for variety shows, dramas and musicals and was the original home to programmes such as The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the acronym LLS, is the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster and the official flagship television programme of Irish broadcasting company RTÉ...
. Studio 2, the second of the original studios, measures 1700 sq ft (157.9 m²) and was designed for interviews, panel games and current affairs broadcasts.
Future development
In 2009 RTÉ announced its long-term plans for the redevelopment of the entire Donnybrook site including television centre and radio centre. The project envisages the gradual replacement over a 10- to 15-year period of most of the current 1960 and 1970s buildings on the Donnybrook site with a purpose-built modern building complex designed for the digital and high-definition age.Studio programming
The RTÉ Television Centre has been home to many popular game, chat and comedy entertainment programmes.| Programme | Studio | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Ballymagash Ballymagash Ballymagash is a satirical Irish television programme that aired on RTÉ One for one series in 1983. Presented by Frank Hall and featuring many of the cast members from the earlier Hall's Pictorial Weekly, the show was set in the fictional town of Ballymagash and cast a satirical eye on some of the... |
2 | |
| Brendan O'Carroll's Hot Milk and Pepper Brendan O'Carroll's Hot Milk and Pepper Brendan O'Carroll's Hot Milk and Pepper is an RTÉ television quiz show show presented by Brendan O'Carroll and also starring Gerry Browne that was broadcast for two series between 1996 and 1998... |
4 | |
| Buntús Cainte Buntús Cainte Buntús Cainte was a programme aimed at teaching the Irish language that was broadcast on Raidió Teilifís Éireann in Ireland, beginning in 1967. The show was designed to appeal to young viewers, and was lively and humorous. The programme was presented by Máire O’Neill and Aileen Geoghegan... |
2 | |
| FIFA World Cup 1998 | 2 | |
| For One Night Only For One Night Only (Irish TV series) For One Night Only is an Irish light entertainment show hosted by Gay Byrne. The studio-based show aired on Friday nights as a summer "filler" between 15 July and 19 August 2011 and features music and chat with a special guest musician.-History:... |
4 | |
| Kenny Live Kenny Live Kenny Live is an Irish weekly chat show on RTÉ that was hosted by Pat Kenny. The show debuted in 1988 and aired every Saturday night, except during the summer months, directly after the main evening news... |
4 | |
| Know Your Sport Know Your Sport Know Your Sport is an Irish sports quiz show produced by RTÉ between 8 October 1987 and 1 April 1998. The show was presented by George Hamilton and featured Jimmy Magee and Mary Hogan as scorekeeper.... |
4 | |
| Monday Night Soccer Monday Night Soccer Monday Night Soccer is the RTÉ's main football television programme. It is shown on RTÉ Two on Monday evenings during the Irish football season, showing highlights of the day's matches in Irish football's top division, the League of Ireland Premier Division... |
6 | |
| Questions and Answers Questions and Answers Questions and Answers was a topical debate television programme in the Republic of Ireland. It was shown on RTÉ One at 22:35 on Monday nights, running for approximately one hour. The show was presented by John Bowman since 1988; he was preceded by Olivia O'Leary from 1986–88... |
2 | |
| RTÉ News RTÉ News RTÉ News and Current Affairs , is a major division of Raidió Teilifís Éireann responsible for news programming on television, radio and online within the Republic of Ireland. It is, by far, the largest and most popular news source in Ireland - with 77% of the Irish public regarding it as their main... |
3 | |
| Talkabout | 2 | |
| The Afternoon Show The Afternoon Show The Afternoon Show was Raidió Teilifís Éireann's live flagship daytime show. It ran from 2004 until May 2010. The programme was dropped by RTÉ as part of its new season of television in 2010, to be replaced by two afternoon programmes 4 Daily presented by Maura Derrane and The Daily Show hosted by... |
1 | |
| The Den The Den (television) The Den was the brand of the children's television strand on Irish public broadcaster RTÉ Two. It first broadcast on 29 September 1986 on RTÉ One, before moving to RTÉ Two in September 1988. The strand began to diversify throughout the late 1990s and the 2000s... |
8 | |
| The End The End (television) The End is an adult comedy television strand on Network Two/RTÉ Two in the Republic of Ireland.The End was aired on Friday and Saturday night from 11pm to 2am. RTÉ used this show to test the audience appetite for late night TV. The End was presented by Barry Murphy on Friday nights and by Sean... |
6 | |
| The Frontline The Frontline The Frontline, commonly known as Frontline, is a rap duo from Richmond, California consisting of Left and Locksmith, also known as Lock. The group is associated with West Coast hip hop music.-History:... |
4 | |
| The Late Late Show The Late Late Show The Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the acronym LLS, is the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster and the official flagship television programme of Irish broadcasting company RTÉ... |
4 | |
| The Live Mike The Live Mike The Live Mike was an Irish comedy variety and chat show presented by Mike Murphy. It was first broadcast on RTÉ 1 on 9 November 1979. The programme featured a candid camera piece by Murphy himself, parody songs and comedy sketches by Adele King, Dermot Morgan and Fran Dempsey, as well as a serious... |
1 | |
| The Saturday Night Show The Saturday Night Show The Saturday Night Show is an Irish chat show hosted by Brendan O'Connor that has been broadcast on RTÉ One since 2010. The show features guest interviews, audience participation and live music... |
4 | |
| The Week in Politics The Week in Politics The Week in Politics is an Irish news and current affairs programme broadcast on RTÉ One It is presented by Sean O'Rourke, occasionally by David McCullagh or Bryan Dobson.... |
3 | |
| Today Tonight Today Tonight (Ireland) Today Tonight is an Irish news and current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis, robust cross-examination of senior politicians and investigative reporting. The programme was brodacast on RTÉ One for the first time on Monday 6 October 1982.... |
2 | |
| Tolka Row Tolka Row Tolka Row was an Irish soap opera set in a fictional housing estate on the northside of Dublin. Based on Maura Laverty's 1951 play of the same name, the show was set around the trials and tribulations of the Nolan family... |
1 | |
| TX | 5 | |
| UEFA Euro 96 | 5 | |
| Up for the Match Up for the Match Up for the Match is an Irish Gaelic games-themed variety show currently hosted by Des Cahill and Gráinne Seoige. The show is broadcast live in two editions each year on RTÉ One on the eve of the respective All-Ireland hurling and football finals... |
4 | |
| Upwardly Mobile Upwardly Mobile Upwardly Mobile was an Irish television sitcom that was made and broadcast by RTÉ. Three series, including three Christmas specials, were originally broadcast on RTÉ One between 8 September 1995 and 26 December 1997.... |
4 | |
| Winning Streak Winning Streak Winning Streak is a weekly Irish game show in which five contestants play a number of games to win cars, holidays, and cash prizes up to €500,000. Broadcast on Saturday nights between September and June on RTÉ One, the game show is among the channel's most popular programmes, often ranking among... |
1 | |
| Wanderly Wagon Wanderly Wagon Wanderly Wagon was an Irish children's television series which aired on RTÉ from Saturday 30 September 1967 until 1982. Wanderly Wagon followed human and puppet characters as they travelled around Ireland visiting interesting locations, rescuing Princesses and generally doing good... |
2 | |
| Where in the World? Where in the World? (TV series) Where in the World? is an Irish quiz show show presented firstly by Marty Whelan and subsequently by Theresa Lowe that was broadcast for nine series between 1987 and 1996. The show featured two teams of four made up of two families, answering a series of geography-based questions.... |
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