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The Den (television)
Encyclopedia
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
(previously Network 2) in September 1988. The strand began to diversify throughout the late 1990s and the 2000s. It was also known as Dempsey's Den, Den TV and Den2 at different times during the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.
In mid-2010, RTÉ Television announced an overhaul of all young people's programming, especially as Ireland moves towards digital terrestrial television in autumn 2010. This overhaul took place on September 20, 2010 effectively replacing The Den branding to incorporate two new strands RTÉjr
and TRTÉ
.
and Ray D'Arcy
, both of whom now present morning shows with the radio station Today FM
. The Den was also responsible for introducing a number of anthropomorphic
characters to Irish culture, such as Zig and Zag
, Podge and Rodge
and Dustin the Turkey
. These have gone on to have highly successful careers in a vast array of areas; Zig and Zag transferred to Channel 4
and are currently promoting their own DVD, Best Bitz From Back Den
, Podge and Rodge possess a highly successful late-night chat show
and Dustin achieved global recognition in 2008 when he represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest.
The Den had a number of former names including; Dempsey's Den, Den TV and Den2. The strand aired from 06:00 to 17:30 each weekday, with the brand also being used on weekend mornings. It received a complete makeover, with a change in format and a brand new visual identity, on Saturday 17 September 2005.
As well as airing on RTÉ Two
, The Den has its own electronic programme guide placement on UPC Ireland
, channel 601.
The Den had a reputation for airing many new episodes of shows such as Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
, Totally Spies!, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
, etc. before any other network in Europe.
As part of RTÉ's seasonal changes for 2010-11, The Den was scrapped and replaced by two age-specific brands. The Den and Den Tots were replaced by TRTÉ
and RTÉjr
respectively.
RTÉ completely relaunched The Den on 17 September 2005 - although as this was a Saturday, the new weekday programme formats proper began airing on 19 September. The new look graphics were designed by Dunning Elley Joans (now Dunning Penny Joans). The new Den was divided into three main strands:
On Saturday mornings, Sattitude airs, with ClubDisney, produced in association with The Walt Disney Company
, airing on Sunday mornings.
With this re-launch, the main section of The Den has its first female presenter. Also, all the characters that achieved fame on the show (bar Dustin, Soky, Charly and Zuppy) have been largely removed from this section, with the launch of their own programme, DDN. It also sees a re-focusing of the breakfast slot away from pre-schoolers and towards older children, hence the fact that it is now presented by the same presenter as the afternoon programmes.
From September 2008, Wakey Wakey, The Club and DDN were axed. The latter was replaced with ICE, presented by Sinead Kennedy, Brian Ormond and Rob Ross. Kathyrn McKiernan presents Kazoo. There is no current presenter although an announcer now says what is on next during the new "Now Next Later" graphics which have been given a new look in 2009. Dustin the Turkey now presents The Once a Week Show
with co-host Sinéad Ni Churnain.
for many years, and ran from 16:00 to 18:00 every weekday, broadcasting originally on RTÉ 1 after Live at Three, before switching to Network 2
with an additional hour following its revamp in 1987. It contained almost all of RTÉ's children's programming output for many years, with the exception of Bosco
(shown immediately before The Den) and a half-hour of teenage oriented programming (Jo Maxi
) shown immediately after The Den.
In 1990, Ian Dempsey was replaced by Ray D'Arcy
, although he remained for a number of years afterwards in the regular pop music section of the show, "Pop Goes The Den". D'Arcy presented the show until 1998, when he was replaced by Damien McCaul
. Francis Boylan, Jr. took over the reins in 2003. Over time, the programme dropped the leading "Dempsey's", and alternated between the names The Den and Den TV. Following the re-brand of Network 2 to N2 in 1997, Den TV became Den2, but this reverted to The Den in 2002.
In 2003, The Den introduced a daily news programme for children, news2day
, somewhat similar to the BBC's Newsround
.
The show is presented from a studio to this day; the station has been a treehouse, No. 10 Celebrity Square, a chipvan, the interior of a UFO and a newsroom among other variations, with the presenter behind a desk (or counter, in the chipvan), and a collection of puppets either permanently or temporarily in front of the desk.
After Ray D'Arcy left the programme, the format changed significantly. The Christmas show was dropped (the old specials were sometimes repeated), an hour in the morning before school time was added, presented by a different presenter, Geri Maye, with only Soky from the puppets.
when Ray D'Arcy left that show to take over from Ian Dempsey. During the Damien McCaul era Geri Maye and Emma Ledden
appeared as assistants to the show, however both went on to present other segments such as Pop Gossip.
in late 2004, and became TTV
in September 2005). Den 2 ran from 07:35 until 17:00 and iD/iD Two ran from 17:00 until 19:00.
For much of the time during the day, there were no continuity links. However, during this period there were two sections of the programme which did have presentation. The morning section was referred to as Den AM (aka Socky's Big Little Morning Show), which was presented by Geri Maye (who was for a time engaged to former presenter of The Den, Ray D'Arcy) until early 2005. The traditional afternoon slot was presented by Damien McCaul from 1998 (Francis Boylan, Jr. replaced him in September 2003, until June 2005). The strand re-adopted The Den name in 2002 upon McCaul's absence. Prominent sports figure and economist turned children's TV star Denis Cavanagh also made regular appearances on the show, his down to earth wit and diamond personality clear for all to see. Whilst the programme had changed, much of its original spirit still remained: there were still quizzes, the Birthday scroller still existed, and Dustin, Socky, Zuppy and Snotzer remained.
A "children's magazine" show, along the lines of Blue Peter
, Echo Island first aired in 1994. It ran three days a week for the first season, adding an extra programme at the start of the second season in September 1995, with two in English and the other two in Irish language
. This was later renamed "Echo" in 1999 (for its final season). Original hosts were Derek Mooney
and Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh
. Comedian Dara Ó Briain
, who has since become well-known outside Ireland, spent most of his RTÉ career on this show from 1995. Carrie Crowley
joined the show in 1996, before going on to present the Eurovision Song Contest
in 1997.
"JMTV" or "Jo Maxi" was a mainly music-based show aimed at adolescents, shown in the 1980s and early 1990s. It was shown directly after The Den had ended, but was integrated into the show by the delayed displaying of The Den's copyright notice until after it had ended.
currently no presenter (2008–present)
comes into the studio to draw a picture (usually of an owl) or read from one of his children's books. The Dens presenter would attempt to mimic Don's style on his own sketchpad but would usually be unsuccessful in his attempts. Towards the end of the segment Don would show the viewers some of the drawings that had been sent into him since the previous week. Don has had connections with The Den virtually every week since the show started, and continues as part of The Club today, only now it is called The Art of Don.
would come in and talk about the state of the stars, or the event occurring, and how to view it. This got moved over to iD (now TTV
), as it was decided it appealed to an older audience.
of RTÉ Sport, would commentate on the final race on Friday afternoons.
Races would last less than 10 seconds, but instant replay/slow motion would be used.
When the Furry Green Telly Quiz "stopped", there was a running gag that Dustin was working on a new quiz which promised to be bigger and better. The new quiz was kept under wraps and hidden under a blanket at the back of the studio. Finally, after much anticipation, Dustin proudly unveiled the new game... the Furry Blue Telly Quiz.
Except for Quiz Stream, these quizzes were very easy and non-competitive, and the host would usually give hints. In Quiz Stream, the competition currently running, two teams of three boys or three girls face each other. The first to answer 6 questions correctly (spelling out S-T-R-E-A-M in lights) wins.
, a former DJ with RTÉ 2fm
, used to present a weekly pop music news chat with Dempsey and D'Arcy. Emma Ledden
took over this segment in the mid-1990s, it was from here she was able to move to MTV Europe
in the late 1990s.
", Zag would tell a number of very bad jokes as a stand up artist, sing a few songs badly with the help of his pianist, Ray D'Arcy and Ciara Carroll served people in the background as a waiter and waitress in theRotten Apple Club and Zig would often get in the way of the act.
when Ray D'Arcy left that show to take over from Ian Dempsey.
Parade, usually New York
. This would mean the show was off-air a few days either side of the day, to give the cast a holiday
However, another running joke was that they would go to Leitrim
, a county which Dustin despised completely, and which he held harsh opinions about. He would never believe they were there, even with County Councillors assuring him they were.
Between 1996 and 1997, The Swamp took The Den's place as a weekday strand during the summer. Mossy Fergeson, Rory and Rasher Bacon, a puppet, presented the show. The Swamp took place in a chipvan and a shop where the cast would show. The cast were involved in plots, such as saving Rasher from an eagle and getting rid of a vampire. Skelly, a talking skeleton, made several guest appearances on the show. In 1997–1998, The Swamp was aired on Saturdays and Sundays, while The Den was broadcast on weekdays. Although The Swamp proved to be successful, RTÉ cancelled the show in May 1998, much to the disappointment of its fans.
Nowadays, The Den remains on air during the summer. However, there are often either replacement presenters and/or weeks when there is no live presentation.
night the programme would continue till 21:15, usually showing repeats of Are You Afraid of the Dark? and a light-hearted "scary" movie. The 15:00 - 18:00 show was usually filmed on location, for example, at an ancient castle.
period is noted for having two special shows, one bizarrely overdramatic show on Christmas Eve
and another slightly more realistic and reasonable show on Christmas Day
During December, The Den would go off air for a few days, during which the Christmas show (to be broadcast on Christmas Eve) would be filmed. This almost always involved a trip to Lapland
and an improbable but fun plot in which the puppets had to save Christmas somehow, usually having to rescue Santa. Often, children with serious illnesses would be brought along with the cast, as an extension of their Make a Wish programme. The elves would be shown at work as they prepared for Santa's Big Night and Socky might feed the reindeer
with carrots. On one occasion the evil Podge (now a reformed individual and highly successful chat show co-host) attempted to thwart Santa and jeopardise Christmas by locking Santa into a large wooden cabinet in his own house. Ray D'Arcy and a string of friends very conveniently happened upon the scene just as time was running out and Santa was able to scuttle off to his workshops to save Christmas. On another occasion the problem as a depressed Rudoph
, whose nose had lost its legendary shine, thus giving Santa the headache of having no method of finding his way through the night sky. In the earlier days, the RTÉ newsreader Vere Wynne-Jones would often be given a cameo role reading a mock newsflash about Zig and Zag (Zig was given one last chance by Santa to be good one year, or Christmas would be cancelled), or the strange disappearance of Santa.
A memorable Christmas under presenter Damien McCaul had him, Socky and Dustin travel to New York in search of a Mr. Micro Blue Bucket with Removable Arms, a present that Socky desired but which would not be available in Ireland until the following March. After persistently demanding that Socky be granted this gift and searching through the internet (overcoming Derek Davis
's diet tips and Pat Kenny
's guide on how to be "an insufferable bore"), Dustin discovered that 100 Mr. Micro Blue Bucket action figures would be delivered to F.A.O. Swarz, the largest toy store in the world located in Manhattan, New York, on Christmas Eve (the following morning). He then persuaded Damien to bring himself and Socky there instead of surrendering to Damien's preferred option of buying LEGO
for Socky. Despite Damian explaining that there was no way they could fly to New York with so little time left, they were soon inside F.A.O. Swarz. The naive but kind-hearted Socky was exuberant, as Dustin pointed out Laa-Laa the Teletubby
, and wanted to find presents for his Mammy, Geri Maye, his best friend, Thomas, and "all the boys and girls in playschool". Despite Socky being a preschooler, Damian and Dustin allowed him to wander off in the busy store, whilst they went in search of Mr. Micro Blue Bucket, Dustin mistaking a Furby
for Anne Doyle
along the way.
The Christmas special would be given a prime time
slot on RTÉ 1. One such Christmas programme managed to coincide with one of the most important events of the twentieth century. In December 1991, the Den crew went to film their special in Moscow
, which was perfectly calm, as one would expect for a children's Christmas special. By Christmas Day, as the programme was being broadcast, the Soviet Union
had managed to just conveniently collapse into chaos, with its remaining contingent states declaring independence
.
Each Christmas Day the show would traditionally start at around 06:00 and continue until 13:00. The first hour of this, it was later revealed, would be recorded and the rest would go out live. Christmas-themed cartoons would be shown and the puppets would talk about the toys they had received from Santa, who would have usually just been saved by the gang the day before. They would always somehow arrive back in Ireland faster than 1990s (and even modern) physics would permit.
Occasionally there would be random days of no programming, if the presenter or the puppeteers wanted a day off, but children's movies would be brought out, and The Dens DOG Tag
would remain. The Den is the only TV programme (besides the news) to be broadcast live around Ireland on Christmas Day.
's The Ray D'Arcy Show
was broadcast live from Vicar Street
, Dublin. It reflected on the formative years of The Den from 1986-1994 in front of a live audience who shared their memories. Listeners were also invited to contribute and the show was even video-streamed live online. D'Arcy was not the only original member of the team present; Zig and Zag featured heavily as they were promoting their new DVD Best Bitz From Back Den
, Don Conroy put in an appearance to instruct D'Arcy how to draw a Barn Owl
, Ian Dempsey turned up later (he had been presenting his breakfast show
from the Today FM studios directly beforehand), a 4 ft Ted attacked D'Arcy as Zig and Zag cheered him on with the audience, and, to Zig and Zag's disgust, Dustin made a cameo appearance toward the end.
by Aardman, Eye2Eye, Quizone
, Aisling's Summer Diary and T.O.A.S.T, including Den Tots and all the favourites from around the world.
on the 26th May 2011 to coincide with the launch of Saorview
, Ireland's DTT service which was also launched on the same day. The channel mainly rebroadcasts programmes that are already shown on the RTEjr
strand on RTE Two
however there are some other children's programmes broadcast on the channel. It is currently only available on channel 7 on Saorview however it is expected to be available on Sky and UPC digital platforms in the future.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
public broadcaster RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of...
. It first broadcast on 29 September 1986 on RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
, before moving to RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of...
(previously Network 2) in September 1988. The strand began to diversify throughout the late 1990s and the 2000s. It was also known as Dempsey's Den, Den TV and Den2 at different times during the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.
In mid-2010, RTÉ Television announced an overhaul of all young people's programming, especially as Ireland moves towards digital terrestrial television in autumn 2010. This overhaul took place on September 20, 2010 effectively replacing The Den branding to incorporate two new strands RTÉjr
RTÉjr
RTÉjr is a children's channel operated by Ireland's national broadcaster RTÉ Television, which targets a demographic between 2 – 6 years of age. The channel launched as part of Saorview's line-up on May 26, 2011. The channel broadcasts daily between 06:00 to 19:00, sharing broadcasting space with...
and TRTÉ
TRTÉ
TRTÉ is a programming block which airs on RTÉ Two targeting children between 8 and 16 years of age. It operates along its sister strand RTÉjr, which targets children of less than 8 years of age. The strand also appears on RTÉ Junior....
.
The Den Timeline
The Den was presented by a number of well-known names in Ireland, including Ian DempseyIan Dempsey
Ian Michael Dempsey is an Irish presenter of television and breakfast radio. He is the long-running presenter of the breakfast show on Today FM, self-titled The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show, which runs from 07:00 - 09:00 each weekday morning...
and Ray D'Arcy
Ray D'Arcy
Raymond 'Ray' D'Arcy is an Irish television and radio presenter. He currently presents a weekday morning radio programme, The Ray D'Arcy Show, on Today FM...
, both of whom now present morning shows with the radio station Today FM
Today FM
Radio Ireland Ltd, trading as 100-102 Today FM is an Irish commercial FM radio station which is available nationally. The station, which commenced broadcasting on Saint Patrick's Day in 1997, can be received nationally and carries a mix of music and talk...
. The Den was also responsible for introducing a number of anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
characters to Irish culture, such as Zig and Zag
Zig and Zag (puppets)
Zig and Zag are an Irish puppet duo performed by Mick O'Hara and Ciaran Morrison.The characters are a pair of furry extraterrestrial twins from the planet Zog. They made their television début on RTÉs Dempsey's Den in 1987. A year later they won a Jacob's Award for TV Personalities of the year...
, Podge and Rodge
Podge and Rodge
Pádraig Judas O'Leprosy and Rodraig Spartacus O'Leprosy are the two central characters on A Scare at Bedtime, an Irish adult comedy televised puppet show. Created and performed by Ciaran Morrison and Mick O'Hara, more recently, the brothers have presented The Podge and Rodge Show, a chat show in...
and Dustin the Turkey
Dustin the Turkey
Dustin the Turkey is a puppet, "television presenter" and star of RTÉ television's The Den since 1989. A turkey with a strong Dublin accent, Dustin is voiced by John Morrison, brother of Ciaran Morrison who was one of the creators of Zig and Zag. Dustin first appeared on The Den with Zig and Zag in...
. These have gone on to have highly successful careers in a vast array of areas; Zig and Zag transferred to Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
and are currently promoting their own DVD, Best Bitz From Back Den
Best Bitz From Back Den
Best Bitz From Back Den is an Irish television special and DVD released in November 2008. It was broadcast on RTÉ One on 27 October 2008 at 18:30. The title is a play on the Irish children's television favourite The Den...
, Podge and Rodge possess a highly successful late-night chat show
The Podge and Rodge Show
The Podge and Rodge Show is an Irish chat show, broadcast and produced by RTÉ, featuring the popular Podge and Rodge as hosts...
and Dustin achieved global recognition in 2008 when he represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest.
The Den had a number of former names including; Dempsey's Den, Den TV and Den2. The strand aired from 06:00 to 17:30 each weekday, with the brand also being used on weekend mornings. It received a complete makeover, with a change in format and a brand new visual identity, on Saturday 17 September 2005.
As well as airing on RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of...
, The Den has its own electronic programme guide placement on UPC Ireland
UPC Ireland
UPC Ireland is Liberty Global Europe's telecommunications operation in Ireland. UPC Ireland is the largest digital cable television provider within the Republic of Ireland. As of September 2010 the company offers broadband internet, digital television and digital telephony to over 531,000 customers...
, channel 601.
The Den had a reputation for airing many new episodes of shows such as Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, known in Japan as , is an anime spin-off and sequel of the original Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters anime. It aired in Japan on TV Tokyo between October 6, 2004 and March 26, 2008, and was succeeded by Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's...
, Totally Spies!, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 TV series)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated series, mainly set in New York City. It first aired on February 8, 2003 and ended on November 21, 2009...
, etc. before any other network in Europe.
As part of RTÉ's seasonal changes for 2010-11, The Den was scrapped and replaced by two age-specific brands. The Den and Den Tots were replaced by TRTÉ
TRTÉ
TRTÉ is a programming block which airs on RTÉ Two targeting children between 8 and 16 years of age. It operates along its sister strand RTÉjr, which targets children of less than 8 years of age. The strand also appears on RTÉ Junior....
and RTÉjr
RTÉjr
RTÉjr is a children's channel operated by Ireland's national broadcaster RTÉ Television, which targets a demographic between 2 – 6 years of age. The channel launched as part of Saorview's line-up on May 26, 2011. The channel broadcasts daily between 06:00 to 19:00, sharing broadcasting space with...
respectively.
2005 to 2010
- Wakey Wakey, airing from 07:15 - 09:00, presented by Kathryn McKiernan.
- Den Tots, airing from 09:00 - 14:35, presented by james reillyJames ReillyJames Reilly is the name of:*James Bernard Reilly , U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania*James E. Reilly , American television script writer*James F. Reilly , American astronaut...
, Charly and Socky This is aimed at pre-schoolers. - The Club, airing from 14:35 - 17:00, presented again by Kathryn McKiernan. This is followed at 17:00 by RTÉ's news bulletin aimed at children - news2dayNews2daynews2day is an Irish children's television news programme, broadcast weekdays at 5pm on RTÉ Two. It is eight minutes long, and is similar in format to the BBC's Newsround....
.
On Saturday mornings, Sattitude airs, with ClubDisney, produced in association with The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
, airing on Sunday mornings.
With this re-launch, the main section of The Den has its first female presenter. Also, all the characters that achieved fame on the show (bar Dustin, Soky, Charly and Zuppy) have been largely removed from this section, with the launch of their own programme, DDN. It also sees a re-focusing of the breakfast slot away from pre-schoolers and towards older children, hence the fact that it is now presented by the same presenter as the afternoon programmes.
From September 2008, Wakey Wakey, The Club and DDN were axed. The latter was replaced with ICE, presented by Sinead Kennedy, Brian Ormond and Rob Ross. Kathyrn McKiernan presents Kazoo. There is no current presenter although an announcer now says what is on next during the new "Now Next Later" graphics which have been given a new look in 2009. Dustin the Turkey now presents The Once a Week Show
The Once a Week Show
The Once a Week Show with Dustin and Sinéad from Sinéad's House Where Dustin Likes to Hang is an Irish television chat/comedy show, broadcast on RTÉ Two. A successor to the more frequent Dustin's Daily News, the show is hosted by Dustin the Turkey of The Den, with his assistant Sinéad Ni Churnain...
with co-host Sinéad Ni Churnain.
History
The Den began in 1986 as Dempsey's Den, it was fronted by Ian DempseyIan Dempsey
Ian Michael Dempsey is an Irish presenter of television and breakfast radio. He is the long-running presenter of the breakfast show on Today FM, self-titled The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show, which runs from 07:00 - 09:00 each weekday morning...
for many years, and ran from 16:00 to 18:00 every weekday, broadcasting originally on RTÉ 1 after Live at Three, before switching to Network 2
RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of...
with an additional hour following its revamp in 1987. It contained almost all of RTÉ's children's programming output for many years, with the exception of Bosco
Bosco
Bosco was an Irish children's television programme produced during the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was produced by the Lambert Puppet Theatre. Designed by Jan Mitchell, Bosco was voiced by Miriam Lambert initially; in later years Paula Lambert took over the character...
(shown immediately before The Den) and a half-hour of teenage oriented programming (Jo Maxi
Jo Maxi
Jo Maxi was an Irish teenage entertainment show which would report on teenage issues. The presenters would discuss issues relating to teenagers through reports and studio discussions. They would also review books, movies and other TV shows. Gig Guides and job/study information was also reported...
) shown immediately after The Den.
In 1990, Ian Dempsey was replaced by Ray D'Arcy
Ray D'Arcy
Raymond 'Ray' D'Arcy is an Irish television and radio presenter. He currently presents a weekday morning radio programme, The Ray D'Arcy Show, on Today FM...
, although he remained for a number of years afterwards in the regular pop music section of the show, "Pop Goes The Den". D'Arcy presented the show until 1998, when he was replaced by Damien McCaul
Damien McCaul
Damien McCaul is a Gaelic footballer with the Donaghmore GAA club and the Tyrone senior team. He plays as a corner-back.-Career:McCaul made the breakthrough into the Tyrone team in the 2007 McKenna Cup pre-season competition and was soon embroiled in controversy. It was claimed he should not have...
. Francis Boylan, Jr. took over the reins in 2003. Over time, the programme dropped the leading "Dempsey's", and alternated between the names The Den and Den TV. Following the re-brand of Network 2 to N2 in 1997, Den TV became Den2, but this reverted to The Den in 2002.
In 2003, The Den introduced a daily news programme for children, news2day
News2day
news2day is an Irish children's television news programme, broadcast weekdays at 5pm on RTÉ Two. It is eight minutes long, and is similar in format to the BBC's Newsround....
, somewhat similar to the BBC's Newsround
Newsround
Newsround is a BBC children's news programme, which has run continuously since 4 April 1972, and was one of the world's first television news magazines aimed specifically at children...
.
Classic Format
The format of the show changed very little during Dempsey and D'Arcy's years; it would start at 15:00 after Bosco, show a "kiddie" cartoon, and then do the "Birthday Slot." This would be a scroller of photos of children whose parents had sent in photos to be shown, followed by a music video. There would then be another cartoon or two, an original RTÉ programme, followed by another cartoon and a music video, after which the programme ended. On certain days of the week, a quiz would be inserted in place of one of the cartoons.The show is presented from a studio to this day; the station has been a treehouse, No. 10 Celebrity Square, a chipvan, the interior of a UFO and a newsroom among other variations, with the presenter behind a desk (or counter, in the chipvan), and a collection of puppets either permanently or temporarily in front of the desk.
After Ray D'Arcy left the programme, the format changed significantly. The Christmas show was dropped (the old specials were sometimes repeated), an hour in the morning before school time was added, presented by a different presenter, Geri Maye, with only Soky from the puppets.
Assistants
Ciara Carroll was The Den assistant during the Ray D'Arcy years. She would come in and out of the studio to announce new competitions for the viewers and would also give feedback from behind the camera, she could often be heard laughing in the background and being blamed for farts by Zig and Zag. She would also appear in many of the other segments throughout the day. During the Ian Dempsey years The Den assistant was Celine, she would go on to present Jo MaxiJo Maxi
Jo Maxi was an Irish teenage entertainment show which would report on teenage issues. The presenters would discuss issues relating to teenagers through reports and studio discussions. They would also review books, movies and other TV shows. Gig Guides and job/study information was also reported...
when Ray D'Arcy left that show to take over from Ian Dempsey. During the Damien McCaul era Geri Maye and Emma Ledden
Emma Ledden
Emma Ledden is an Irish television presenter and model. She began her television career on Raidió Teilifís Éireann's children's strand, The Den, in the mid-1990s....
appeared as assistants to the show, however both went on to present other segments such as Pop Gossip.
1998 re-launch
The 1998 re-launch saw The Den, renamed Den2 at this point, become much more like a TV station of its own, with its own trailers and presentation. It now aired from 06:00 through to 17:00, and from 2003 was followed by a youth strand, iD (which was renamed iD TwoID Two
iD Two was a programming strand on RTÉ Two which ran from 17:00 to 19:00 weekdays, following The Den. It aired between 2002 and 2005...
in late 2004, and became TTV
TTV (RTÉ)
TTV was a youth-aimed programming strand broadcast on RTÉ Two in Ireland, from 17:00 - 19:00, on weekdays. TTV replaced iD Two, which was basically the same show with few differences, on Monday 19 September 2005...
in September 2005). Den 2 ran from 07:35 until 17:00 and iD/iD Two ran from 17:00 until 19:00.
For much of the time during the day, there were no continuity links. However, during this period there were two sections of the programme which did have presentation. The morning section was referred to as Den AM (aka Socky's Big Little Morning Show), which was presented by Geri Maye (who was for a time engaged to former presenter of The Den, Ray D'Arcy) until early 2005. The traditional afternoon slot was presented by Damien McCaul from 1998 (Francis Boylan, Jr. replaced him in September 2003, until June 2005). The strand re-adopted The Den name in 2002 upon McCaul's absence. Prominent sports figure and economist turned children's TV star Denis Cavanagh also made regular appearances on the show, his down to earth wit and diamond personality clear for all to see. Whilst the programme had changed, much of its original spirit still remained: there were still quizzes, the Birthday scroller still existed, and Dustin, Socky, Zuppy and Snotzer remained.
Echo Island
- Main article: Echo IslandEcho IslandEcho Island was an Irish television programme for children and young adults, shown on RTÉ Network 2. It was shown at 17:00 during The Den. The show effectively took over from Jo Maxi which had been aimed at Teenagers....
A "children's magazine" show, along the lines of Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
, Echo Island first aired in 1994. It ran three days a week for the first season, adding an extra programme at the start of the second season in September 1995, with two in English and the other two in Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
. This was later renamed "Echo" in 1999 (for its final season). Original hosts were Derek Mooney
Derek Mooney
Derek James Mooney is an Irish radio and television presenter, as well as a radio producer. He currently presents a weekday afternoon programme called Mooney on RTÉ Radio 1....
and Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh
Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh
Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh is an Irish TV presenter, Gaeilgeoir and all-round personality. She has presented Echo Island, The Afternoon Show and Charity ICA Bootcamp. She was a judge in The All Ireland Talent Show and participated in Celebrity Bainisteoir.-Career:Ní Chofaigh is an accomplished...
. Comedian Dara Ó Briain
Dara Ó Briain
Dara Ó Briain is an Irish stand-up comedian and television presenter, noted for hosting topical panel shows such as The Panel and Mock the Week....
, who has since become well-known outside Ireland, spent most of his RTÉ career on this show from 1995. Carrie Crowley
Carrie Crowley
Carrie Crowley is an Irish actress, Gaeilgeoir and former radio and television presenter. She has been described both as a "gay icon" and "RTÉ's Miriam O'Callaghan for the late 1990s". She appeared on television shows such as The Morbegs and Echo Island for Raidió Teilifís Éireann...
joined the show in 1996, before going on to present the Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest 1997
The Eurovision Song Contest 1997, was the 42nd Eurovision Song Contest and it was held at the Point Theatre Dublin, Ireland, on 3 May 1997. Boyzone member Ronan Keating and Carrie Crowley were the presenters of the show....
in 1997.
JMTV
- Main article: Jo MaxiJo MaxiJo Maxi was an Irish teenage entertainment show which would report on teenage issues. The presenters would discuss issues relating to teenagers through reports and studio discussions. They would also review books, movies and other TV shows. Gig Guides and job/study information was also reported...
"JMTV" or "Jo Maxi" was a mainly music-based show aimed at adolescents, shown in the 1980s and early 1990s. It was shown directly after The Den had ended, but was integrated into the show by the delayed displaying of The Den's copyright notice until after it had ended.
Presenters
| Presenter | Term of office |
| Ian Dempsey Ian Dempsey Ian Michael Dempsey is an Irish presenter of television and breakfast radio. He is the long-running presenter of the breakfast show on Today FM, self-titled The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show, which runs from 07:00 - 09:00 each weekday morning... |
1986–1990 |
| Ray D'Arcy Ray D'Arcy Raymond 'Ray' D'Arcy is an Irish television and radio presenter. He currently presents a weekday morning radio programme, The Ray D'Arcy Show, on Today FM... |
1990–1998 |
| Damien McCaul Damien McCaul Damien McCaul is a Gaelic footballer with the Donaghmore GAA club and the Tyrone senior team. He plays as a corner-back.-Career:McCaul made the breakthrough into the Tyrone team in the 2007 McKenna Cup pre-season competition and was soon embroiled in controversy. It was claimed he should not have... |
1998–2003 |
| Francis Boylan, Jnr. | 2003–2005 |
| Kathryn McKiernan | 2005-2008 |
| 2008–present |
currently no presenter (2008–present)
Programming
- AnimaniacsAnimaniacsSteven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs, usually referred to as simply Animaniacs, is an American animated series, distributed by Warner Bros. Television and produced by Amblin Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. The cartoon was the second animated series produced by the collaboration of Steven...
- The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy GeniusThe Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy GeniusThe Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, often shortened to just Jimmy Neutron, is an American animated television series, and spin-off of the Academy Award-nominated computer-animated movie, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. The series first officially aired on July 20, 2002, on Nickelodeon...
- The Animals of Farthing Wood
- Bananas in PyjamasBananas in PyjamasBananas in Pyjamas is an Australian children's television show that premiered in July 1992 on ABC Television. It has since become syndicated in many different countries, and dubbed into other languages. In the United States, the "Pyjamas" in the title was modified to reflect the American spelling...
- The Bear's IslandThe Bear's IslandThe Bear's Island is a French animated television series produced by Pixibox and first aired in 1992..-Plot:Eddie the bear lives on Rabbit's Island. One day little Ghost tells him that he should live on Bear's Island. So he leaves Island with his friend Max . They travel in a balloon and have a...
- BouliBouliBouli is an animated television series originally produced in France between 1989 until 1991.-Synopsis:The Moon magically brings Bouli the snowman and his snowman friends to life and keeps them from melting....
- Barney and Friends
- Bear in the Big Blue HouseBear in the Big Blue HouseBear in the Big Blue House is a television program for young children produced for the Playhouse Disney channel by Mitchell Kriegman and The Jim Henson Company. It first aired in 1997, and re-runs of the show continue to air on Playhouse Disney . It is produced by The Jim Henson Company and Shadow...
- BeybladeBeybladeis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Takao Aoki. Originally serialized in CoroCoro Comic from 2000 to 2002, the individual chapters were collected and published in 14 tankōbon by Shogakukan...
- Cockleshell BayCockleshell BayCockleshell Bay is a children's television series which was shown at lunchtime on ITV during the early 1980s. It was made by Cosgrove Hall for their parent company, the ITV broadcaster Thames Television...
- Count DuckulaCount DuckulaCount Duckula is a British animated television series created by British studio Cosgrove Hall, and a spin-off from DangerMouse, a show in which the Count Duckula character was a recurring villain. The series first aired on September 6, 1988 and was produced by Thames Television for 3 seasons and...
- Class of the TitansClass of the TitansClass of the Titans is a Canadian animated television series created by Studio B Productions and Nelvana. It premiered on December 31, 2005 at 5 pm ET/PT on Teletoon with a special 90-minute presentation of the first three episodes. The series aired in the United States on qubo from September...
- Curious GeorgeCurious George (TV series)Curious George is an animated television series based on the Curious George children's book series, which features Jeff Bennett as the voice of The Man with the Yellow Hat. Frank Welker, who voiced George in the 2006 feature film, returns here as the voice of Curious George. The stories of Season...
- The Country Mouse and the City Mouse AdventuresThe Country Mouse and the City Mouse AdventuresThe Country Mouse and the City Mouse Adventures is an animated TV series that aired on HBO from March 1, 1998 to early 2001. The show follows the adventures of two mice, Emily and her cousin Alexander, who go on adventures around the world in the early 20th century, usually to stop the evil rat...
- Captain FlamingoCaptain FlamingoCaptain Flamingo is a Canadian animated television series, which chronicles the adventures of the protagonist and main character Milo Powell Captain Flamingo is a Canadian animated television series, which chronicles the adventures of the protagonist and main character Milo Powell Captain Flamingo...
- David the GnomeThe World of David the GnomeThe World of David the Gnome, originally titled David el Gnomo , is a Spanish animated television series based on the children's book The Secret Book of Gnomes, by the Dutch author Wil Huygen and illustrator Rien Poortvliet...
- Dinobabies
- Dennis the Menace
- The DreamstoneThe DreamstoneThe Dreamstone is a British animated television series that ran for 4 series of 13 episodes each between 1990 and 1995. The original concept and artwork were created by Michael Jupp. The series was animated by the FilmFair animation studio as a Central production for ITV...
- DougDougDoug is an American animated sitcom created by Jim Jinkins and co-produced by his studio, Jumbo Pictures . Doug centers on the surreal and imaginative exploits of its title character, Douglas "Doug" Funnie, who experiences common predicaments while attending middle school. The series lampoons...
- Dexter's LaboratoryDexter's LaboratoryDexter's Laboratory is an American animated television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky and produced by Cartoon Network Studios . The show is about a boy named Dexter who has an enormous secret laboratory filled with an endless collection of his inventions...
- The FruitiesThe FruitiesThe Fruitties is an animated television series produced in Spain by D'Ocon Film Productions in 1989. It was originally aired on Spanish television TVE...
- Even StevensEven StevensEven Stevens is an American comedy television series that aired on Disney Channel with a total of three seasons and 65 episodes from June 17, 2000, to June 2, 2003...
- Edward and FriendsEdward and FriendsEdward and Friends was a children's TV series in puppet animation from FilmFair that aired on British and Canadian television in 1987.The series was 5-minute stop-motion shorts based on the LEGO's "Fabuland" line of toys that lasted 10 years from 1979 to 1989.Edward was the main character in the...
- Hey Arnold!Hey Arnold!Hey Arnold! is an American animated television series created by Craig Bartlett for Nickelodeon. The show's premise focuses on a fourth grader named Arnold who lives with his grandparents. Episodes center on his experiences navigating big city life while dealing with the problems he and his friends...
- Hokey WolfHokey WolfHokey Wolf is a Hanna-Barbera cartoon about the adventures of a con-artist wolf who is always trying to cheat his way into the simple life...
- GrossologyGrossology (TV series)Grossology is a Canadian animated television series produced by Nelvana, and based loosely on the non-fictional children’s book series of the same name by Sylvia Branzei. It debuted on the YTV network in Canada on September 29, 2006, and was first shown on Discovery Kids in the United States on...
- The GnoufsThe GnoufsThe Gnoufs, an animated cartoon created by Bertrand Santini, is shown on many TV stations such as Foxtel and the ABC.The program is about explorers from another world who have come to Earth to live. The show is computer-animated, and many episodes pivot on supernatural themes such as divinatory...
- Iggy ArbuckleIggy ArbuckleIggy Arbuckle is a Canadian animated series that premiered in Canada on Teletoon in June 2007. Based on a comic strip from National Geographic Kids, the show is created by Guy Vasilovich, and focuses about a pig who happens to be a forest ranger, known in the series as a "Pig Ranger"...
- Inspector GadgetInspector GadgetInspector Gadget is an animated television series that revolves around the adventures of a clumsy, simple-witted cyborg detective named Inspector Gadget – a human being with various bionic gadgets built into his body. Gadget's arch-nemesis is Dr...
- The JetsonsThe JetsonsThe Jetsons is a animated American sitcom that was produced by Hanna-Barbera, originally airing in prime-time from 1962–1963 and again from 1985–1987...
- Jackie Chan AdventuresJackie Chan AdventuresJackie Chan Adventures is an animated television series chronicling the adventures of a fictionalized version of action film star Jackie Chan. Many of the episodes contain references to Chan's actual works. This series ran on Kids' WB! from September 9, 2000 to July 7, 2005 for a total of 95...
- Just JordanJust JordanJust Jordan is an American television sitcom that aired on Nickelodeon as a part of the network's TEENick lineup. The series debuted on January 7, 2007 and was cancelled on April 5, 2008 with 29 episodes produced.-Premise:...
- Maggie and the Ferocious BeastMaggie and the Ferocious BeastMaggie and the Ferocious Beast is an animated TV series based on the books by Michael Paraskevas and his mother Betty. It currently airs on the American Channel Nick Jr.....
- Monster Buster ClubMonster Buster ClubMonster Buster Club is a television series by Marathon Production and Image Entertainment Corporation. The show debuted on June 2, 2008 on Jetix in Europe, June 9, 2008 in the United States and in Asia on May 3, 2008. This show is about three twelve-year-olds, helped by an alien girl named Cathy,...
- My Gym Partner's a MonkeyMy Gym Partner's a MonkeyMy Gym Partner's a Monkey is an American animated television series created by Timothy and Julie McNally Cahill and produced by Cartoon Network Studios. It premiered on December 26, 2005 and ended in November 27, 2008 following a marathon of its final regular-run episodes...
- The MorbegsThe MorbegsThe Morbegs was a popular Irish children's television show which was aired on The Den in Ireland around the late 1990s. It starred two furballs called Molly and Rossa who lived in Morbeg Land...
- Naturally, SadieNaturally, SadieNaturally, Sadie was a Canadian teen drama sitcom that ran for three seasons from June 24, 2005 to August 26, 2007. It was produced in Canada, set in Whitby, Ontario. Filmed in Toronto, Ontario, most of the show was shot inside a former Catholic elementary school in Little Italy, including the...
- The New World of the Gnomes
- Noah's IslandNoah's IslandNoah's Island was an animated TV serial made by the creators of The Animals of Farthing Wood and commissioned by the European Broadcasting Union. It was directed by Philippe Leclerc and Alan Simpson and written by Elphin Lloyd-Jones and John M. Mills. Each episode, of which there were 39, ran for...
- The Real GhostbustersThe Real GhostbustersThe Real Ghostbusters is an American animated television series based on the 1984 film Ghostbusters. The series ran from 1986 to 1991, and was produced by Columbia Pictures Television, DiC Enterprises, and Coca-Cola Telecommunications. "The Real" was added to the title after a dispute with...
- Power RangersPower RangersPower Rangers is a long-running American entertainment and merchandising franchise built around a live action children's television series featuring teams of costumed heroes...
- PokémonPokémonis a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
- Pinky and the BrainPinky and the BrainPinky and the Brain is an American animated television series.The characters Pinky and the Brain first appeared in 1993 as a recurring segment on the show Animaniacs...
- The Powerpuff GirlsThe Powerpuff GirlsThe Powerpuff Girls is an American animated television series created by animator Craig McCracken and produced by Hanna-Barbera for Cartoon Network...
- Papa Beaver's StorytimePapa Beaver's StorytimePapa Beaver's Storytime is a French and Canadian animated television series based on a series of children's story books by the French author Père Castor. The series which was produced by Cinar, originally aired between 1993–1994 on the Canadian Family Channel and the French channel France 3 and...
- ReBootReBootReBoot is a Canadian CGI-animated action-adventure cartoon series that originally aired from 1994 to 2001. It was produced by Vancouver-based production company Mainframe Entertainment, Alliance Communications, BLT Productions and created by Gavin Blair, Ian Pearson, Phil Mitchell and John Grace,...
- The Rimini Riddle
- Rolie Polie OlieRolie Polie OlieRolie Polie Olie is a children's television series produced by Nelvana and created by William Joyce. The show centers on a little boy who is composed of several spheres and other three-dimensional geometric shapes...
- RugratsRugratsRugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on August 11, 1991, and aired its last episode on June 8, 2004....
- Sesame StreetSesame StreetSesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
- SuperTedSuperTedSuperTed is a Welsh teddy bear who has magical super powers. He along with his friend Spotty try to do good. SuperTed was a series of stories created by Mike Young who eventually created a television series based on those stories.-Creation:...
- Sharky and George
- The Scooby Doo Show
- Sonic XSonic Xis an anime series based on the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series. It was produced in Japan by TMS Entertainment with the partnership of Sega and was created by Sonic Team and Sonic Project. In the United States, 4Kids currently owns and manages copyright and branding of the series.- Series 1 ...
- The Sleepover ClubThe Sleepover ClubThe Sleepover Club is a series children's books by authors Rose Impey, Fiona Cummings, Narinder Dhami, Sue Mongredien, Jana Hunter and Angie Bates and a children's television programme based on the series. While the books are set in Cuddington, Leicester, England, the television show is set in the...
- Sabrina, the Teenage WitchSabrina, the Teenage Witch (TV series)Sabrina, the Teenage Witch is an American sitcom based on the Archie comic book series of the same name.The show stars Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina Spellman, a teenager with magical powers, who lives with her aunts Hilda and Zelda , and their magical talking cat Salem...
- ThunderstoneThunderstone (TV series)Thunderstone is a 1999 Australian children's television series produced by Jonathan M. Shiff Productions set in a post-apocalyptic world after Earth is hit by a comet. The main character Noah is played by Jeffrey Walker...
- TrollzTrollzTrollz is an American animated television series produced by DiC Entertainment and features the adventures of five fictional teenage girls, who call themselves the Best Friends for Life, who use magic to help them with their everyday life as well as battling whatever magical creatures and problems...
- Totally Spies!
- The GnoufsThe GnoufsThe Gnoufs, an animated cartoon created by Bertrand Santini, is shown on many TV stations such as Foxtel and the ABC.The program is about explorers from another world who have come to Earth to live. The show is computer-animated, and many episodes pivot on supernatural themes such as divinatory...
- Taz-ManiaTaz-ManiaTaz-Mania is a American cartoon sitcom produced by Warner Bros. Animation from 1991–1993, broadcast in the United States on Fox from 1991-1995...
- Tiny Toon AdventuresTiny Toon AdventuresSteven Spielberg Presents Tiny Toon Adventures, usually referred to as Tiny Toon Adventures or simply Tiny Toons, is an American animated television series created by Tom Ruegger and produced by Amblin Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. It began production as a result of Warner Bros....
- TweeniesTweeniesTweenies was a television programme aimed at young children, broadcast on the BBC's Cbeebies channel.-Overview:The programme was created by Iain Lauchlan and Will Brenton, a pair with a track record of being involved in BBC children's programming...
- Teenage Mutant Hero TurtlesTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated television series produced by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson. The pilot was shown during the week of December 28, 1987 in syndication as a five part miniseries and began its official run on October 1, 1988...
- UnfabulousUnfabulousUnfabulous is an American children's television series that aired on Nickelodeon The series is about an "unfabulous" junior high school student, played by Emma Roberts...
- Wisdom of the GnomesWisdom of the GnomesWisdom of the Gnomes is an animated series produced by Spanish company BRB Internacional about Gnomes. It was a spin-off of the series The World of David the Gnome...
Regular sections
A number of regular (frequent but erratically timed) segments were dropped into the show a couple of times a week.Draw with Don
Every week Don ConroyDon Conroy
Don Conroy is an Irish children's author, artist, conservationist and television personality. His artistic and literary work centres around a wildlife theme. "Uncle Don", as he affectionately known, is heavily involved in wildlife conservation work in Ireland and has made regular appearances on The...
comes into the studio to draw a picture (usually of an owl) or read from one of his children's books. The Dens presenter would attempt to mimic Don's style on his own sketchpad but would usually be unsuccessful in his attempts. Towards the end of the segment Don would show the viewers some of the drawings that had been sent into him since the previous week. Don has had connections with The Den virtually every week since the show started, and continues as part of The Club today, only now it is called The Art of Don.
Astronomy Ireland
Once a month, and at times of interesting astronomical events, a representative of Astronomy IrelandAstronomy Ireland
Astronomy Ireland is one of the national astronomy clubs of Ireland . It is a non-profit educational organisation, apart from the associated astronomy shop owned by chairman David Moore....
would come in and talk about the state of the stars, or the event occurring, and how to view it. This got moved over to iD (now TTV
TTV (RTÉ)
TTV was a youth-aimed programming strand broadcast on RTÉ Two in Ireland, from 17:00 - 19:00, on weekdays. TTV replaced iD Two, which was basically the same show with few differences, on Monday 19 September 2005...
), as it was decided it appealed to an older audience.
The Yes-No Game Show
Twice a week, on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, a child would take part in this, in which he/she had to answer various questions about themselves without using the words "Yes" or "No". If they lasted long enough, they won several prizes, plus a Yes-No Game Show winners' mug. If they said "Yes" or "No" they got all the prizes anyway, except for the mug. It ran from roughly 1995 to 1998. It was later part of Dustin's Daily News, running for a few weeks at a time before a break.The Toy Grand Prix
At the end of some seasons there would be a toy grand prix involving wind-up and electric toys, which would walk/crawl/roll down a track that was approx 80 cm long, dustin would appear in a box in a corner, allegedly at the race in Monte Carlo or other far flung destinations, but eventually would be seen in an actual box in the corner. Peter CollinsPeter Collins (broadcaster)
Peter Collins is an Irish sportscaster for national broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. He is to be seen on RTÉ's coverage of live association football, Gaelic games, Formula One and Moto GP.-Career:...
of RTÉ Sport, would commentate on the final race on Friday afternoons.
Races would last less than 10 seconds, but instant replay/slow motion would be used.
Quizzes
There were various quizzes on The Den over the years, including:- The Furry Green Telly Quiz
- The Furry Blue Telly Quiz
- The Big Bus Quiz
- Quiz Stream
When the Furry Green Telly Quiz "stopped", there was a running gag that Dustin was working on a new quiz which promised to be bigger and better. The new quiz was kept under wraps and hidden under a blanket at the back of the studio. Finally, after much anticipation, Dustin proudly unveiled the new game... the Furry Blue Telly Quiz.
Except for Quiz Stream, these quizzes were very easy and non-competitive, and the host would usually give hints. In Quiz Stream, the competition currently running, two teams of three boys or three girls face each other. The first to answer 6 questions correctly (spelling out S-T-R-E-A-M in lights) wins.
Pop music news segment
Simon YoungSimon Young (presenter)
Simon Young is a former Irish radio and television presenter with RTÉ 2fm. He presented The Beatbox. He was also known for making contributions to the cult children's television strand, Dempsey's Den, hosted by his radio colleague at that time, Ian Dempsey...
, a former DJ with RTÉ 2fm
RTÉ 2fm
RTÉ 2fm, or 2FM as it is more commonly referred to, is Raidió Teilifís Éireann's second national radio station. It broadcasts popular music programming aimed at a young Irish audience.- History :...
, used to present a weekly pop music news chat with Dempsey and D'Arcy. Emma Ledden
Emma Ledden
Emma Ledden is an Irish television presenter and model. She began her television career on Raidió Teilifís Éireann's children's strand, The Den, in the mid-1990s....
took over this segment in the mid-1990s, it was from here she was able to move to MTV Europe
MTV Europe
MTV Europe is a pan-European 24-hour entertainment cable and digital television network launched on August 1, 1987. Initially, the channel served all regions within Europe being one of the very few channels that targeted the entire European continent...
in the late 1990s.
A Bedtime Story and The Rotten Apple Club
On certain occasions Zig and Zag would present the final part of the show as A Bedtime Story, Zag would read a fairytale, often getting it wrong, while Zig would act out all the parts in the background often getting his ques wrong. Generally it would end with Zig giving up and saying goodbye to the viewers. Later this was replaced by the Rotten Apple Club which was hosted "live from New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
", Zag would tell a number of very bad jokes as a stand up artist, sing a few songs badly with the help of his pianist, Ray D'Arcy and Ciara Carroll served people in the background as a waiter and waitress in theRotten Apple Club and Zig would often get in the way of the act.
Assistants
Ciara Carroll was The Den assistant during the Ray D'Arcy years she would come in and out of the studio to announce new competitions for the viewers and would also give feedback from behind the camera, she could often be heard laughing in the background and being blamed for farts by Zig and Zag. She would also appear in many of the other segments throughout the day. During the Ian Dempsey years The Den assistant was Celine, she would go on to present Jo MaxiJo Maxi
Jo Maxi was an Irish teenage entertainment show which would report on teenage issues. The presenters would discuss issues relating to teenagers through reports and studio discussions. They would also review books, movies and other TV shows. Gig Guides and job/study information was also reported...
when Ray D'Arcy left that show to take over from Ian Dempsey.
Holidays
The shows format would be changed only 4 times a year during the Dempsey/D'Arcy years, although it might be slightly altered (moved to RTÉ 1 and shortened slightly) during major sporting events. It has become more irregular since.St. Patrick's Day
Every few years, either the presenter, Zig and Zag, Dustin, Soky & Charlie or all of them would go somewhere else for the Saint Patrick's DaySaint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day is a religious holiday celebrated internationally on 17 March. It commemorates Saint Patrick , the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of :Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion , the Eastern...
Parade, usually New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. This would mean the show was off-air a few days either side of the day, to give the cast a holiday
Summer
The Den would go off-air for two weeks in the middle of summer, after which it would return with the cast in some exotic location. If a major event was occurring at the time, they would be at it - for example Italia 90 and the 1996 Olympics.However, another running joke was that they would go to Leitrim
County Leitrim
County Leitrim is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the county...
, a county which Dustin despised completely, and which he held harsh opinions about. He would never believe they were there, even with County Councillors assuring him they were.
Between 1996 and 1997, The Swamp took The Den's place as a weekday strand during the summer. Mossy Fergeson, Rory and Rasher Bacon, a puppet, presented the show. The Swamp took place in a chipvan and a shop where the cast would show. The cast were involved in plots, such as saving Rasher from an eagle and getting rid of a vampire. Skelly, a talking skeleton, made several guest appearances on the show. In 1997–1998, The Swamp was aired on Saturdays and Sundays, while The Den was broadcast on weekdays. Although The Swamp proved to be successful, RTÉ cancelled the show in May 1998, much to the disappointment of its fans.
Nowadays, The Den remains on air during the summer. However, there are often either replacement presenters and/or weeks when there is no live presentation.
Halloween
On HalloweenHalloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
night the programme would continue till 21:15, usually showing repeats of Are You Afraid of the Dark? and a light-hearted "scary" movie. The 15:00 - 18:00 show was usually filmed on location, for example, at an ancient castle.
Christmas
The ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
period is noted for having two special shows, one bizarrely overdramatic show on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
and another slightly more realistic and reasonable show on Christmas Day
During December, The Den would go off air for a few days, during which the Christmas show (to be broadcast on Christmas Eve) would be filmed. This almost always involved a trip to Lapland
Lapland (region)
Lapland is a region in northern Fennoscandia, largely within the Arctic Circle. It streches across Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula . On the North it is bounded by the Barents Sea, on the West by the Norwegian Sea and on the East by the White Sea...
and an improbable but fun plot in which the puppets had to save Christmas somehow, usually having to rescue Santa. Often, children with serious illnesses would be brought along with the cast, as an extension of their Make a Wish programme. The elves would be shown at work as they prepared for Santa's Big Night and Socky might feed the reindeer
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
with carrots. On one occasion the evil Podge (now a reformed individual and highly successful chat show co-host) attempted to thwart Santa and jeopardise Christmas by locking Santa into a large wooden cabinet in his own house. Ray D'Arcy and a string of friends very conveniently happened upon the scene just as time was running out and Santa was able to scuttle off to his workshops to save Christmas. On another occasion the problem as a depressed Rudoph
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer is a fictional reindeer with a glowing red nose. He is popularly known as "Santa's 9th Reindeer" and, when depicted, is the lead reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. The luminosity of his nose is so great that it illuminates the team's path through...
, whose nose had lost its legendary shine, thus giving Santa the headache of having no method of finding his way through the night sky. In the earlier days, the RTÉ newsreader Vere Wynne-Jones would often be given a cameo role reading a mock newsflash about Zig and Zag (Zig was given one last chance by Santa to be good one year, or Christmas would be cancelled), or the strange disappearance of Santa.
A memorable Christmas under presenter Damien McCaul had him, Socky and Dustin travel to New York in search of a Mr. Micro Blue Bucket with Removable Arms, a present that Socky desired but which would not be available in Ireland until the following March. After persistently demanding that Socky be granted this gift and searching through the internet (overcoming Derek Davis
Derek Davis
Derek Orlando Davis is an Irish broadcaster. On television, he has co-hosted Live at 3, presented Out of the Blue and won Celebrity Bainisteoir.-Early life:...
's diet tips and Pat Kenny
Pat Kenny
Patrick "Pat" Kenny is an Irish broadcaster and former disc jockey and continuity announcer. He is employed by Raidió Teilifís Éireann and is their highest paid presenter. He presents Today with Pat Kenny on RTÉ Radio 1 each weekday morning between 10:00 and midday...
's guide on how to be "an insufferable bore"), Dustin discovered that 100 Mr. Micro Blue Bucket action figures would be delivered to F.A.O. Swarz, the largest toy store in the world located in Manhattan, New York, on Christmas Eve (the following morning). He then persuaded Damien to bring himself and Socky there instead of surrendering to Damien's preferred option of buying LEGO
Lego
Lego is a line of construction toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of colorful interlocking plastic bricks and an accompanying array of gears, minifigures and various other parts...
for Socky. Despite Damian explaining that there was no way they could fly to New York with so little time left, they were soon inside F.A.O. Swarz. The naive but kind-hearted Socky was exuberant, as Dustin pointed out Laa-Laa the Teletubby
Teletubbies
Teletubbies is a BBC children's television series targeted at pre-school viewers and produced from 1997 to 2001 by Ragdoll Productions. It was created by Ragdoll's creative director Anne Wood CBE and Andrew Davenport, who wrote each of the show's 365 episodes. The programme's original narrator was...
, and wanted to find presents for his Mammy, Geri Maye, his best friend, Thomas, and "all the boys and girls in playschool". Despite Socky being a preschooler, Damian and Dustin allowed him to wander off in the busy store, whilst they went in search of Mr. Micro Blue Bucket, Dustin mistaking a Furby
Furby
A Furby was a popular electronic robotic toy resembling a hamster/owl-like creature which went through a period of being a "must-have" toy following its launch in the holiday season of 1998, with continual sales until 2000...
for Anne Doyle
Anne Doyle
Anne Doyle is a newsreader for the Irish broadcaster, Raidió Teilifís Éireann . She currently presents RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock. She is "the most popular television newsreader for a generation" and is regarded as an icon....
along the way.
The Christmas special would be given a prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
slot on RTÉ 1. One such Christmas programme managed to coincide with one of the most important events of the twentieth century. In December 1991, the Den crew went to film their special in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, which was perfectly calm, as one would expect for a children's Christmas special. By Christmas Day, as the programme was being broadcast, the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
had managed to just conveniently collapse into chaos, with its remaining contingent states declaring independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
.
Each Christmas Day the show would traditionally start at around 06:00 and continue until 13:00. The first hour of this, it was later revealed, would be recorded and the rest would go out live. Christmas-themed cartoons would be shown and the puppets would talk about the toys they had received from Santa, who would have usually just been saved by the gang the day before. They would always somehow arrive back in Ireland faster than 1990s (and even modern) physics would permit.
Occasionally there would be random days of no programming, if the presenter or the puppeteers wanted a day off, but children's movies would be brought out, and The Dens DOG Tag
Digital on-screen graphic
A digital on-screen graphic is a watermark-like station logo that many television broadcasters overlay over a portion of the screen-area of their programs to identify the channel...
would remain. The Den is the only TV programme (besides the news) to be broadcast live around Ireland on Christmas Day.
The Den radio reunion
On 14 November 2008, a special edition of Today FMToday FM
Radio Ireland Ltd, trading as 100-102 Today FM is an Irish commercial FM radio station which is available nationally. The station, which commenced broadcasting on Saint Patrick's Day in 1997, can be received nationally and carries a mix of music and talk...
's The Ray D'Arcy Show
The Ray D'Arcy Show
The Ray D'Arcy Show is Today FM's weekday mid-morning radio show presented by Ray D'Arcy. It is on air from 09:00–12:00 midday, competing with RTÉ 2fm's Ryan Tubridy, RTÉ Radio 1's Pat Kenny and Newstalk's Tom Dunne .The production team of Jenny Kelly, Will Hanafin and Mairead Farrell and...
was broadcast live from Vicar Street
Vicar Street
Vicar Street is a concert and events venue in Ireland, located on Thomas Street, Dublin 8. Its capacity allows for 1,000 people for seated performances, and 1,500 people for standing gigs...
, Dublin. It reflected on the formative years of The Den from 1986-1994 in front of a live audience who shared their memories. Listeners were also invited to contribute and the show was even video-streamed live online. D'Arcy was not the only original member of the team present; Zig and Zag featured heavily as they were promoting their new DVD Best Bitz From Back Den
Best Bitz From Back Den
Best Bitz From Back Den is an Irish television special and DVD released in November 2008. It was broadcast on RTÉ One on 27 October 2008 at 18:30. The title is a play on the Irish children's television favourite The Den...
, Don Conroy put in an appearance to instruct D'Arcy how to draw a Barn Owl
Barn Owl
The Barn Owl is the most widely distributed species of owl, and one of the most widespread of all birds. It is also referred to as Common Barn Owl, to distinguish it from other species in the barn-owl family Tytonidae. These form one of two main lineages of living owls, the other being the typical...
, Ian Dempsey turned up later (he had been presenting his breakfast show
The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show
The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show is an Irish radio show broadcast on weekday mornings from 07:00 - 09:00 on Today FM. Presented by Ian Dempsey, it is noted for its Gift Grub feature, performed by Mario Rosenstock...
from the Today FM studios directly beforehand), a 4 ft Ted attacked D'Arcy as Zig and Zag cheered him on with the audience, and, to Zig and Zag's disgust, Dustin made a cameo appearance toward the end.
List of TV Shows and Movies on the Den
Along with all the popular national children's shows (like ICE, ROY, Kazoo and many more...), 'The Den' continues to make a huge impact of unrivaled home produced programmes and kids movies, like The Shrinks, On The Block, Roman Mysteries, and from the makers of Wallace and Gromit, comes Timmy TimeTimmy Time
Timmy Time is an animated pre-school children's comedy series created by Aardman Animations. It started broadcasting in the UK on CBeebies on 6 April 2009. The show is a spin off from the Shaun the Sheep animation which itself is a spin off from the Aardman series Wallace & Gromit, which introduced...
by Aardman, Eye2Eye, Quizone
Quizone
Quizone is an Irish IFTA nominated children's television quiz show, which is broadcast on RTÉ, the national broadcaster. The show is presented by Jamie Darling, who on the show, is referred to as "the referee" . And the narrator of the show is Jon Slattery. The Shows search rooms use the Quizone.tv...
, Aisling's Summer Diary and T.O.A.S.T, including Den Tots and all the favourites from around the world.
See also
- Cúla 4Cúla 4Cúla 4 is branded children's block on Irish language public broadcaster TG4. The strand was first established in 1996 as Cúlabúla; with the rebrand of TnaG to TG4 in 1999 Cúlabúla was renamed as "Cúla 4"....
- Irish-language children's channel - RTÉ JuniorRTÉ JuniorRTÉ Junior is a digital radio station of the Irish public-service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. It plays children’s music, and is Ireland's first children's radio station. It broadcasts from 07:00 to 21:00, and time-shares its DAB slot with RTÉ Chill...
- RTÉ DABDigital audio broadcastingDigital Audio Broadcasting is a digital radio technology for broadcasting radio stations, used in several countries, particularly in Europe. As of 2006, approximately 1,000 stations worldwide broadcast in the DAB format....
radio station aimed at children.
Digital Children's Channel
RTE launched a dedicated children's television station called RTEjrRTÉjr
RTÉjr is a children's channel operated by Ireland's national broadcaster RTÉ Television, which targets a demographic between 2 – 6 years of age. The channel launched as part of Saorview's line-up on May 26, 2011. The channel broadcasts daily between 06:00 to 19:00, sharing broadcasting space with...
on the 26th May 2011 to coincide with the launch of Saorview
Saorview
Saorview is the national free-to-air digital terrestrial television service in Republic of Ireland.The service began operation on 29 October 2010 on a trial basis with full launch on 26 May 2011. By legislation it was required to be available to approximately 90% of the population by end of...
, Ireland's DTT service which was also launched on the same day. The channel mainly rebroadcasts programmes that are already shown on the RTEjr
RTÉjr
RTÉjr is a children's channel operated by Ireland's national broadcaster RTÉ Television, which targets a demographic between 2 – 6 years of age. The channel launched as part of Saorview's line-up on May 26, 2011. The channel broadcasts daily between 06:00 to 19:00, sharing broadcasting space with...
strand on RTE Two
RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of...
however there are some other children's programmes broadcast on the channel. It is currently only available on channel 7 on Saorview however it is expected to be available on Sky and UPC digital platforms in the future.