The following is a list of events relating to

television in Ireland Television in the Republic of Ireland is available through a variety of platforms. The digital terrestrial television service is known as Saorview and is the primary source of broadcast television since analogue transmissions ended on 24 October ...

from 1971.

Events

*17 March –

RTÉ (RTÉ) (; Irish language, Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the Public broadcaster, national broadcaster of Republic of Ireland, Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on RTÉ Television, telev ...

broadcasts the first domestic television footage in

colour Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associ ...

– coverage of the Railway Cup Finals from

Croke Park Croke Park ( ga, Páirc an Chrócaigh, ) is a Gaelic games stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Named after Archbishop Thomas Croke, it is referred to as Croker by GAA fans and locals. It serves as both the principal national stadium of Ireland and he ...

, Dublin. *31 March –

Cigarette advertising Nicotine marketing is the marketing of nicotine-containing products or use. Traditionally, the tobacco industry markets cigarette smoking, but it is increasingly marketing other products, such as electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco produ ...

on television in the Irish Republic ceases. *3 April – Ireland hosts the

Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...

for the first time. It is presented by

Bernadette Ní Ghallchóir Bernadette Ní Ghallchóir (; born 1947 or 1948) is an Irish television presenter and continuity announcer. She was a familiar face of RTÉ between the late sixties and early eighties. Career In the late 1960’s, Ní Ghallchóir (using the name ...

from Dublin's Gaiety Theatre, and won by

Monaco Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Lig ...

, with the song '' Un banc, un arbre, une rue (A bench, a tree, a street)'', sung by Séverine. Again the programme is aired in colour. *June –

Taoiseach The Taoiseach is the head of government, or prime minister, of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The office is appointed by the president of Ireland upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legisl ...

Jack Lynch John Mary Lynch (15 August 1917 – 20 October 1999) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979, Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1966 to 1979, Leader of the Opposition from 1973 to 1977, Minister ...

states that it is unsuitable for a publicly funded broadcaster to give airtime to representatives of illegal organizations. In response

argues that such a change would require the implementation of

Section 31 of the Broadcasting Act In Ireland, the state retains laws that allow for censorship, including specific laws covering films, advertisements, newspapers and magazines, as well as terrorism and pornography. In the early years of the state, censorship was widely enfor ...

. *June – The Broadcasting Review Commission is established. *11 June – ''Newsbeat'' airs for the last time. *28 September – An edition of the current affairs programme '' Seven Days'' features interviews with both branches of the IRA – the

Official IRA The Official Irish Republican Army or Official IRA (OIRA; ) was an Irish republican paramilitary group whose goal was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and create a "workers' republic" encompassing all of Ireland. It emerged ...

and

Provisional IRA The Irish Republican Army (IRA; ), also known as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and informally as the Provos, was an Irish republicanism, Irish republican paramilitary organisation that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland, fa ...

. *29 September – The comedy series ''Hall's Pictorial Weekly Incorporating the Provincial Vindicator'', presented by Frank Hall is aired for the first time. *1 October – Taoiseach Lynch issues the first directive based on Section 31 of the Broadcasting Act, From now on RTÉ is "to refrain from broadcasting any matter of the following class, i.e., any matter that could be calculated to promote the aims or activities of any organization which engages in, promotes, encourages or advocates the attaining of any particular objective by violent means". On the same day, Minister for Posts and Telegraphs Gerry Collins bans the broadcasting of material that could promote such organisations. The directive is renewed every years, and was not repealed until 1994. *Undated – The Eurovision News Exchange enables RTÉ to link with other European and U.S. broadcasting networks. *Undated – Establishment of RTÉ Relays to provide commercial service for wired television. *Undated – ''

The Late Late Show ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in E ...

'' interviews politicians for the first time. *Undated – U.S. children's educational series ''

Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) a ...

'' begins its very first Irish television premiere on

Debuts

*29 September – ''

Hall's Pictorial Weekly ''Hall's Pictorial Weekly'' was an Irish satirical television series broadcast on Raidió Teilifís Éireann from 1971 to 1980. Regarded as RTÉ's flagship comedy show, it featured satirical sketches on current news stories, politics and pop ...

'' (1971–1980) *Undated – ''

'' (1969–present)

Ongoing television programmes

*'' RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock'' (1961–present) *'' RTÉ News: Six One'' (1962–present) *''

'' (1962–present) *''

The Riordans ''The Riordans'' was the second Irish television drama serial made by Raidio Telefís Éireann (then called ''Telefís Éireann''). It ran from 1965 to 1979 and was set in the fictional townland of Leestown in County Kilkenny. Its location fil ...

'' (1965–1979) *''

Quicksilver Quicksilver may refer to: * Quicksilver (metal), the chemical element mercury Arts and entertainment Music * Quicksilver, a bluegrass band fronted by Doyle Lawson * "Quicksilver" (song), a 1950 hit for Bing Crosby * ''Quicksilver'' (sound ...

'' (1965–1981) *'' Seven Days'' (1966–1976) *''

Wanderly Wagon ''Wanderly Wagon'' is an Irish children's television series which aired on RTÉ from Saturday 30 September 1967Hourihane, Anne Marie''Sunday Tribune'' 11 August 2002. until 1982. Plot ''Wanderly Wagon'' followed human and puppet characters as t ...

'' (1967–1982)

Ending this year

*11 June – ''

Newsbeat ''Newsbeat'' is the BBC's radio news programme broadcast on Radio 1, 1Xtra and Asian Network. ''Newsbeat'' is produced by BBC News but differs from the BBC's other news programmes in its remit to provide news tailored for a specifically you ...

'' (1964–1971)

Births

*31 January –

Patrick Kielty Patrick Kielty (born 31 January 1971) is a Northern Irish comedian and television personality. Background Kielty was born in County Down, Northern Ireland, and grew up in the village of Dundrum. He is one of three sons born to the businessm ...

, comedian and television personality *25 July – Pamela Flood, model and television presenter *24 October –

Dervla Kirwan Dervla Kirwan (born 24 October 1971) is an Irish television, stage, and film actress who specializes in drama roles. She gained attention for her roles in ''Ballykissangel'', '' Goodnight Sweetheart'', and the Doctor Who Christmas special epis ...

, actress

References

{{Years in TV by country, 1971