''Later On 2'' (first broadcast September 1997) was part of the

Network 2 Network, networking and networked may refer to: Science and technology * Network theory, the study of graphs as a representation of relations between discrete objects * Network science, an academic field that studies complex networks Mathematics ...

RTÉ Two (RTÉ) (; Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the national broadcaster of Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on television, radio and online. The radio service began on 1 January 1926, while ...

N2 rebrand of 1997. It was broadcast after '' News 2'' on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night at 11:20pm.

Format

Tuesday night

''Later on 2'' was an arts review show, which was presented by various presenters on a Tuesday night, until its second series when John Kelly took up the job. John Kelly worked on the Radio Ireland show ''Electric Ballroom'' before moving to RTÉ to present their radio series ''Mystery Train''. In 2001, the show was renamed as '' The View'' and moved to

RTÉ One RTÉ One ( ga, RTÉ a hAon) is an Irish free-to-air flagship television channel owned and operated by Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). It is the most-popular and most-watched television channel in the country and was launched as ''Telefís ...

in the same time slot.

Wednesday night

''Later with Clare McKeon'' was presented by Clare McKeon for three seasons. It was a women's

chat show A talk show (or chat show in British English) is a television programming or radio programming genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Sho ...

. Women (and men) would sit around a dinner table talking about issues affecting them, in their work and home lives. Many of the women were well known female figures in Ireland, who spoke about their careers and personal lives. Including Annie Murphy mother of Bishop

Eamonn Casey Eamonn Casey (24 April 1927 – 13 March 2017) was an Irish Catholic prelate who served as bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh in Ireland from 1976 to 1992. His resignation in 1992, after it was revealed he had had an affair with an American woman, ...

's son, Peter and

Phyllis Hamilton Phyllis Jean Hamilton (born 1952) is a Senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Education and career Born in Jacksonville, Illinois, Hamilton received a Bachelor of Arts ...

mother of Fr Michael Cleary's son, Ross.

Thursday night

''Later with Finlay and Dunlop'' was a current affairs show presented by

Fergus Finlay Fergus Finlay (born 1 June 1950) is the former Chief Executive of the charity Barnardos in Ireland, leaving the post in 2018. He was a senior member of the Irish Labour Party and is also a weekly columnist with the '' Irish Examiner'' and the autho ...

and Frank Dunlop. This was a major coup for RTÉ, two well known political adversaries presenting a current affairs chat show. Finlay had previously been the chef de cabinet of Ireland's Labour Party, while Dunlop was the former Press Secretary of

Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil (, ; meaning 'Soldiers of Destiny' or 'Warriors of Fál'), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party ( ga, audio=ga-Fianna Fáil.ogg, Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach), is a conservative and Christia ...

(a more conservative political party). In 2000, after Frank Dunlop revealed that he had made payments to politicians at The Mahon Tribunal,Dunlop exits after seven years and a heart attack - National News, Frontpage - Independent.ie
/ref> both presenters were dropped in favour of

Olivia O'Leary Olivia O'Leary (born 1949) is an Irish journalist, writer and current affairs presenter. Education Educated at St Leo's College, Carlow and at University College Dublin (UCD), she worked with the ''Nationalist'' and ''Leinster Times'' in Carl ...

. The show was renamed '' Later with O'Leary'' and, in 2000, moved to

where it remained for 2 more seasons.

''Later on 2'' moves to RTÉ One

In 2000 RTÉ moved the arts and politics shows to RTÉ One. ''Later on 2'' with John Kelly remained on RTÉ One as ''The View'' on Tuesday nights, while in 2001 ''Later with O'Leary'' was axed from its Thursday night slot. ''Later with Clare McKeon'' was not moved to RTÉ One but was axed in 2000 with the move of ''The View'' and ''Later with O'Leary'' to RTÉ One.

References

{{RTÉ Entertainment 1997 Irish television series debuts 2000 Irish television series endings Irish television news shows Irish television talk shows RTÉ News and Current Affairs RTÉ original programming