Pioc do Ride is a car-based dating show format broadcast on

Irish language Irish (Standard Irish: ), also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic ( ), is a Celtic language of the Indo-European language family. It is a member of the Goidelic languages of the Insular Celtic sub branch of the family and is indigenous ...

broadcaster

TG4 TG4 (; , ) is an Irish free-to-air public service television channel. It launched on 31 October 1996 and is available online and through its on-demand service TG4 Player in Ireland and beyond. TG4 was initially known as (TnaG), before bein ...

. A contestant must choose from three dates solely based on their car and its contents. The show became famous for the cruel twist at the end, where the chosen contestant can either choose to go on a date or take a voucher for a car service worth €250. The moment the contestant chose the voucher over the date in Episode 1, the video clip went viral across Ireland and also featured in news reports across the UK and as far afield as in the USA and China. The series consists of 13 episodes broadcast on Thursday nights starting in September 2015. Pioc do Ride was commissioned by Proinsias Ní Ghrainne and Laura Ní Cheallaigh and is aimed at the 15-24 age group. It is produced by Dave Clarke and Ciarán Deeney of El Zorrero Films and directed by Dermot O’Hanlon. Contestants were sourced for the show in part through the dating app

Tinder Tinder is easily Combustibility and flammability, combustible material used to Firemaking, start a fire. Tinder is a finely divided, open material which will begin to glow under a shower of sparks. Air is gently wafted over the glowing tinder unt ...

Presenter

The show is presented by Áine Goggins from Dublin. Presenting the show has enabled her to fund her studies for a medical degree at

Queen's University Belfast The Queen's University of Belfast, commonly known as Queen's University Belfast (; abbreviated Queen's or QUB), is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. The university received its charter in 1845 as part of ...

. Goggins is from Dublin and previously presented ‘Ó Tholg go Tolg’ also on TG4.

Critical response

Speaking on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta Bláthnaid Ni Chofaigh has criticised the show calling it "tacky".

Ray Foley Raymond Foley is an Irish television host and radio presenter. Having worked at Dublin's 98FM and SPIN 1038 early in his career, Foley moved to Today FM in 2004. In 2006, he moved to midday and presented ''The Ray Foley Show'', with sidekick ...

, a radio presenter on 98fm called Pioc Do Ride the 'best programme on Irish TV ever’.

The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It was launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is Ireland's leading n ...

described the show as "perfectly daft". Writing in the

Irish Independent The ''Irish Independent'' is an Irish daily newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray backgrou ...

Ian O'Doherty called Pioc Do Ride "genuinely bonkers and charming".

References

{{TG4 Shows Irish-language television shows TG4 original programming Irish television shows