The 2026 Royal Television Society Ireland Awards have highlighted the continued strength of sports broadcasting in Ireland, with honours for both live coverage and documentary storytelling at this year’s ceremony in Dublin.
RTÉ’s coverage of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 was named winner of the Live Sport Coverage category, underlining the growing prominence and production quality of women’s sport on Irish television.
The award recognises excellence in capturing the drama and narrative of live sport, with RTÉ’s coverage praised for its presentation, analysis and storytelling across the tournament. The recognition reflects broader momentum behind women’s rugby and the increasing investment in how it is brought to audiences.
Also shortlisted in the category were TG4’s coverage of the British & Irish Lions v Argentina – 1888 Cup, RTÉ’s FIFA World Cup Qualifier between Hungary and the Republic of Ireland, TG4’s flagship GAA BEO: Sár-Dhomhnach / Super Sunday, and the URC Final 2025 between Leinster and the Vodacom Bulls, produced by IRIS Productions for TG4 — a strong reflection of the depth and diversity of live sport production across Irish broadcasters.
In the Sports Documentary category, “Camogie: Inside the Championship” produced by Kite Entertainment and True Films for RTÉ took top honours.
The programme offered an in-depth look at the players, preparation and pressures within elite camogie, reflecting the insatiable appetite in recent years for behind-the-scenes storytelling in sport. Its success points to the value of long-form content in building deeper engagement with athletes and competitions.
The shortlist also featured a broad mix of storytelling approaches, including “George Best i gCorcaigh” from Dearg Films for TG4, “Hell For Leather: The Story of Gaelic Football” from Crossing the Line Productions for RTÉ, “One Valentine’s Day in Edinburgh” from Carbonated Comet Productions for RTÉ, and “This is Open Country” from Rocky Valley Productions for Sky Ireland, highlighting the range of sporting narratives being explored across Irish television.
Beyond sport, the awards showcased the breadth of Ireland’s television sector, with winners across scripted, factual, entertainment and current affairs programming. RTÉ was named News Broadcaster of the Year, while “The Traitors Ireland” and “NORAID: Irish America & The IRA” were among the standout winners on the night.
Special recognition awards went to emerging presenter Eric Roberts (Breakthrough Talent) and broadcaster and writer Manchán Magan (Outstanding Contribution).
Held at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre in front of 400 industry guests, the annual ceremony continues to underline the role of high-quality content and production in engaging audiences across sport and beyond.
Image Credit: RTÉ Sport
RTÉ Sport, TG4, Nemeton TV, Sky Ireland and Iris Productions mentioned in this story are full members of the Sport for Business community.
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