Sport was very much to the fore at a star studded launh of RTÉ’s New Season of programming.

Joanne Cantwell and Des Cahill were rubbing shoulders with Ryan Tubridy, Doireann Garrihy and Wyvern Lingo as the broadcaster put on a show for it’s own people and the external media world including sponsors and advertisers.

RTÉ Sport will be the home of the Irish team for the Rugby World Cup with new signings Jamie Heaslip, Donncha O’Callaghan and Michael Lynagh adding to its Rugby World Cup panel.

It was also revealed that Grand Slam winning captain Fiona Coghlan will be part of the RTÉ commentary team, a first for a woman on the sport and following on from the breakthrough inclusion of women analysts on Men’s Football and Hurling in 2019.

The AIG GAA Club Championships has been added to the GAA content to be broadcast live and there will be a repeat of shared coverage of the Allianz Leagues between eir Sport and RTÉ.

It will also broadcast the World Rowing Championships and other key events in swimming, athletics and hockey as the build up continues to next Summer’s Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games.

“Public service media has never been more important,” said RTÉ Director General Dee Fobes speaking at the launch.

“Independent journalism, local stories, home-grown performers, writers and artists: these are what you will see in a diverse schedule which, across television, radio and online, demonstrates the breadth of what RTÉ delivers to Irish life, and underlines how important public service media is in reflecting who we were, who we are today, and where we’re going.”

New Season Sport

GAA

This autumn, live GAA coverage continues on RTÉ Sport and will help fans ease into the short evenings with the All Ireland Football and All-Ireland Camogie finals, followed in September by live coverage of the AIB All Ireland Club Championships – for the first time. The GAA All-Star Awards brings a glittering close to 2019 Championships, live from the Convention Centre in Dublin.

Rowing

There’s sure to be plenty of Irish interest in the World Rowing Championships, with two days of live action from Austria at the end of August, and all eyes will be on Sanita Puspure as she looks to add to her sensational gold medal from last year.

Rugby

As a curtain-raiser to the Rugby World Cup, Ireland face Wales at the Aviva Stadium in the Guinness Summer Series live and Ireland’s campaign in the 2020 Women’s Six Nations will also be live on RTÉ in the Spring. Both men’s and women’s Euro qualifiers feature heavily in live soccer this autumn. For the first time, RTÉ brings live coverage of the Republic of Ireland women’s campaign to qualify for their first ever major tournament, in 2021.

Soccer

In the UEFA European Championship 2021 qualifiers, the Republic of Ireland will face Montenegro at Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday 3 September and Ukraine on Tuesday 8 October.

The Republic of Ireland’s UEFA Men’s European Qualifiers for Euro 2020 against Switzerland (Thursday 5 September), Georgia (Saturday 12 October), Switzerland (Tuesday 15 October) and Denmark (Monday 18 November) are also live.

The UEFA Champions League group stages return in September, plus the climax of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division title race and both Men’s and Women’s FAI Cup Finals from the Aviva Stadium.

Hockey, Athletics and Swimming

RTÉ will host the Irish women’s hockey team’s Olympic qualifiers live from Dublin in November, provide live coverage of the European Cross-Country Championships and, for the first time, bring you live coverage of the European short-course swimming championships from Glasgow.

Horse Racing

Live Racing continues with Champions Weekend in September, the Fairyhouse Winter Festival in December and the Leopardstown Christmas Festival.

Awards and Documentaries

The RTÉ Sport Awards on the 14th of December will mark the achievements of Ireland’s sporting men and women with a live show on RTÉ One.

The Geansaí returns with a new three-part series focussing on Ireland’s sporting communities and their stories – ár gCluichí, ár bPaisean, ár Scéalta.

Away from the live action RTÉ will also be hosting a special live breakfast event next month looking at the Future of Sport