TV week: Colin Farrell tells the story of the Irish

TOP SPECIALS

From That Small Island: The story of the Irish (RTÉ 1, Sunday 15th, 6.30pm)

Who are the Irish? Where did they come from? Where do they go? Six million people live on the island of Ireland, but some 80 million people worldwide say they are Irish. What does that mean? Why, in a totally unprecedented manner, does the whole world turn green on St Patrick’s Day? Narrated by Colin Farrell, with contributions drawing from genetics and archaeology experts, this four-part series pieces together the jigsaw of Ireland’s earliest inhabitants.

Flight 149: Hostage Of War (Sky Documentaries, Wednesday 11th, 9pm)

One of the most extraordinary chapters of the Gulf War occurred on August 2, 1990, just after Iraq’s forces stormed Kuwait. A civilian flight unwittingly touched down in the middle of the war zone, and the passengers and crew found themselves trapped and held as hostages by Saddam Hussein – becoming pawns in an international crisis that reshaped the Middle East.

Uncharted with Ray Goggins (RTÉ 1,Wednesday 11th, 9.35pm)

In the final episode of the series, star Galway hurler Joe Canning and athletics star Thomas Barr meet Ray deep in the lush jungle of Colombia – cue warnings of deadly snakes and venomous spiders, before an exhilarating flight by paraglider across the valley towards the river below, where they tackle deadly class five river rapids.

The Twelve (TG4, Wednesday 11th, 11pm)

This second series moves away from the urban local of season one to the rural township of Tunkwell where landowner, Bernice Price, is found dead at the bottom of her farm well. Two ex-lovers stand accused of her murder and 12 ordinary citizens have been plucked from the township to decide whether Bernice the victim of a crime of passion, a workplace accident or just bad luck.

Tom Jones At The BBC (BBC 4, Friday 13th, 9pm)

An archive celebration of Tom Jones’s performances at the BBC from the start of his pop career in the mid-60s to Later… with Jools Holland in 2010. It highlights all points in between, including Top of the Pops and The Dusty Springfield Show. A chronological celebration of Tom through the past 50 years.

BEST FILMS

D-Day: The Sixth Of June (Film4, Wednesday 11th, 4.45pm)

A classic from 1956 has a US Colonel en route to the D-Day landings on the Normandy coast, but reminiscing about his romance with a woman he met while recovering from a war injury. Another Captain on the boat is also thinking about a woman he loves – the same woman. Will either survive the coming bloody battle to see her again? Richard Todd, Robert Taylor and Dana Wynter are the troubled trio.

Flightplan (Virgin Media 1, Friday 13th, 9pm)

Jodie Foster is flying home from Germany to New York to bury her husband – but three hours into the flight, she awakens to find her young daughter missing – and the entire flight crew claiming the child was never on board. Determined to find her child and keep her sanity, Jodie gets mad and dangerous. Sean Bean and Peter Sarsgaard go-star.

The Last Black Man In San Francisco (BBC 2, Friday 13th, 11pm)

Drama set around Jimmie and his best friend Mont, who try to reclaim the house built by the toil of a grandfather, launching them on a poignant odyssey that connects them to their past, even as it tests their friendship and sense of belonging in the place they call home.

CLASSIC MOVIE

Anora (Sky Movies Premiere, from Friday)

Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or winner is an audacious variation on a modern day Cinderella story. Ani, a young sex worker from Brooklyn, sees her life take an unexpected turn when she meets and impulsively marries Vanya, the impetuous son of a Russian billionaire – who sends his henchmen to annul the marriage, in a wild chase through the streets of New York.

KIDS STUFF

Apollo 11 (Sky Documentaries, Wednesday 11th, 10.50pm)

You’ve probably heard the parents talk about this huge event in their young lives – so now get to check it out for yourselves. Original film footage and audio recordings will transport you into the heart of NASA’s most famous mission as astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins make their historic trip to the moon.

Superbad (BBC 1, Friday 13th, 11.25pm)

Jonah Hill and Michael Cera play high school seniors Seth and Evan, who have high hopes for a graduation party, hoping to transform their social status from nerds by scoring booze and babes to become part of the in-crowd. Unfortunately everything doesn’t go quite according to plan.

ON DEMAND

Echo Valley (Apple TV)

Julianne Moore is a mother struggling to understand her daughter’s chaotic lifestyle – a situation made even worse when said kid turns up on her doorstep covered in somebody else’s blood. What follows is a helter-skelter drama mixing thrills, sacrifice and family bonds in order to survive.

Fubar (Netflix)

Arnie Schwarzenegger plays a CIA operative on the verge of retirement who discovers a family secret which forces him back into the field for one last job. After his last mission saving another his agent daughter, Arnie is back in this second series to face new villains – including old flame Carrie Anne Moss, who threatens to destroy the world and his life.

Stick (Apple TV)

Owen Wilson plays Pryce Cahill, an ace golfer destined for Masters glory until an on-course meltdown derailed his career. Struggling to stay afloat, he’s talked into mentoring Santi, a teenage phenomenon with huge potential who might just take both of them to golfing glory once again.

Cocaine Air: Smugglers At 30,000ft (Netflix)

On March 20, 2013, four French nationals are arrested on board a private jet in the Dominican Republic. On board – 700kg of cocaine stored in 26 suitcases. Who isn’t telling the whole truth? Who’s involved in the case? And what is hiding behind the mountain of drugs?

SPORTS CENTRE

Tennis: Queen’s 2025 (BBC 2, all week 1pm)

Live coverage from Queen’s, where a stellar line-up includes reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, along with former winners Petra Kvitova and Elena Rybakina, and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. UK hopes are headed by 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu and British number one Katie Boulter.

All-Ireland SFC Final Round Robin series (Various Channels, Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th)

It is the weekend where some teams go on, and some go home. Some of the mouth-watering games include: Mayo v Donegal, Kerry v Meath, Cork v Roscommon, Down v Monaghan, Louth v Clare, Armagh v Galway and Derry v Dublin. Sit back and enjoy.