TV watch of the week: 'Who's Building Ireland?'
TV WEEK (Wednesday 17th to Tuesday 23rd)
TOP SPECIALS
Nationwide (RTÉ 1, Wednesday 17th, 7pm)
Nationwide makes its annual visit to the National Ploughing Championships as Anne Cassin and Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh soak up the atmosphere in Screggan, County Offaly, where a quarter of a million visitors are expected at the three-day event. Witness brown bread baking competitions to line dancing, the latest in farm machinery, artisan food and the National Calf Finals – in an extraordinary array at one of Europe’s largest outdoor events.
Madelaine McCann: Searching For The Prime Suspect (ITV 1, Wednesday 17th, 9pm)
Madeleine McCann is the world’s most ‘famous’ missing child. Eighteen years after her disappearance from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, the investigation is still active. Christian Brueckner, the man long believed responsible, is set to be released from prison with no charges imminent. Criminologist Dr Graham Hill, a former senior Met detective who assisted local police, returns to Praia da Luz for the first time.
Culture Night Live (RTÉ 1, Friday 19th, 8pm)
A Culture Night special programme in English and Irish live from Spanish Arch in the heart of Galway City. The programme will feature a diverse range of live musical performances as well as highlights from some of the best Culture Night events across the country – a chance to witness the multi-cultural country we all now share in an evening where the new Ireland is on display.
The Records Show (RTÉ 1, Sunday 21st, 6.30pm)
Katie Hannon explores the shelves of Ireland’s National Archives, digging out previously undisturbed documents from all walks of life, before heading out to follow the trail of the stories behind them. This week she rides in Ireland’s rarest car, recalls when the small village of Curracloe became a war zone, why a Rathmines shopkeeper got embroiled in a Dublin Castle scandal and the curious case of rugby and the mugwumps.
Freddie Flintoff’s Field Of Dreams: Ultimate Test (BBC 2, Sunday 21st, 8.10pm)
Having created a cricket team like no other and taken them on a life-changing tour to India, sporting legend Freddie Flintoff has now set his sights on a much more ambitious plan, heading to Liverpool and attempting to persuade local kids to give cricket a try. He faces a tough crowd.
WATCH OF THE WEEK
Who’s Building Ireland (RTÉ 1, Wednesday 17th, 9.35pm)
Ireland needs 300,000 new homes by 2030, but who is building them? The real people constructing the nation’s future include Chantreen O’Connor, the 25-year-old Estonian-Irish electrical apprentice inspiring other young women to pick up tools. Adrian Groza is a Romanian builder-priest who spends weekdays running his ICF construction company and weekends preaching sermons. Ane 21-year old Kate Fahey, who operates cranes 130 feet above Dublin, is one of the world’s youngest female tower crane operators.
BEST FILMS
Patton (Film4, Wednesday 17th, 11am)
George C Scott famously turned down the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of controversial World War II hero General George S Patton – tracking his heroic military campaign in North Africa, and ending with his removal from command after his outspoken criticism of US post-war strategy.
Tar (BBC 4, Thursday 18th, 12.05am)
Cate Blanchett plays Lydia Tár, the groundbreaking conductor of a major German orchestra at the height of her career, preparing both a book launch and an anticipated live performance of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony. As events in her personal life collide with professional demands, her career begins to unravel in an unexpected and unique manner.
The Graduate RTÉ 1, Friday 19th, 11.15pm)
Benjamin Braddock has just finished college and is trying to avoid the one question everyone keeps asking: what does he want to do with his life? Life gets complicated when a bored housewife seduces him into an affair – only for him to fall in love with her daughter. Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft are superb, backed up with Simon and Garfunkel’s famous song.
CLASSIC MOVIE
Sunset Boulevard (Sky Cinema Drama, Wednesday 17th, 10.10pm)
Gloria Swanson plays an ageing silent film queen who refuses to accept that her stardom has ended, and hires a young screenwriter, William Holden, to help set up her movie comeback. Often credited as the greatest film about Hollywood, director Billy Wilder’s masterpiece may be 75 years old, but it still packs a powerful punch about ambition and despair.
KIDS STUFF
Haunted Hotel (Netflix)
A single mother of two struggles to run a haunted hotel with the help of her estranged brother, who is now one of the ghosts haunting the hotel and thinks the other ghosts have some pretty good ideas.
Same Day With Someone (Netflix)
A whirlwind, heartwarming romantic comedy that follows Mesa, a young museum curator whose seemingly perfect life falls apart on August 8, 2025. From enduring a professional meltdown to getting refused by her fiancé, the day couldn’t get any worse… until it starts repeating itself.
ON DEMAND
The Wrong Paris (Netflix)
A woman joins a dating show thinking it’s in Paris, France, for an art opportunity, only to discover she’s actually signed on for a jaunt to Paris, Texas. She tries her best to get eliminated – only to find herself falling for the bachelor cowboy, creating a romantic spanner in the works. If you’re a fan of romcoms and game shows, this feelgood outing ticks many of those boxes.
Only Murders In The Building (Disney+)
Your favourite crime-fighters are back in action for the fifth series, as Charles, Oliver and Mabel investigate the death of the Arconia building’s beloved doorman, Lester, under suspicious circumstances. Their investigation plunges them into the shadowy corners of New York, where the trio uncover a dangerous web of secrets connecting powerful billionaires, old-school mobsters and the mysterious residents of the Arconia.
Black Rabbit (Netflix)
Set against the backdrop of New York City’s high-pressure nightlife scene, Black Rabbit centres on two brothers pushed to the brink by their duty to family and their pursuit of success. Jake Friedken (Jude Law) is the charismatic owner of Black Rabbit, a Big Apple restaurant and VIP lounge. But when his brother, Vince (Jason Bateman), returns to the business unexpectedly, trouble soon follows and threatens to bring down everything they’ve built.
SPORTS CENTRE
World Athletics Championships 2025 (RTÉ 2, All week, various times)
Paul O’Flynn is joined by Derval O’Rourke, Rob Heffernan and Sonia O’Sullivan for live coverage from Tokyo. Commentary is by Greg Allen and David Matthews. A number of World and European and Olympic medallists will headline the Irish team – including Sarah Healy (Women’s 1500m), Kate O’Connor (Women’s Heptathlon), Mark English (Men’s 800m) and Sharlene Mawdsley (Women’s 400m and Mixed 4x400m relay.
Champions League Live (RTÉ 2, Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th, 7.30pm)
On Wednesday evening Darragh Maloney presents live coverage of Liverpool v Atlético from Anfield, and the following evening Joanne Cantwell presents live coverage of Newcastle United v Barcelona from St James’s Park.