WATCH OF THE WEEK: The Traitors Ireland returns
TV WEEK Wednesday 26th to Tuesday 1st)
TOP SPECIALS
We Only Want the Earth: The Life and Ideas of James Connolly (RTÉ 1, Wednesday 26th, 9.35pm)
This documentary based on the writings of James Connolly, an iconic figure in Irish socialism and the trade union movement, explores his social vision for Ireland, which sheds new light on his role in the 1916 Easter Rising and his political achievements against the landscape of contemporary Ireland. The film features songs and poems from Christy Moore, Stephen Rea and Connolly’s great-great-granddaughter, Tamsin Iona Connolly Heron.
Fightland (Sky Atlantic, Thursday 27th, 9pm)
On the night that British-born boxer Duke Kilroy (Howard Charles) becomes world heavyweight champion, a vicious assault leaves his brother dead – and his devastated reaction in the aftermath costs him eight years in a US prison. On his release, Duke returns seeking vengeance against criminal kingpin Kingsley Marshall, and, working with a cartel desperate to control London’s drug market, begins a high-risk game of infiltrating Kingsley’s empire to destroy it from within.
An Irish Atlantic Rainforest (RTÉ 1, Sunday 30th, 6.30pm)
The second part of this documentary series following the story of Eoghan Daltun, a leading climate activist at the forefront to save native Irish oak forests in the face of climate change and political indifference on the edges of the west coast of Ireland. From his inner-city Dublin upbringing to his life as a stone conservationist, Eoghan is a striking and inspirational figure who now finds himself custodian to one of the best examples of temperate rainforest in Ireland, having rewilded an old farm on the edges of the Beara Peninsula in west Cork.
Tea with Judi Dench (Sky Arts, Monday 31st, 9pm)
Dame Judi Dench is joined by her friend Sir Ian McKellen for tea and a warm, candid conversation about their lives both on stage and off. From Shakespeare, stage fright and the insecurities of acting to the worldwide fame of the Lord of the Rings and James Bond movies, they reflect on success, failure and the importance of never taking either too seriously.
Cheap Irish Homes (RTÉ 1, Tuesday 1st, 7pm)
Back for a seventh series, Maggie and Tadhg are helping 27-year-old Marie Kinane search for a house in County Sligo. She has decided that now is the time to move out of her rented accommodation to buy a home. With a budget of €190,000, Marie is looking for a property with at least two bedrooms that is close to water and less than 40 minutes from her job in Sligo Town.
WATCH OF THE WEEK
The Traitors Ireland (RTÉ 1, Sunday 30th, 9.30pm)
The wait is almost over. The castle gates are about to re-open and a new group of strangers will enter the ultimate game of trust and deception where every conversation is a clue, every alliance is fragile and every smile could hide a Traitor. Siobhán McSweeney returns as host, as she welcomes players to Slane Castle’s perfect setting for deception and skulduggery of the highest order. The players will compete for the prize pot of up to €50,000. The Traitors Ireland Uncloaked will also return at 10.35pm, when host Kevin McGahern and guests dissect the events of each episode.
BEST FILMS
Rise of the Conqueror (Sky Cinema Premiere, from Friday)
After the Mongol Empire plunged Central Asia into chaos in the 14th century, the region needed a strong leader to restore peace. Enter Timur Barlas, a battle-scarred ruler who brought order to a fractured land. Filmed on the steppes of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, the film is an action-packed historical drama with a global cast and epic scale.
Tuesday (BBC 2, Friday 28th, 11.05pm)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus is a long way from her comedic role as Elaine in the Seinfeld sitcom as she delivers a profoundly moving performance as the mother of teenage daughter who confronts Death when it arrives in the form of an astonishing talking bird. From debut filmmaker Daina O Pusić, Tuesday is billed as ‘a heart-rending fairy tale about the echoes of loss and finding resilience in the unexpected’.
Panda Plan 2: The Magical Tribe (Sky Cinema Premiere, from Saturday)
When lovable Panda Hu Hu and international superstar Jackie Chan stumble on a hidden primitive tribe, Hu Hu is hailed as a ‘divine beast’ believed to be the key to saving the tribe from disaster. As quirky warriors and magical leaders close in, Jackie protects Hu Hu while uncovering the secrets of this mysterious land.
CLASSIC MOVIE
127 Hours (CH4, Friday 28th, 12.10am)
While exploring a remote canyon in Utah, mountaineer Aron Ralston becomes trapped when a boulder falls on his arm. Over the next five days, he is eventually led to an agonising choice – amputate his arm so that he can extricate himself and try to make his way back to civilisation or remain pinned to the canyon wall and likely die. Based on his true story book, ‘Between a Rock and a Hard Place’.
KIDS STUFF
Bellie and Whizz At Big School (RTÉ Kids, Thursday 27th, 10am)
Bellie and Whizz are back, and this time, they’re tackling the most exciting adventure yet: Big School! Join the puppet duo for a new series diving into the big feelings that come with starting primary school, from first-day jitters and making new friends, to minding your manners and having patience.
Paris and Pups (Sky Kids, Monday 31st, 6pm)
Inspired by Paris Hilton’s real-life pets, Paris and Pups follows 12-year-old Paris Star and her five adorable pups, the Sweetie Squad, as they embark on adventures from their luxurious penthouse home, spreading joy, kindness and friendship wherever they go.
ON DEMAND
Dark Matter (Apple TV)
Hailed as one of the best sci-fi novels and celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the series follows physicist Jason Dessen (Joel Edgerton), who is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the mind-bending landscape of lives he could have lived. Season two picks up with the Dessens once again on the run from dark enemies chasing them at every turn.
The Last Sunrise (Amazon Prime)
Based on the bestselling novel, the story follows Ry (Maia Reficco), a college student with a chronic illness, on a summer escape to Mallorca with her mother (Eva Longoria). As she unexpectedly falls in love with Julián (Fernando Lindez) and begins to embrace living in the moment, her worsening condition and long-hidden family secrets threaten to unravel everything before the summer ends.
Beauty In Black (Netflix)
Kimmie finally has a seat at the Bellarie table at the start of season three, but when a deadly family feud erupts, she’s forced into an uneasy alliance with Mallory. Together, they navigate a ruthless world of blackmail, revenge, and buried secrets as the family wage war against one of their own, threatening to bring the entire empire crashing down.
SPORTS CENTRE
KPMG Women’s Irish Open (RTÉ 2, Thursday 27th, 2pm)
The K Club hosts the 2026 KPMG Women’s Irish Open on their Palmer South Course, designed primarily as an inland links course, combining a variety of challenging landscapes with dune-style mounding and dramatic rock features throughout. It seems the perfect venue for Lottie Woad to defend her title in 2026.