Irish people living overseas will now be able to watch 500 hours’ worth of free and paid for Irish TV, thanks to the launch of the RTÉ Player International.
The Player will provide an online television service that can be accessed across the world. Shows such as the Late Late Show are national institutions in Ireland but haven’t been easy for emigrants to see until now.
Not only will it be a great way for the Irish diaspora to stay connected to Ireland but it will also be interesting viewing for anyone else who is keen to find out more about modern Irish culture.
The Player will feature Irish content TV shows of several genres, meaning that there is likely to be something for most people to tune into when they are feeling a little homesick. There are over 800 episodes of top Irish shows available at the user’s fingertips.
Several of the shows are available for free, while the entire catalogue is available for €8.99 per month.
Ryan Tubridy, brand ambassador for the RTÉ Player International, said: “I know from feedback from international viewers of ‘The Late Late Show’ that no matter where or how long you are living abroad, sometimes you just need that connection to home, whether that’s hearing the Irish accent, catching up with news and events or getting a dose of Irish humour.”
Kevin Bakhurst, Deputy Director General, RTÉ said: “RTÉ remains a very important connection point for Irish people living abroad.
“Both at home and abroad we are seen as a trusted source of quality news and entertainment content. Whether people want to follow the latest news stories, celebrate national events or enjoy a vast range of content that is uniquely Irish, the launch of RTÉ Player International, the first dedicated global iOS app for Irish television content, is a very exciting development in our history.
“It not only greatly strengthens our offering to international audiences, providing them with a new way to connect to home, but also serves as an important new international platform for Irish content creators.”
Meanwhile, Alex White T.D., Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources, said: “Irish audiences abroad will now be able to avail of literally hundreds of hours of Irish television content across the full range of genres, while providing a valuable showcase for the best of Irish audiovisual production to viewers across the globe.”
Take a look at the promotional video below