The big home produced television drama of the decade was 'Strumpet City' while on radio an unedited and uninterrupted reading of James Joyce's 'Ulysses' was broadcast over 30 hours in 1982.
In television there were a number of developments in production. HDTV is demonstrated for the first time in Europe at an EBU conference held in Killarney in 1982. Also during this decade video would replace film, RTÉ changed how it delivered weather forecasts and the Aertel service was launched.
An unstable political situation meant that RTÉ had to cover three general elections in less than two years. 'Morning Ireland' on radio and 'Today Tonight' led the coverage of current affairs.
One rural drama series 'Glenroe' began in 1983 while another 'The Riordans' came to an end on radio in 1985.
Zig and Zag arrived on 'Dempsey's Den' from planet Zog.
Actors David Kelly (left) as Rashers Tierney and Brendan Cauldwell as Hennessy, in a scene from the RTÉ Television drama series 'Strumpet City', during filming in June 1979.
Production Year
1979
Contributor
David Kelly (Rashers Tierney)
Brendan Cauldwell (Hennessey)
Mary Lee (Photographer)
RTÉ 1980S
Reading of 'Ulysses' 16 June 1982
An unedited and uninterrupted reading of James Joyce's 'Ulysses' began on RTÉ Radio on 16 June 1982 and ended the following day. One year later, Micheál Ó hAodha recalls reaction to the broadcast.
Production Year
1983
Contributor
John Bowman (Presenter)
RTÉ 1980S
First European Demonstration of HDTV
The first demonstration of high definition television (HDTV) in Europe is held at the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union in Killarney, Ireland.
Production Year
1982
RTÉ 1980S
Glenroe First Episode
An extract from the first episode of the rural drama 'Glenroe'. Dinny and Miley Byrne (Joe Lynch) and (Mick Lally) have sold their mountainy family farm and may now move to better land in north Wicklow.
Production Year
1983
Contributor
Dinny Byrne (Joe Lynch)
Miley Byrne (Michael Lally)
Wesley Burrowes (Writer)
Avril MacRory (Director)
Brian MacLochlainn (Director)
RTÉ 1980S
Politics and Television the Challenges
A look at the development of the sometimes complex realtionship between television and politics.
Production Year
1983
Contributor
Peter Feeney (Producer, Writer, Presenter)
RTÉ 1980S
Morning Ireland Begins 5 November 1984
The news programme 'Morning Ireland' began on 5 November 1984. Listen here to an extract from a programme from February 1985 when David Hanly interviewed Des O'Malley following his expulsion from Fianna Fáil.
Production Year
1984
Contributor
David Hanly (Presenter)
RTÉ 1980S
Video Replaces Film
RTÉ News moves from using film cameras to cover stories for television to using video. Electronic news gathering (ENG) means video is replacing film.
Production Year
1985
Contributor
Tommie Gorman (Reporter)
Jim Fahy (Reporter)
RTÉ 1980S
Zig and Zag
Zig and Zag arrived from planet Zog in 1987 and began to appear on the children's afternoon programme 'Dempsey's Den'.
Production Year
1989
Contributor
Ian Dempsey (Presenter)
RTÉ 1980S
RTÉ Launches Teletext
RTÉ launches a teletext service Aertel.
Production Year
1987
Contributor
Gerry Reynolds (Reporter)
RTÉ 1980S
First Episode of Fair City
The title sequence and opening scenes from the very first epsiode of 'Fair City' RTÉ's weekly drama series.
Production Year
1989
Contributor
Bernie Kelly (Ger Ryan)
Mags Kelly (Eileen Murphy)
Charlie Kelly (Tom Jordan)
Barry O'Hanlon (David Nolan)
Mrs O'Hanlon (Doreen Keogh)
RTÉ 1980S
New RTÉ Symbol Does Not Please All
A viewer's letter to 'Mailbag' in 1987 is critical of a change to the new RTÉ symbol and prompts a discussion on the history and design of the logo.
Production Year
1987
Contributor
Arthur Murphy (Presenter)
Pat Nolan (Presenter)
RTÉ 1980S
New Style Weather Reports
Weather bulletins to be longer more frequent and presented using modern electronic graphics.
