Rocking around the St Brigid's Cross

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Paul Russell of The Showband Show interviews a promising young act from Liverpool in November 1963

"The Beetles (sic) are a promising young act from Liverpool . . ." That was a promising young man by the name of Gay Byrne writing in the RTV Guide in 1962, just as RTÉ Television was gathering pace as Ireland's first TV service. Music was to play an important part on the fledgling station. "There was a time when music was regarded very much as the Cinderella of television," composer and TV producer Gerald Victory said at the time, but music did go to the ball quite a lot on RTÉ over the years. As well as Pickin' The Pops in the'60s, Aspects of Rock in the '70s, Non Stop Pop and MT:USA in the '80s, No Disco in the '90s and more recently, The Last Broadcast, music also reared its lovely head on the likes of The Late Late Show, TV Gaga, Borderline, Anything Goes and Visual Eyes.

Here's our pick of top music moments on RTÉ Television:

November 7 1963: Paul Russell meets The Beatles

Just as Beatlemania was about to go global, The Beatles played Dublin's Adelphi Cinema and Paul Russell, the presenter of Telefis Éireann's The Showband Show, was there to meet them. He talked to the Fabs about fame, the "Mersey Sound", the "Beatle cut" hair-styles and George Harrison's mother. Ever the professional, John Lennon helpfully tried to hang a camera case around Russell's neck during the interview.

"Sorry la', we already have a Paul in the band . . . "

7 January 1965: The Rolling Stones visit Dublin

Two years after their mates The Beatles had blown the roof off of The Adelphi (and parts of O'Connell Street in the process), The Rolling Stones sauntered into town to play the same venue. RTÉ reporter Mike Burns cornered Mick Jagger and he answered questions about the Irish weather, his hair and "beat groups". When Burns suggested that the Stones' long hair made them look like women, Jagger protested, "It's a dirty lie."

RTÉ reporter tackles Mick Jagger about the big issues in 1965

March 21 1970: Ireland wins the Eurovision Song Contest (for the first time)

In Amsterdam Ireland won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time with All Kinds of Everything sung by Dana, an eighteen-year-old from the Bogside in Derry. Writing in the RTÉ Guide that fine gentleman Eanna Brophy reported: "There we were, all 200 million of us, watching 26 stations strung across the globe from Russia to South America, giving the schoolgirl from Derry our full attention and admiration as she sang her way out of the classroom and into stardom. For Irish viewers there hasn't been an occasion to compare since Ronnie Delaney won the Olympic 1,500 metres in Melbourne in 1956, and at that time we had to depend on radio or foreign television stations."

June 1 1978: U2's first TV appearance

On March 2 1978, a band called The Hype had appeared on RTÉ's yoof show Youngline. By the time they returned the following June, they'd won a talent competition in Limerick and changed their name to U2. Looking about 12 years old, the band performed an early song called Street Mission and already signs of future greatness were emerging - Bono (singing in a Cockney accent) wandered off stage, The Edge let rip with a guitar solo, and Adam jumped around a lot. However, there was one big difference; Larry smiled. Watch video here

Bono starting a landslide in his ego on RTÉ's Youngline in 1978

May 17 1986: Self Aid

Inspired by Live Aid, RTÉ producers Tony Boland and Niall Matthews masterminded this day-long event in which Ireland's musicians performed to highlight our chronic unemployment problem. A lot of people harrumphed about the whole idea but the motivations were pure and for the most part so was the music. Standouts included an incendiary performance from Blue In Heaven, a band on the very edge of self-implosion, Bono lambasting "trashy Dublin magazines" for pouring scorn on the whole venture, a great set from The Pogues, and Van Morrison unveiling songs from No Guru, No Method, No Teacher. Let's go to work? Well, not quite but it was a good day out. Watch video here

April 30 1994: Riverdance unveiled as Ireland wins the Eurovision (again)

In 1994, Paul Harrington and Paul McGettigan won the Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland with Rock and Roll Kids. However, the real winner was the seven-minute interval act Riverdance. Written by Bill Whelan, the piece mixed traditional and modern music, choral singing and Irish dancing, and presented them in a totally new way. Over 300 million European viewers were agog and Riverdance went on to conquer the world.

March 31 1995: Pop Will Eat Itself thrashes The Late Late Show

Not exactly The Sex Pistols on the Today Show with Bill Grundy in 1976, but PWEI's appearance on The Late Late Show will be remembered fondly by aging indie kids everywhere. The band had arrived in RTÉ, sound checked dutifully and then, just as dutifully, disappeared back into town for some light refreshment. By the time they appeared live on the Late Late that night they were well oiled, lead singer Clint Mansell thrashed the set while an ashen-faced audience looked on. Fair play to Gay Byrne - he later said it was one of his personal highlights of that year's season. Watch the video here

February 24 2008: Dustin the Turkey chosen as Eurovision Entry

Ireland has won the Eurovision Song Contest a record-breaking seven times. In the '90s it seemed as though were destined to be burdened with it forever but then everything changed. Blame it on block voting, our selection process or a dearth of talent, but just as the Celtic Tiger keeled over and died, Dustin the Turkey won Ireland's national song contest by public vote. The selection of a puppet to represent Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest caused some debate - some thought it was a suitable send up of the event, others cried fowl! Either way, Dustin failed to get beyond the semi-final in Serbia.