RTÉ: What We Made in 2021
RTÉ Sport
2021 delivered for RTÉ Sport and the sports-mad audience, albeit 12 months later than planned. We were again lucky enough to witness moments whereby we collectively lived in the individual moment and yet lodged those moments in our memory banks for decades to come. 2021 was without doubt the year when we were ‘in awe of na mná’, with Irish female sporting stars dominating the sporting landscape.
Rachael Blackmore, Kellie Harrington, Ellen Keane, Nicole Turner, Leona Maguire, Katie Taylor, Katie McCabe, Bebhinn Parsons, Eve McCrystal, Katie George Dunleavy, the list just seemed endless as each and every one pushed boundaries and excelled on the national and international stage.
The biggest sporting spectacles of all, the Olympics and Paralympics finally took place in Tokyo against the prevailing backdrop of Covid-19. The smallest RTÉ Sport team of recent times travelled to cover the largest ever Irish team of games participants with rugby and hockey teams participating for the first time ever. All the key moments of jubilation, celebration and heartbreak were captured across television, radio and digital with medallists to the fore in boxing, rowing, swimming, athletics, and paracycling. Touching and tender moments of national pride were captured and broadcast across all platforms as family members denied travel to Japan were steeped in pride back home. From Portland Row to Skibbereen, the visual pride in the Irish jersey and singlet was clear for all to see.
The EURO 2020 tournament lacked Irish participation both in terms of a team and, sadly, as a host city, but the premier international tournament on the continent delivered the very best of excitement, drama and skill as Italy prevailed, denying England the chance to bring football home.
The GAA championship again showed that sporting genius is not limited to the international stage as Mayo brought the Dubs’ dominance to an end and Tyrone capitalised, while Limerick’s modern-day dominance continued in hurling.
Provincial rugby also returned to RTÉ television as the United Rugby Championship was available to our audience across both television, radio and online.
As a unifying force, sport brings us closer together, and RTÉ Sport took pride in being part of that link.
Crossing Boundaries
With so many confined to home across the year and unable to attend live sport, RTÉ Sport coverage crossed many boundaries in 2021. The linear coverage supplemented by streaming services, Watchloi (League of Ireland) and GAAGO, ensured that so many could feel connected, united and together in following their heroes, be they local, national or global.
