Minister Michael D Higgins opens the studios for Teilifís na Gaeilge an Irish language television channel.
The new £2 million Teilifís na Gaeilge studios in County Galway were officially opened by the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht Michael D Higgins.
Teilifís na Gaeilge will operate from Baile na hAbhann (Ballinahown) in the Connemara Gaeltacht. The new service will have some of the most sophisticated broadcasting equipment in the world. The nightly news programme will bring new faces and fresh voices to viewers and be presented by Gillian Ní Cheallaigh and Gráinne Seoige.
Head of Nuacht TnaG Michael Lally says,
They will be different, they are not the faces that we have become used to on a nightly basis on our screens...they are also of a different generation and a different culture...they will be very much appealing to that 21 plus age group.
Minister Michael D Higgins believes the station is a significant milestone for the Irish language and for broadcasting, not only in Ireland but in a European context. He says the significance of the station has been noted in Europe and people will be looking at what has been achieved.
People will look back...they will say that it was a decision taken in the interest of citizenship and democracy, and the new technology, delivered for the peoples purpose rather than for something very defeatist.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 21 October 1996. The reporter is Jim Fahy.
Teilifís na Gaeilge began broadcasting on 31 October 1996.
Gillian Ní Cheallaigh and Gráinne Seoige
