The game of lies, betrayal, and backstabbing is nearly at an end.
After weeks of secret plotting inside Slane Castle, The Traitors Ireland reaches its grand finale tonight. Only a handful of contestants remain in the running for the prize pot, and viewers are braced for one last roundtable full of suspicion and surprises.
And the good news for fans of the show is that RTÉ is planning a second series. "We are delighted with how Irish audiences have reacted to The Traitors Ireland Series 1," a spokesperson for the broadcaster said on Tuesday. "Discussions regarding the commissioning of Series 2 will begin in due course."
Before the final showdown begins on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player at 9:35pm, here is a look back at some of the moments that have defined the first Irish series.
The father and son twist.
From the beginning, the audience knew something the rest of the players did not. Andrew and Paudie were not strangers but father and son, battling it out in the same high-stakes game. When the truth became clear inside the castle, it gave their every vote and conversation an extra edge. Would family loyalty win out, or would the rules of the game force them apart?
Watch: It's a family affair on The Traitors Ireland.
Daddy who? Andrew slips up on The Traitors Ireland.
The secret father and duo led to one of this season's funniest moments when Andrew accidentally called Paudie 'Daddy' during a mission in the forest in episode two. Luckily for them, the slip-up wasn't overheard by their fellow contestants, although that might have led to some interesting conversations at the roundtable.
Watch: The moment Andrew nearly reveals who Paudie really is...
Paudie's banishment
Paudie quickly became a fan favourite. Straight-talking, funny, and clearly well-liked by many of his fellow players, he looked like someone who might go the distance. That made it all the more surprising when the roundtable turned against him and he was banished. Watching him walk out of the castle was a blow for the Faithfuls and for viewers, too. It was a reminder that the game can change in an instant.
Watch: The contestants had quite the reaction to Paudie's final speech!
The Traitors turn on each other.
By Episode 5, cracks were already showing within the Traitors. Eamon and Katelyn plotted against Paudie, but their plan backfired. What was meant to be quiet manipulation turned into an open row, leaving everyone in the castle questioning the Traitors’ unity. It was messy, gripping television, and showed that being a Traitor is far from straightforward.
Watch: Tempers flared at the Conclave following a very tense roundtable.
Eamon’s dramatic departure
The argument set the stage, and Eamon’s exit followed soon after. His downfall was one of the most tense roundtables of the season and sent shockwaves through the group. With Eamon gone, suspicions shifted, and the Faithfuls began to sense a rare chance to take control. It was a turning point that forced everyone left in the game to rethink their strategy.
Watch: Eamon's best bits on The Traitors Ireland.
"I’m not a hugger."
Not all of the season’s highlights were heavy with tension. Paudie gave viewers one of the funniest moments when he flatly refused to take part in a hugging mission. His simple line, "I’m not a f***ing hugger," broke through the seriousness and had audiences laughing. It showed that even in a game built on mistrust, humour can still cut through.
Nick's hug of death
After the Traitors were tasked with murdering a Faithful in plain sight instead of the conclave, and Paudie flat-out refused to do it, the job fell on to recruited Traitor Nick. Cork woman Christine unsuspectedly fell foul of her friendship with Nick when he pulled her in for a hug - thus sealing her fate on the show. "And do you know what the funny thing is, I'm not a hugger in a massive way, my kids will tell you that," she later laughed about the incident.
Watch: Nick hugs Christine to death on The Traitors Ireland
Oracle Oyin singles out the three Traitors
Within the first few episodes of The Traitors Ireland Oyin had singled out all three Traitors at the roundtable in a spectacularly insightful comment. She later returned to her "traitor on traitor on traitor" theory. If only the other contestants were tuned in to her perceptive ways!
Ben and Nick's misguided plan
In one of the most misguided plans of the series, Ben and Nick tried to eliminate Andrew by throwing him under the bus instead of voting out Traitor Katelyn. Their argument? That they could "control" Katelyn. This strategic blunder did not go down well with their fellow players, particularly when they threw their toys out of the pram after Katelyn was voted out.
Watch: Andrew tells Nick he will never trust him again
Joanna's emotional exit
The final week brought one of the most emotional departures of the series. Joanna, who had fought hard to defend her position, broke down in tears as she was voted out at the roundtable. She later said she was "proud that I played the game the way I did," but admitted it hurt to have her words twisted against her. Her exit was a reminder of just how intense and personal the game can become inside the castle walls.
Watch: "You are mean girls" - Joanna's parting words sting
The Slane Castle setting
Beyond the twists and betrayals, the setting of The Traitors Ireland has shaped its atmosphere. Slane Castle has been more than a backdrop. The candlelit corridors, roundtables in darkened rooms and ritual-style ceremonies have all added to the tension. The funeral-style task, which came after the midway point, was one of the most striking, and every mission made use of the dramatic surroundings and setting.
With just one episode left, the question remains: who will outwit, outlast, and walk away with the prize?
The finale promises more twists, more accusations and one last chance for the Faithfuls to expose a Traitor before it is too late.
The Traitors Ireland concludes on Tuesday at 9:35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player. The Traitors Ireland: Uncloaked starts directly after The Traitors Ireland on RTÉ2.
