Best Irish documentary series

A five part Sky Original documentary series that will look into the unsolved case of Sophie Toscan du Plantier who was brutally murdered in West Cork in 1996. Using original evidence, never-before-seen footage and interviews with those closest to the case, including Sophie’s family and key suspect Ian Bailey, the series aims to unravel the unsolved case that has haunted West Cork for decades.

Actor Simon Delaney explores the great stories and characters associated with the most beautiful, notorious and historical castles built across Ireland.

A look back on one of the most gruesome and brutal cases in Ireland.

In a landmark 7-part series, Spotlight - Northern Ireland’s leading team of investigative journalists - reveal important new discoveries about the conflict known as the Troubles, in the 50th anniversary of the deployment of British troops to Northern Ireland.

Tells the fascinating history of an island people who have truly left their mark on the world. 6 million people live on the island of Ireland, but over 80 million people worldwide say they are Irish. What does that mean? How have we been shaped by our history? Our geography? Where did we come from? Where did we go? These questions are at the heart of this series.

Each episode looks back at the news and events of a particular year, using news archive footage, along with subtitles as the means of narration, to recount notable Irish and international events of the time.

The documentary - featuring a combination of rarely seen archival footage, new segments filmed on location worldwide, and interviews with leading international experts - also uncovers the untold story of the central role Irish Americans played in the lead-up to the rebellion. Although defeated militarily, the men and women of the Easter Rising would wring a moral victory from the jaws of defeat and inspire countless freedom struggles throughout the world - from Ireland to India.

Journey to four regions of Britain, discovering the historical significance of the island from breathtaking heights.

Lords and Ladles feature three of Ireland's top chefs - Derry Clarke, Catherine Fulvio and Paul Flynn - who are challenged to recreate elaborate menus from different centuries in some of Ireland's grandest Country Homes.

The series aims to explore Irish history using the historical facts and evidence while charting the origin and impact of the numerous myths that have been passed off as history in the past. Key to this approach is relating developments in Ireland to events and changes in Europe and the world at large as the centuries progress.

With unprecedented access to archive footage and extensive new background research this is the up-to-date story of Gerry Hutch by some of those who know his life best.

The 3-part documentary series The Irish Civil War tells the epic and often challenging story of the origins, conflict and legacy of the civil war that took place in Ireland in 1922 and 1923.Narrated by Brendan Gleeson, produced in partnership with University College Cork by RTÉ Cork as part of the Decade of Centenary commemorations and based on UCC’s “mammoth and magnificent” Atlas of the Irish Revolution, this documentary series features extensive archive film footage, photographs and materials, interviews with leading academics, archive interviews with contemporary participants and witnesses, firsthand witness accounts read by actors, detailed and dynamic graphic maps based on those featured in the Atlas of the Irish Revolution, and stunning cinematography of the very locations where events took place.

The tale of Rose Dugdale: from English debutante bowing to the Queen to fervent IRA supporter and art thief.

Exploring Colombia's wild coast, a natural fortress surrounded by shark-infested seas, blanketed in impenetrable jungle and teaming with deadly snakes.

A docudrama telling the story of the events that unfolded when a Scottish army led by Robert Bruce tried to drive the English out of Ireland 700 years ago.

Cupid’s arrow hits Irish shores this month when the brand new series of First Dates Ireland airs on RTÉ2. The restaurant doors will swing open bringing singletons from all over the country together in the hope of finding love.

The remarkable story of the Irish War of Independence (1919-1922) which resulted in the formation of the Irish Free State and became the model for other British colonies to gain their independence.

A two-part tale telling the astonishing story of the role played by Irish Americans during the conflict in Northern Ireland.

In this series forensic experts attempt to join the dots and identify some of the unidentified remains that lie in mortuaries, forensic labs and graveyards across Ireland.

The Guards: Inside the K is a five-part series that gives viewers unprecedented access to the daily struggles of cops as they deal with criminal activity in communities like Blanchardstown, Finglas, and Cabra in Dublin.

Medium Chris Fleming, paranormal researcher Ryan O'Neill and parapsychologist Evelyn Hollow join presenter Vogue Williams to investigate haunted locations in Ireland.

Eoin Warner sails a 140-year-old Galway Hooker out into the Atlantic to showcase the extraordinary wild magic of Ireland's western islands, from Basking Sharks off Inishtrahull, to White Tailed Eagle off the Cork coast.

Come along on a journey through the ages, tracing the genetic story of the Irish people, the story of the Irish hunter-gatherers and what became of them. Did prehistoric farmers irreversibly altered this landscape? Is modern Irish society descended from those who first lived here over 10,000 years ago?

Through new discoveries in science and archaeology, explorers take a look at the origins of the Vikings and how they influenced history.

The disappearance of teen mum Nicola Payne in 1991 led to one of the largest ever investigations for the West Midlands Police. The series tells this extraordinary but tragic story through first hand testimonies from Nicola's family, friends and the detectives who worked on the case over the years.

Colm Meaney presents a celebration of Roddy Doyle's trilogy about Dublin family the Rabbittes and the film adaptations of the books, The Commitments, The Snapper and The Van.

In the 1840s, a catastrophic famine brought about the decimation of Ireland’s poor and the exodus of millions from the island. This major, ground-breaking documentary, narrated by Liam Neeson, explores the famine’s international origins and development in Europe, Britain and Ireland and charts its long-term legacy as it plays out for much of the century that follows. Today the Irish famine is recognised as the worst humanitarian disaster of the 19th Century but what is less recognised is that the crisis impacted far beyond Ireland’s shores. The story of the Blight pathogen that killed the potato crop, starts in the Andes of South America and then reaches into the heart of northern Europe where the collapse of potato crops causes the deaths of 100,000 people adding further fuel to social tensions that lead to Europe’s year of revolutions in 1848.

Former crime boss John Gilligan discusses his infamous stint in the Irish underworld, including his trial for the murder of crime journalist Veronica Guerin.

Hector O hEochagain rises to the challenge of becoming a successful racehorse owner. This six part series follows the fortunes of confirmed gambler/presenter Hector Ó hEochagáin when he enters the exclusive world of horseracing as the rookie owner of a thoroughbred horse named "Traverse".

Simon Reeve sets out on an epic journey around the island of Ireland - a place steeped in history, culture and belief, but with a complex past. Part 1: South Simon begins his journey in the south of Ireland, paramotoring with an Irish explorer. On the west coast, he does spot of surfing before climbing Croagh Patrick in honour of Ireland's patron saint. This leg of his journey ends in Malin Head, Ireland's most northerly point.

In the rural Ireland of 1984, the murder of an unidentified infant begins a series of events that eventually shine a spotlight on prejudice, ignorance and police corruption.

When a vulnerable woman goes missing in the Dublin Mountains, police assume she has committed suicide. But a chance discovery by a group of fishermen kick starts a murder investigation that leads to the door of a very surprising suspect.

Ardal O'Hanlon goes on a fascinating journey around the islands of Ireland, unearthing the history, observing the wildlife and meeting the islanders trying to live sustainably within their extraordinary environment.

Two-part series telling the story of Kerry’s rich natural history, geology and of some of those behind that story. Part one explores Kerry's deep history, geology, and human story.

This documentary examines the history of Ireland’s country house gardens over the last 400 years - during which time garden design has reflected political and social changes taking place within the country.

The story of how David Gray, a broke Welsh singer, made an album in his spare room that became the biggest selling of all time in Ireland.

Filmed over two years in Emerald Park, this behind-the-scenes documentary follows the trials and tribulations of building Europe's longest intertwining rollercoasters.

Exploring the 12th-century Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland. The invasion also affected Europe, as Irish resources fueled conflict between England and France.

In a small pocket of Donegal woodland, Killian McLaughlin is attempting to turn back the hands of time and return all of Ireland's majestic native animals to their ancestral home, where they used to live in its ancient forests.

A two-part true-crime series looking at some of the most notorious cases of women who disappeared within a so-called Vanishing Triangle throughout the 1990’s.

Climate change is real. It’s happening now. Big policy, implemented properly and urgently, is needed to change our world … but some people are quietly doing amazing things to make our island a better place. Heated tells their stories. Heated is a new 6-part series on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player dealing with climate change.

Inside Ireland's first purpose built veterinary clinic that caters exclusively for cats.

Great Lighthouses of Ireland tells the story of Ireland’s lighthouses and their continuing importance to the country’s survival. For all their romance and mystery, lighthouses remain a vital part of Ireland’s maritime infrastructure.

Following six homeowners who have taken on the task of a lifetime: to reclaim and transform their derelict properties on the verge of ruin into comfortable modern homes, fit for the 21st century.

In Ireland's Rising, a new four part series for RTÉ One, four household names will return to their home/ancestral county to explore its connections with 1916. Anne Doyle, Ryan Tubridy, Jim McGuinness and Fiona Shaw will travel to Wexford, Galway, Donegal and Cork to learn about their county's circumstances in 1916 and to discover how each county is planning to commemorate the centenary.They will find out what was going on during that fateful week in April, how their own family lived at the time and will meet with people who are commemorating the nation's turning point in diverse and creative ways. Their assumptions will be challenged as they find out how the events of Easter week weren't just limited to Dublin and the GPO, hopefully prompting every county in the country to reflect on their own connections with 1916.

Inspired by the spirit of adventure of early explorers like St Brendan the Navigator, Irish underwater cameraman Ken O'Sullivan voyages out into the open North Atlantic in search of the great sea monsters described in the explorers' early texts which may well have been large whales. Over the course of the film, such encounters reveal how enlightenment and awareness dispel the myths and damage of the darkness of our historic perceptions.

In the Name of the Fada was a show that aired on RTÉ from 13 March to 17 April 2008, documenting Irish-American comedian Des Bishop and his pursuit of fluency in the Irish language. The show was a 6-part mini-series in which Bishop spends a year living in Tír an Fhia, which is one of many Gaeltacht regions in Ireland. Bishop aims to be able to perform a stand-up comedy act as Gaeilge by the end of the stay. The theme tune is Floating by Jape.

Two years ago Conor McGregor was an apprentice plumber grinding out a living on the building sites of Dublin city; now the path is set for him to get a shot at the UFC world title. With the eyes of the world on him, Conor has everything to lose in a profession that treads a fine line between failure and success.

Father Niall Molloy was found dead in the bedroom of his close friends, Richard and Teresa Flynn, at the end of a wedding weekend in 1985.This two-part documentary re-examines what happened that night, going behind the scenes to show who Fr. Niall, Richard and Teresa were, and uncovers new information that points towards a motive, and possibly the involvement of a third party in his death.

Come along on a journey through the ages, tracing the genetic story of the Irish people, the story of the Irish hunter-gatherers and what became of them. Did prehistoric farmers irreversibly altered this landscape? Is modern Irish society descended from those who first lived here over 10,000 years ago?

Ireland’s Deep Atlantic sees underwater cameraman Ken O’Sullivan embark on a series of voyages out into the open North Atlantic in search of large whales, sharks and cold water coral reefs 3,000 down on Ireland’s deep sea bed. The two-part series will document many of these creatures’ behaviour for the first time in any TV programme and investigate the health of our deep Atlantic waters.

For the first time, and exclusively for RTÉ, Maurice and Lorraine McCabe will tell their personal story in a two-part TV documentary. Through candid interviews and extraordinary archive, these films will tell the story of this intensely private family who were catapulted into the limelight after Sergeant McCabe became the country’s most prominent Garda whistleblower.RTÉ reporter Katie Hannon will detail the events that saw Sergeant McCabe become isolated and ostracised within the police force for simply doing what he saw as the right thing. These films also show how Maurice McCabe subsequently came to be the victim of a whispering campaign that led to the establishment of a Tribunal of Inquiry, chaired by Mr Justice Peter Charleton.The story of Maurice McCabe has rarely been out of the headlines. It has shaken the establishment and rippled through the highest echelons of Irish society from An Garda Siochana through the media and government. These documentaries will show these events through the eyes of the family at the very centre of it.The film features in-depth interviews with Maurice and Lorraine McCabe, as well as Maurice’s 91 year old father Michael and other family members.

Expert hoteliers, Francis and John Brennan from the 5 star Park Hotel Kenmare, give business makeovers to a selection of B & B's, guesthouses and small hotels throughout Ireland that need urgent help with a range of different problems. The Brennans bring years of experience of running a successful hotel and they hope to inspire others to up their game and bring in new business.The Brennans' advice covers all areas; they look at staffing, analyse catering arrangements and suggest new menus, they inspect every room and advise about redecoration (both inside and out) and they look for new ways to exploit the less obvious assets of each property.

Michael Kelly and Karen O'Donohoe offer step-by-step guidance in growing vegetables in raised beds and containers. Each episode focuses on a single vegetable, and moves from seed, through thinning, watering, and potential problems, to the kitchen. A guest cook demonstrates 1-3 recipes anyone can replicate at home.

The Complaints Bureau sees finance expert Eoin McGee set the caseload for three consumer journalists attempting to solve the problems of Irish consumers.

Take a trip to a zoo like no other as Jürgen and his oddball gang of gorillas reveal a secret world of talking animals. From beat boxing tortoises to humany penguins, vegetarian lions to miniature maniac monkeys – anything is possible at The ZooPaignton Zoo Wild Planet Trust, Devon,

Documentary series that reveals life inside Mountjoy Prison, Ireland's largest prison facility, where drugs are the common currency and violence is a fact of life.

This brand new series looks at some of Ireland's most brutal criminals, reconstructing the gruesome moments that shocked a nation.

Each episode in this stunning series focuses on one iconic animal race, on three of the world’s most breathtaking migrations. The latest satellite-tagging technology follows the precise journeys of individual animals as they travel hundreds of miles. Caribou take the world’s longest overland journey crossing the Arctic tundra to give birth on the rich coastal plains. Up to 1000 elephants from all over Africa gather in one place for just a few weeks to find food, water and a mate. Thousands of Zebra travel from Namibia across the Chobe river to Botswana in a sprint that has never been charted before. The Great Race reveals some remarkable new discoveries – from a previously unknown zebra migration to an emerging elephant society of ‘orphan herds’ learning life skills all on their own. For the first time, this series offers the complete picture of the successes, failures and near-misses of migration. It is a unique opportunity to be part of the journey.

Follow the staff of Dublin's Shelbourne Hotel as they uphold exacting 5-star standards of service during the hotel's busiest season.

Shannon is an icon in International aviation. One of Europe's first transatlantic airports, home to the longest runway in Ireland and the World's first Duty Free. But recent years have been tough with a huge decline in passenger numbers. Now Shannon's fighting back, with a new boss - Neil Pakey - a?nd new ideas. But it won't be easy, as the staff take on the challenge of reviving Shannon's fortunes, while dealing with the day to day demands of an international airport. With unprecedented access, this series, filmed over a year, will give viewers a unique insight into life inside the airport.

The programme explores the big picture of Irish history in the most simple & intimate manner: more than 200 years of Irish experience are seen through one person and their family tree.In each episode, a popular Irish personality traces their roots, and this journey through generations of ordinary lives reveals extraordinary stories.

Home to over 600 animals, Dublin Zoo has almost one million visitors a year flocking to its gates for the chance to see some of the world's most beautiful and fascinating creatures.For this passionate animal care team it takes hard work and dedication to look after some of the world's most endangered animals, but what the job lacks in glamour it certainly makes up for in excitement and drama. From the unenviable task of getting a snapping Nile crocodile to hold still for his check-up to the excitement of a baby rhino being born, no two days are ever the same.This is the first camera crew to have been allowed such unique and exclusive access in Dublin Zoo's 180 year history and this engrossing series from Moondance Productions for RTÉ will show the public a side of the Zoo that visitors have never experienced before, enabling them to share in all the highs and lows of life in Dublin Zoo.Over the course of the series a huge cast of captivating animals are featured, from the tiniest pygmy marmosets (and their even tinier babies) to the hulking frame of the white rhinoceros and everything in between, including flamingos, gorillas, turtles, wolves, giraffes, tapirs, penguins, crocodiles, tigers and snow leopards amongst many others.Viewers will also have an opportunity to see first-hand how the work of Dublin Zoo forms part of a wider global involvement to conserve and protect the animals of the world, as the cameras follow the work of the zookeepers outside Dublin Zoo, from conservation project on the rocky beaches of Louth to zoos in England and France.For adults and children alike, 'The Zoo' will provide a unique insight into the functioning of a world class zoo.

The real stories behind some of America’s most notorious and ruthless gangsters. The Real Goodfellas, who just happened to be of Irish descent. This is a riveting series of some real bad boys.