Half a century of TV highlights

Tragic Late LateShow postal quizIn 1997, the Late Late'spostal quiz began with hilarity when one winner wasn't at home to answer a question, but it hit a tragic note when the next phonecall was answered by a woman, Rita Hanley, whose daughter had died the night before.

What followed was a heartbreaking conversation, despite the inappropriate context of the quiz that went on regardless.

Youtube searchLate Late bereaved

Fianna Fáil ard fheis

The Irish are not comfortable in front of a television camera. There is a need to either wave, gurn or stand stony-still as if hypnotised by the technology. But no-one can outdo a lowly candidate looking to be a walk-on extra on the news. When David Davin-Power broadcast live from the 2009 Fianna Fáil ard fheis, surrounded by candidates straight out of a Pat Shortt sketch, the result was a viral hit worldwide. Much to everyone’s shame.

Youtube searchDavid Davin-Power RTÉ Fianna Fail

Rubberbandits: Horse Outside

The Republic of Tellyis not a critical hit, but it has a knack of producing comedy offshoots. In 2010, it aired the video for Rubberbandits's profane but brilliant song Horse Outsideand it almost became an unlikely Christmas number one. Over eight million people have since watched it on YouTube.

Youtube searchRubberbandits Horse Outside

Ireland brightens up

It was 1968 before colour TV reached RTÉ, and even these were only experimental broadcasts. Colour was first brought in through imported sports broadcasts, and it was 1971 before the first home-produced colour broadcast, the Railway Cup final. The Eurovision– hosted in Dublin's Gaiety Theatre – followed. But it was 1976 before the Late Late Showwent technicolour.

YouTube search1971 Eurovision

RTÉ Player

The future of television isn’t on the television anymore – it’s online. In 2009 RTÉ launched its answer to the BBC’s pioneering online catch-up service. Along with TV3’s player, the viewers’ migration to the web continues, with “appointment to view” now an ancient idea.

Seerte.ie/player

Vincent Browne

Previously known as a journalist, editor and newspaper proprietor, Vincent Browne’s career took an unexpected turn in 2007 when he started hosting a new late-night discussion show on TV3. Essentially a television version of the RTÉ radio show he presented for a decade, Browne’s freewheeling show was soon a cult hit, as much for the host’s eccentricities as his analytic abilities: what could have been cheap filler soon looked like a masterstroke by TV3.

Youtube searchVincent Browne Joan Burton

Stephen Fry appears on Ros na Rún

In the list of things we didn’t see coming, an English national treasure appearing on the Irish language soap is high up there. Stephen Fry’s cameo came via his BBC series on languages, and proved to be perhaps the soap’s most popular moment.

Unsurprisingly, he did a decent job of playing a tourist who comes up against some local ‘cute hoorism’.

Youtube searchStephen Fry Ros na Run

Living beyond our means

Charles Haughey’s state of the nation address in January 1980 has become infamous over the years, almost entirely because of the irony of the Taoiseach telling the country that we were “living beyond our means”. It is now held up as an icon of the cronyism that later came to light.

Youtube searchCharles Haughey living beyond our means