President and trad ‘supergroup’ to feature on Ryan Tubridy’s final Late Late Show

President Michael D Higgins and a trad “supergroup” featuring Andrea Corr, John Sheahan and Sharon Shannon will join the line-up for Ryan Tubridy’s final Late Late Show.

The host is stepping back from the Friday night programme after 14 years.

Tubridy is interviewing the President on Thursday in Áras an Uachtaráin in advance of Friday for their final Late Late interview together to share his thoughts about where the nation is at, as we move on from the Centenary commemorations.

There will also be music from a traditional music supergroup featuring Corrs’ singer Andrea Corr, The Dubliners’ John Sheahan, Clannad’s Moya Brennan, Steve Wickham from The Waterboys and Sharon Shannon. A number of children who featured in the Late Late Toy Show over the years will return to bid Ryan farewell.

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Tubridy said that Friday night is going to be a “night of endings for sure, but beginnings for definite”.

“While I will be saying a lot of goodbyes for my last Late Late Show, it will also be a night of gratitude. Gratitude to all the people I have worked with and continue to work with and their families. And enormous gratitude to the guests, the artists, the singers, and the ‘doers’ who have come through the door and graced us with their presence.

“And of course, my greatest gratitude to my family who have been so loving and patient and my greatest supporters. They are the ones to whom I dedicate my last show. They are my constant. I love them so much and I want them to know that.”

In a statement, Tubridy, who turns 50 on Sunday, also thanked the show’s “loyal” viewers.

“The viewers’ loyalty, decency, kindness and generosity has taken my breath away on a weekly basis. I sit looking at my desk this morning at about 300 or 400 cards and letters from people I don’t even know, that have come from all around Ireland and in some cases all around the world,” he said.

“I am humbled, I am grateful, and I am excited because this is the end of one phase of this extraordinarily exciting life I have had so far.”