RT celebrates Irish Sign Language Awareness Week 2026
Special programmes across RT television, radio and online, plus special initiatives
#ISL #IDSL #IWDP26
Miriam O'Callaghan | Today show | Arena | RT news2day | & more
RT is proud to once again to support Irish Sign Language Awareness Week 2026, which takes place from Monday 21st Sunday 27th September and coincides with International Week of Deaf People.
RT in close collaboration with The Irish Deaf Society, will celebrate our Irish Sign Language (ISL) community, with some additional Irish Sign Language content across our platforms throughout the week. RT provides a large catalogue of ISL content on our television channels and on RT Player throughout the year, highlighting our ongoing commitment to the Deaf/deaf, Hard of Hearing and ISL community in Ireland.
To mark the start of Irish Sign Language Awareness Week, Miriam O'Callaghan raised the Deaf Flag at RT .
The flag will fly proudly at the entrance to RT 's Donnybrook Campus throughout International Week of Deaf People 2026.
VIEW on Instagram here: Instagram
In addition, on Wednesday 23rd September, International Day of Sign Languages, the RT sign on RT 's Donnybrook campus will be illuminated in BLUE, a significant colour which symbolises Sign Languages and represents how Deaf communities cherish their own language.
**RT HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
MONDAY: Arena with Rick O'Shea on RT Radio 1
To mark Irish Sign Language Awareness Week, RT Radio 1's Arena, the home of arts and popular culture on RT Radio 1 will make its full show available with live ISL interpretation on Monday 21st September, from 7-8pm on the RT News channel, RT Player and on www.rte.ie/Arena.
Among the guests on the show will be Lianne Quigley and Amanda Cooney, who will discuss their new show Dignity, at the Project Arts Centre. Lianne is a Deaf artist, Chair of the Irish Deaf Society and Presenter of RT News with ISL and Amanda is the world-renowned performance artist, and a member of Aosd na and CODA.
ISL interpretation will be provided by Catherine White, with interpreter, Caroline O'Leary in studio.
Details about the show can be found at:
https://dublintheatrefestival.ie/event/dignity/ | https://projectartscentre.ie/events/dignity/
RT News
RT 's daily ISL News bulletin will reflect the daily themes of ISL Awareness Week.
On RT 2, news2day will be visiting The Holy Family School for the Deaf where they'll join children in their group activities. The show will also have a young guest in studio and ISL Awareness Week will be the theme of news2day's Question of the Week for schools right across the country: www.rte.ie/news2day
Today show on RT One and RT Player
On Friday 25th September, Today will feature children from St Columba's GNS With Deaf Facility in Cork, for a special performance of Roar' by Katie Perry through ISL.
RT ISL FAST Channel: In 2026, RT launched its first ISL FAST Channel. This dedicated Irish Sign Language channel went live on 9th February 2026. The channel provides audiences with a scheduled, always-on destination for a broad range of RT programming presented in Irish Sign Language. The channel is available on web, mobile and smart/connected televisions.
RT 's ISL FAST channel will move to position #1 on the Watch Live rail on the homepage for the week.
VISIT: RT 's ISL FAST Channel here: https://www.rte.ie/player/onnow/160142888185
RT 100: In Concert with ISL will broadcast on the RT ISL channel from Wednesday 23rd September. (RT ISL at 7.30pm on Wednesday 23rd, 9pm on Thursday 24th and 10pm on Friday 25th).
KIDS and CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMES
On RT Kids online (www.rte.ie/kids/), RT is highlighting a range of the engaging, informative and entertaining Irish Sign Language shows for young people, including the new series Bellie & Whizz at Big School, Dizzy Deliveries, Doodle Girl, Silly Sundays and Let's Find Out.
RT 2 and RT KIDSjr will broadcast additional children's programmes with ISL throughout the week's schedule including, Bellie and Whizz Minding Me , Body Brothers, Dizzy Deliveries and Doodle Girl.
***A full list of programmes available in ISL on RT channels is available in Editors Notes below.
On RT PLAYER
RT Player has curated a special Irish Sign Language rail for International Week of Deaf People 2025, to showcase available ISL content. The rail will feature the top performing shows with ISL on RT Player, like Room To Improve, SisterS, The Tommy Tiernan Show and On The Beat.
Link: International Week of Deaf People RT Player
WELCOMING DEAF TY STUDENTS TO RT
RT will be welcoming the Holy Family School for the Deaf TY students to RT on Wednesday 23rd September for a visit to the RT 's Studios, RT Weather, Make Up & Costume Departments and to meet the team behind RT 's Access Services.
The group will gain some behind-the-scenes knowledge of how the ISL Weather is produces with RT 's Nuala Carey and ISL Weather Presenter, Senan Dunne.
One of the students will have their article on their visit published on RT .ie/
Learn the ISL alphabet signed by the brilliant pupils at The Holy Family School for the Deaf Primary School in Dublin here.
AND THERE'S MORE
RT in collaboration with The Irish Deaf Society are pleased to provide Deaf Awareness Training for RT staff as part of our wider Deaf Awareness plans.
Learn more about our Deaf Awareness Training on RT and Irish Deaf Society social media accounts.
RT has posted ISL Alphabet Posters right across the RT Donnybrook campus and in our Cork, Radi Na Gaeltachta Casla, Baile na hAbhann, Galway, Doir Beaga, Athlone, Limerick and Waterford Studios.
Download the ISL Alphabet here.
ENDS
For information: Neil O'Gorman | Corporate Communications Manager, RT | E:
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