
Claire Byrne returns to Irish television screens to present a fresh and original quiz format, that will see Claire put Ireland's most intelligent quizzers through their paces. The producers trawled the length and breadth of Ireland to find contestants with the depth of knowledge worthy of the ultimate accolade Ireland's Smartest.
The new ten part series starts Sunday, April 2nd at 7:30pm on RT one and RT Player.
Presenter Claire Byrne said, Ireland's Smartest has found the cleverest people in this country to compete in a quiz that tests their knowledge and their nerve to the limit. This is a completely new type of show for me, and I was left in awe of these contestants from all over Ireland who can produce correct answers to some really tricky questions under the glare of the lights, in the intensity of the studio, in front of an audience and with the clock ticking all the while. It's great fun, with lots of tension and you'll get to test yourself against the best too from the comfort of your own sofa to see who will be awarded the title of Ireland's Smartest!
This is a show that's not just about knowledge - it's about holding your nerve as well! It's a delicate balance between speed and strategy. Ireland's Smartest will bring lots of fun to Irish living rooms on Sunday nights this Spring.
In front of an enthusiastic studio audience, three contestants compete in each show and as they progress in the tournament structure from the Heats to the Semi-Finals to the Final only one of them can be crowned the series champion.
Ireland's Smartest starts with a general knowledge round followed by a category round, with a chance of a bonus point each time a contestant buzzes in early with an answer. Answering quickly or waiting to see the options makes for a game that balances speed against strategy.
The lowest-scoring contestant is eliminated before the final quickfire round, which sees the last two contestants face off in a head-to-head. This round uses a distinctive time-trial that sees the first contestant set a time that the other contestant must beat. Can their rival stop the clock before it hits zero and win the show?
Who will be awarded the title of Ireland's Smartest?
Tune in on RT One and RT Player on Sunday April 2nd at 7:30pm. The series runs for 10 weeks.
More from RTE
17/06/2026
The RT Concert Orchestra will bring the timeless music of The Beach Boys to aud...
12/06/2026
Meet The Grumpy Onion Ireland's newest online sensation, all he wants is to ...
12/06/2026
RT stays Up All Night with brand new daily 2026 FIFA World Cup Vodcast
Adding to the fun around 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament, RT has launched a brand new d...
11/06/2026
Summer solstice shows from C il House and Late Date from 9pm on Saturday 20 Jun...
09/06/2026
These special programmes will highlight RT 's connection with the Irish diaspora
This year, RT is marking 100 years of public broadcasting in Ireland with...
08/06/2026
Irish YouTube star DavidMC joins Aisling O'Reilly to tackle all things socce...
05/06/2026
RT Radio 1 Folk Awards to take place on Tuesday 10th November 2026, Vicar Street, Dublin
Moya Brennan, D nal Lunny, Mary Black and Christy Moore among previou...
04/06/2026
BackStory follows four Irish young people as they travel back to their parents' homelands
Modern Irish identity is enriched by cultures and influences from...
03/06/2026
RT confirms multi-channel and free to air coverage of the expanded tournament with enhanced digital features and the return of Total Football for young fans
S...
03/06/2026
RT has today announced Heineken 0.0 as the broadcast sponsor of their FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage.
The sponsorship, brokered by Dentsu, will see Heineken 0....
02/06/2026
June sees Ireland's cultural calendar in full bloom, as RT Supporting the Arts showcases a vibrant and wide-ranging programme spanning music, theatre, visu...
02/06/2026
After The Traitors Ireland launched in 2025, Irish audiences proved to have a taste for the global hit reality show. This Bank Holiday Monday fans can indulge e...
29/05/2026
At just 20 years old, Sean Melia from Summerhill Co. Meath has been revealed as the winner of Super Garden 2026. Sean is the youngest ever contestant and winner...
28/05/2026
RT presents Wild Conamara, a two-part natural history documentary that brings a...
25/05/2026
The RT Concert Orchestra will celebrate the centenary of Hollywood icon Marilyn...
22/05/2026
Catch the latest in Irish music live from venues such as Whelan's, R is n Du...
21/05/2026
Dublin DJ RKM333 wins 2FM competition and a coveted slot at this year's Forbidden Fruit Festival
2FM's search for the next big Irish DJ concluded this ...
20/05/2026
Mayo's Dee Freney and Margaret Leahy from Galway have reached the final of RT Today's TV Home Cook competition.
Both contestants will cook again live...
20/05/2026
RT IN FULL BLOOM AT BORD BIA BLOOM 2026 WITH LIVE BROADCASTS, MUSIC, CHAT AND M...
15/05/2026
Further to RT 's statement released yesterday and in the interest of full transparency, with the full permission of Derek Mooney, we are now publishing the ...
14/05/2026
RT is today publishing the earnings of its top 10 highest-earning presenters for 2025, ahead of the publication of RT 's Annual Report 2025 later this year...
14/05/2026
Back From The Brink airs Sunday 17 May and Sunday 24 May at 6.30pm on RT One an...
13/05/2026
A definitive portrait of one of Ireland's most influential musicians
New TV documentary airs Monday 18 May on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm
Watch the...
11/05/2026
Pirate Predator uncovers new information from victims and survivors of abuse on ...
10/05/2026
RT ALL-IRELAND DRAMA FESTIVAL WINNERS ANNOUNCED DURING GALA AWARDS STREAMED LIVE ON RTE.IE/CULTURE
Kilmeen Drama Group hailing from Rossmore, Co. Cork Scoops ...
07/05/2026
Well known Irish faces pushed to the edge in new series of
Uncharted with Ray G...
07/05/2026
RT will premiere A Traveller Family, a compelling new documentary exploring the...
06/05/2026
Friday 8 May on RT One and RT Player
Meet the NSPCA team caring for and protecting animals in need in this six-part series
Fly on the wall, six-part series...
01/05/2026
RT Sport awarded first pick free-to-air on Wednesday nights
Champions League and Super Cup finals
Highlights on Wednesday nights
RT today (Thursday 30 Apri...
30/04/2026
Rian na Fola airs on RT One and RT Player on Monday May 4
Rian na Fola is a o...
29/04/2026
Voting opens at 4pm today
RT 's Today show have announced the eight finalists for their TV Home Cook competition. Amateur cooks from Cork, Dublin, Galway ...
29/04/2026
The Dawn Chorus airs Sunday 3 May from midnight to 7am on RT Radio 1 and RT ly...
28/04/2026
RT News is pleased to announce the appointment of Sean Whelan as its new London Correspondent.
Sean has held the role of Washington Correspondent for the last...
28/04/2026
Joseph O'Connor, Eileen Walsh, Louise Duffy, Mick Lynch, Gormfhlaith N Thuairisg and Dermot Bannon take a personal look at life 100yrs ago in new TV docume...
27/04/2026
RT 2FM is calling on aspiring DJs across Ireland to take their shot at the spot...
27/04/2026
RT continues to champion Ireland's creative life this May, supporting a broad range of festivals, exhibitions and performances across music, theatre, liter...
23/04/2026
Six crafts. Six lives.
Six reasons to believe that making things by hand
still...
23/04/2026
The festival programme promises a feast of drama, a bumper packed fringe festiva...
23/04/2026
Dermot Bannon's Celebrity Super Spaces airs Sunday 26 April and 3 May on RT ...
22/04/2026
RT Documentary On One 7-part series breaks US market for first time
RT Programme Sales has announced its first deal with a US distribution partner for its 7-...
21/04/2026
Summer is nearly here and Super Garden is returning to our screens to spark some gardening inspiration. The new series kicks off on Thursday 23 April at 7pm on ...
16/04/2026
RTS Ireland Awards / Gradaim RTS 2026 Winners Announced
Awards hosted by RT | Presented by Louise Duffy & Aisling Bonner
Thursday, 16 April 2026 | Dublin Roy...
16/04/2026
The search for Ireland's newest country music star takes place live on Frida...
15/04/2026
Two Cities Television and Keeper Pictures to produce six-part series in association with Screen Ireland for RT and ITV Studios
RT has commissioned Two Citie...
15/04/2026
RT 100
RT unveils The Signal' a specially commissioned 60-second film
...
13/04/2026
The search for Ireland's newest country music star is live on Friday 17 Apri...
13/04/2026
RT Radio 1 has today launched a significant step in its ongoing strategic evolution. Following the launch of its brand-new schedule late last year, RT Radio 1...
13/04/2026
The Late Late Show Opening Act, the search for Ireland's newest country musi...