RT and Screen Ireland have announced the eight Storyland projects which are in development (see below). Since its inception over a decade ago, Storyland has acted as a launch pad and support for Irish writing, directing, producing, and acting talent throughout Ireland to develop and further their careers. This is part of RT 's ongoing strategy to increase its development in drama output, by investing in the Irish creative industry and showcasing the best of Ireland by filming right across the country. This strategy also supports the employment of hundreds of people across the industry, in order to bring more Irish drama series to television, and importantly to RT Player where scripted series dominate viewing.
Of the eight dramas developed, three single dramas of 25 minutes duration will be commissioned for production and will be broadcast on RT 2 and RT Player. The three winning projects will be announced next week and will roll straight into production.
The eight stories tell of a young woman meeting the man of her dreams, a futuristic motel where people go to end their lives, a dying woman intent on marrying her son off, a young father with artistic aspirations, a woman struggling to make a decision on her pregnancy, neighbours thinking about embarking on an affair, a mother and son's tangled relationship and cocaine smugglers hoping to leave their pasts behind.
Following on from RT 's recent homegrown drama hits including Kin, Smother and The Dry, which all have local storytelling at their core, the chosen eight dramas in Storyland feature stories that will resonate with Irish audiences and give a platform to an impressive standard of diverse and exceptional talent.
David Crean, Acting Head of Drama RT , said: This announcement follows on from the success of last year's Storyland on RT 2 and RT Player where Mustard, Balor Hall and Every Five Miles had an enormous impact. The point and purpose of Storyland is to foster new talent both in front of and behind the camera and we're very excited help develop eight new dramas, with eight new teams. Three of these dramas will be on our screens in the Autumn and I can't wait to share them with Irish audiences.
Andrew Byrne, Head of Television at F s ireann/Screen Ireland, said: We are delighted to continue Screen Ireland's partnership with RT on Storyland and our congratulations to the eight finalists selected this year. Storyland is an incredible opportunity to showcase original and diverse new voices, and we're looking forward to working closely with the RT team on the next stages of development - right through to seeing the final three projects on our screens later this year.
Find out more about the eight selected projects in the Editor's Notes below.
STORYLAND 2023 FINALISTS
Falling for the Life of Alex Whelan (Pure Divilment Pictures)
Writer Nell Hensey
Producer Claire Mooney
A young Chinese Irish woman meets the man of her dreams at a foreign language film club. She discovers the next day through social media that he has died. Piecing together who he was through his online life, she begins to wonder what could have been.
The Quiet Ocean (Tile Media)
Writer Barry Smyth
Producer Fiona Kinsella
The Receptionist of a futuristic motel where people go to end their lives falls in love with a newly arrived guest.
Paddy (Cluster Fox Films)
Writer Thomas Connors
Producer Tiernan Williams
Mrs Connors is dying, but before she does, she will get her son Paddy hitched. It may take a village to raise a child, but it requires a halting site to get an idiot married.
Far (EZ Films)
Writer Shannon Welby
Producer David Power
A young woman back home in rural Ireland struggles to decide whether to keep her pregnancy, while uncovering her trusty brother's dark devotion to a far-right group.
The Cousin (MDV)
Writer Stevie Russell
Producer Michael Donnelly
A young father is accepted into a prestigious art college and must tell his cousin he is leaving a life of crime behind.
The Arrangements (Copper Alley Productions)
Writer Jack Hickey
Producer Lara Hickey
Neurotic Neighbours Ben and Maggie, disillusioned with their respective marriages, embark on a tentative affair only to discover their care-free spouses might have beaten them to the punch
Human Tupperware (Pale Rebel Productions)
Writer Joanna McClurg
Producer Tamryn Reinecke
Living together in rural Northern Ireland, a queer, socially anxious young man and his stubborn, disabled mother thirst for independence and purpose. Their tender but tangled relationship is increasingly corrupted by the technology they rely upon to escape limitations of their modest lives.
Wrapped ( (Pipedream Productions & Alfonso Films)
Writer Tracy Martin
Producer Claire McCabe
Two Irish women travel through airport security with thousands of euro worth of cocaine strapped to their bodies, hoping to leave their past behind.
More from RTE
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...
13/04/2026
RT has today announced the appointment of Annemarie Britz to the position of Chief Financial Officer, RT following a public competition.
Annemarie Britz is c...
RT and Screen Ireland have announced the eight Storyland projects which are in development (see below). Since its inception over a decade ago, Storyland has acted as a launch pad and support for Irish writing, directing, producing, and acting talent throughout Ireland to develop and further their careers. This is part of RT 's ongoing strategy to increase its development in drama output, by investing in the Irish creative industry and showcasing the best of Ireland by filming right across the country. This strategy also supports the employment of hundreds of people across the industry, in order to bring more Irish drama series to television, and importantly to RT Player where scripted series dominate viewing.
