RT Raidi na Gaeltachta will celebrate fifty years on air on 2 April, and to mark this very special occasion the RT Concert Orchestra will travel to Conamara to perform in a gala concert in the heart of the Gaeltacht, broadcast live on radio, with some of the country's top traditional musicians including Altan, Iarla Lion ird, Steve Cooney, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, C r Ch il Aodha and many more.
Courage, identity and pride of place are the primary themes for the commemorative concert, titled RT Raidi na Gaeltachta 50, reflecting the station's origins within the civil rights movement, its history as a regional and national radio service, and its vital role in sustaining and promoting the Irish language and culture over the last fifty years, with artists from all across the Gaeltachta taking part.
RT Raidi na Gaeltachta came on air for the first time on 2 April 1972 Easter Sunday. The result of a long campaign by the Gaeltacht Civil Rights Movement, who asserted the right of the Gaeltacht and greater Irish-language community to a daily radio service in their own language, the station has acted as a vital bridge between the Gaeltacht communities. Since then, RnaG has played a vital role as a platform for the Irish-language and all aspects of the culture, including traditional music, sean-n s singing, Gaelic games, literature, oral arts, and contemporary Irish-language songwriting, as well as providing a daily regional, national and international news service in Irish.
Dee Forbes, Director-General, RT , says: Born out of the language movement of the late sixties and early seventies, RT Raidi na Gaeltachta sought to give voice and preserve voice, to develop it and champion it. RnaG has done just that, and more, across five remarkable decades.
Today, RnaG continues to bring together our Gaeltachta , while providing an essential regional, national and international news service to all Irish-language speakers nationwide and around the globe. As a champion of our traditional arts, our sports, and our language, the contribution of RnaG to the protection, preservation and promotion of the Irish-language is immense. To all who have worked in RnaG, to all who dedicate their professional lives to RnaG today, to all who contribute, and to all who listen - happy anniversary.
Gear id Mac Donncha, Ceannaire, RT Raidi na Gaeltachta, says: At its heart, this concert will demonstrate the vibrancy, courage, pride, confidence, and rich heritage of the Gaeltacht and Irish-language community. It will be a celebration of that community, those who campaigned with the Gaeltacht Civil Rights Movement, those who founded the radio service in the early 1970s and past and current staff, our loyal listeners, everyone involved in Gaeltacht life and the Irish language community, and the young people growing up today who will keep the flame alive into the future.
This concert will be a very special event, broadcast live from the heart of the Gaeltacht, with local, national and international artists, young musicians, dancers and singers having the unique opportunity of playing on stage with the RT Concert Orchestra. It is a privilege for RT Raidi na Gaeltachta to have gathered such esteemed musicians together in the Gaeltacht to mark the station's 50th anniversary.
Artists performing on stage with the RT Concert Orchestra in the RT Raidi na Gaeltachta 50 concert will include Altan, C r Ch il Aodha, Iarla Lion ird & Steve Cooney, Johnny g Connolly, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, The High Seas, Cormac Beaglaoich, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, D nal O'Connor, Gerry O'Beirne and Se n Monaghan.
RT Raidi na Gaeltachta has had a central role in the revival of sean-n s singing, and the concert will include performances from Ciar n Gealbh in, M ire N Choilm, Miche l Confhaola, Caitl n N Chual in, P id Mh rthain Mac Gearailt, Doimnic Mac Giolla Bhr de, t in & M ire N Churraoin and Scottish singer Griogair Labhruidh who will represent the connection with the other Celtic nations.
There will also be performances from Connemara country singers Beartla Domhnaill, M irt n Beag Gr ofa and Anna Marie Nic Dhonncha. The next generation will be represented by youth musical groups Ceolt ir ga Chois Fharraige from Conamara, Co. Galway, and An Crann g from Gaoth Dobhair in Donegal, and there will be sean-n s dancing from R is n N Mhain n, the Hernon family and the Devanneys.
The concert will be presented by Neansa N Choisdealbha, Michelle Nic Grianna and Sl ine N Chathall in. David Brophy will conduct the orchestra, and musical arrangement will be by Cormac McCarthy.
The concert will be produced by Aniar TV, and has been funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. Highlights from the concert will be featured in a TV programme to be broadcast on RT One on 23 April.
RT Raidi na Gaeltachta 50 will be broadcast live on RT Raidi na Gaeltachta at 7 pm on Saturday 2 April, and a visual stream will also be available at rte.ie/gaeilge.
More from RTE
12/09/2025
The Late Late Show is back with a bang after the summer break, and Patrick Kielt...
12/09/2025
The World Athletics Championships, Ireland v France in the Women's Rugby World Cup quarter-final, the Irish Champions Festival, and two Sports Direct Men...
12/09/2025
The Records Show starts Sunday at 6.30pm on RT One and RT Player.
Katie Hanno...
11/09/2025
Tonight on Prime Time
RT One and RT Player at 9:35pm
Tonight RT Prime Time...
11/09/2025
RT Statement: 2026 Eurovision Song Contest
At the General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in July, a number of EBU members raised concerns ...
10/09/2025
RT brings three days of live radio, live entertainment, live news, live weather, personal appearances, and more
Join RT Radio 1: Morning Ireland, The Oliver ...
09/09/2025
The Autumn Schedule has begun on RT Raidi na Gaeltachta, with a feast of music, entertainment, news and current affairs programmes as well as an interesting s...
05/09/2025
This weekend sees another feast in store for all sport fans as RT airs a jam-packed schedule of live, free-to-air sport.
The Amgen Irish Open continues all we...
04/09/2025
CELEBRATE CULTURE NIGHT ON RT
A rich schedule of live music and performances across RT services
RT will again celebrate Culture Night on Friday 19th Sept...
04/09/2025
RT shares first look images of drama series The Walsh Sisters, based on the novels by Marian Keyes
Coming to RT One and RT Player from Sunday 28 September,...
03/09/2025
My Story: Georgie - Cow Queen airs on RT 2 this Wednesday, September 3 at 4pm.
...
02/09/2025
This September, RT is delighted to support Culture Night, Dublin Theatre Festival, Limerick Jazz Festival, Dublin Fringe Festival and 17 other amazing arts and...
02/09/2025
RT and Virgin Media Television have today (Tuesday 2 September 2025) announced ...
01/09/2025
24 players have entered Slane Castle ready to outwit, outplay and outlast in the ultimate game of trust and deception.
The Traitors Ireland has commenced.
Her...
01/09/2025
First time television presenter Cathal Dowd, aged 23, from Wexford is the newest addition to the news2day team. news2day is RT 's news service designed spec...
29/08/2025
Get ready for an inspiring and emotional insight into the world of competitive Irish dancing with My Story: Tomi Champion of the World airing on RT 2 this monda...
29/08/2025
RT has today announced that David McCullagh is to be the new presenter of RT Radio 1's flagship Today programme, which airs every weekday at 10am, replaci...
27/08/2025
Filmed over the course of 20 years in Ireland's wild Atlantic, Dolphins: Wonders of the Ocean begins this Sunday.
From underwater cameraman Ken O'Sulli...
25/08/2025
RT Commercial has today announced Centra as proud food sponsor of The Traitors Ireland, coming to RT One and RT Player on August 31.
The partnership will be...
22/08/2025
Join Jacqui Hurley as she leads RT 's television coverage of the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025, with reporting from the Irish camp by Clare MacNamara. Co...
21/08/2025
RT today announces its exciting upcoming slate of video content, taking viewers from Autumn 2025 to Spring 2026 across RT One, RT 2 and RT Player. From an un...
20/08/2025
A record high of 202,000 watched on RT Player from 102 countries including Unit...
19/08/2025
RT Commercial has today announced Vodafone Ireland as the official broadcast sp...
18/08/2025
Cinematic classics in Waterford (6 September), classical in Drogheda (12 Septemb...
12/08/2025
All aboard! RT presenters D ith S and Kathryn Thomas meet this year's 3...
11/08/2025
The game of betrayal has come to Ireland and the walls of Slane Castle have secrets to tell
Sunday, August 31
RT One and RT Player
The Traitors Ireland | ...
08/08/2025
The Hills Are Alive: A Year at Kylemore Abbey starts Sunday at 6.30pm on RT One and RT Player
The Hills Are Alive: A Year at Kylemore Abbey, a new RT obser...
08/08/2025
Kieran's last C il House will be live from Fleadh Cheoil na h ireann this Saturday August 9
After three decades at the helm of RT Radio 1's C il Hou...
07/08/2025
RT has today announced the appointment of Mark Simpson to the role of Managing Editor, RT Radio 1.
Reporting to the Head of RT Radio 1, Tara Campbell, Mark ...
06/08/2025
Hosted by comedian Kevin McGahern, the companion show will spill the cloak-and-dagger secrets from The Traitors Ireland
Trust no one except maybe the host
G...
01/08/2025
This August, RT is delighted to support National Heritage Week, Waterford Walls, Kilkenny Arts Festival and 23 other arts and cultural events across the countr...
31/07/2025
It is with profound sadness that RT announces the death of radio presenter and actor Se n Rocks. Se n died last night following a brief illness at the age of 6...
28/07/2025
Kerry's dominant All Ireland Football Final display draws a peak of over one...
28/07/2025
Kerry's dominant All Ireland Football Final display draws a peak of over one...
23/07/2025
This series highlights some of Shelbourne Football Club's finest players and...
22/07/2025
RT Register of External Activities Q1/2025
RT is today publishing a statistical summary from the Register of External Activities for the first quarter of 20...
22/07/2025
Tipperary's epic second half All Ireland Hurling Final comeback draws over o...
22/07/2025
RT News is pleased to announce the appointment of journalist, Petula Martyn, as Mid West Correspondent. Petula will be reporting and providing analysis across ...
22/07/2025
Catherine O'Toole, Head of Marketing at Very said: The Traitors is a show that has become a global phenomenon, a cultural moment that sparks conversation, ...
18/07/2025
Up for the Match brings the fun, the passion-and a bit of Riverdance- tomorrow n...
17/07/2025
The summer is here and RT Radio 1 has unveiled a lively seasonal lineup, packed...
15/07/2025
Peak audiences of over half a million tune into both Kerry v Tyrone and Donegal ...
14/07/2025
Enhancing Public Service Broadcasting with
Innovation, Accuracy & Sustainability
New regional detail and local towns featured...
07/07/2025
RT has announced that Mark Bignell has been appointed Commissioning Editor for Comedy following a public competition. This senior editorial position will drive...
04/07/2025
The Pitch comes to RT Radio 1 airwaves this Sunday at 7pm. The Pitch is a brand...
01/07/2025
The Traitors are coming: Get your first taste of the global hit as Season 1 of T...
01/07/2025
RT has announced that Teresa Smith has been appointed Commissioning Editor with responsibility for Factual Entertainment following a public competition. This s...
01/07/2025
This July, RT is delighted to support Galway International Arts Festival, Earagail Arts Festival in Donegal, Belfast TradFest and 23 other arts and cultural ev...
30/06/2025
All 8 episodes of Season 1 of 1923 will be available on RT Player from Tuesday ...
RT Raidi na Gaeltachta will celebrate fifty years on air on 2 April, and to mark this very special occasion the RT Concert Orchestra will travel to Conamara to perform in a gala concert in the heart of the Gaeltacht, broadcast live on radio, with some of the country's top traditional musicians including Altan, Iarla Lion ird, Steve Cooney, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, C r Ch il Aodha and many more. 
