RT has announced that a new six-part domestic noir thriller called Smother is to be filmed in Lahinch, Co Clare in early 2020. Written by Kate O'Riordan (Mr Selfridge, The Bay) and produced by Treasure Entertainment (Finding Joy, Handsome Devil) with BBC Studios, Smother is an investigative thriller about the secrets families keep from each other, set in a small town on the beautiful, wild and rugged coast of County Clare.
The series will be shot in Lahinch, County Clare for broadcast on RT One and inclusion in the BBC Studios catalogue for international sales. The production of the series has been enabled by a number of partners including Screen Ireland and WRAP (Western Region Audiovisual Producers Fund).
When Val Ahern's husband Denis is found dead at a foot of a cliff close to her home the morning after a family party, she begins to pick through the events of the previous night to examine Denis's relationships with his children, step-children and his siblings in order to find out who might have been responsible for his brutal death. The deeper matriarch Val delves into her family's secrets the more she realises how her late husband's controlling, manipulative behaviour had affected each member of the family in their own way. Will she uncover the truth of who killed Denis, and if she does, will her family survive the exposure of the lies and hurt that have lain buried for years?
Rob Walpole and Rebecca O'Flanagan from Treasure will produce the series with Executive Producers Tom Sherry and Michael Parke for BBC Studios and lead-writer Kate O'Riordan.
Dermot Horan, Director of Acquisitions and Co-Productions at RT said: RT is delighted to work with Treasure Entertainment and BBC Studios to bring more Irish drama to Irish audiences. Working with international partners enables RT to develop more projects with Irish producers, directors and writers. It also expands our drama slate and by being included in BBC's international drama catalogue, it gives Irish projects a major global distribution platform to bring their talents to the world .
Rob Walpole, Producer for Treasure said: We are delighted to be working with BBC Studios and Kate O'Riordan, a writer whose work we really admire, to bring this captivating family drama to RT viewers and audiences around the world. We also really very happy to have the much valued support of Screen Ireland and the WRAP fund as we embark on this new adventure.
Writer and Executive Producer Kate O Riordan said: I wanted to make a drama about contemporary Irish women set in the west of Ireland - a dark twisting thriller with a focus on challenges of modern motherhood . When does selfless mother love' become smothering? In the aftermath of a tragic death Val Ahern and her daughters will explore their difficult complex mother-daughter relationships while simultaneously dealing with the shocking realisation that one of them may have been driven to murder.
Tom Sherry, Head of BBC Studios Drama North and Scotland said: I'm delighted we're working with Kate and Treasure to bring this powerful and compelling TV drama series to the screen and to have won our first scripted commission for RT .
Michael Parke, Executive Producer for BBC Studios said: It's so exciting to be able to bring Kate O'Riordan's gripping and emotionally truthful scripts to life. Kate's take on the central but evolving role of the mother at the heart of Irish society rings so true but I am confident it will also resonate to audiences outside Ireland. Everyone has secrets they wouldn't want their mother to find out
Lesley McKimm, Production Manager Screen Ireland said: We are delighted to support the production of Kate O'Riordan's exciting new drama Smother, as part of Screen Ireland's new focus on episodic TV drama. It's great to see such enjoyably complex female characters being brought to the screen. We are also very happy to partner with Treasure Entertainment, BBC Studios and RT .
Sarah Dillon, Development Manager, WRAP Fund said, The WRAP Fund (WRAP) is delighted to support the production of such a high caliber television series as Smother and welcome it to Lahinch, Co. Clare. Not only will the series bring the beauty of the West of Ireland to audiences across the world, it gives a platform to local talent including writers Ursula Rani Sarma and Daniel Cullen working with Kate O'Riordan, to bring our stories to the screen. WRAP is focused on continuing to drive the success and growth of the screen industries in the West through strategic investment with the backing of our stakeholders - the Western Development Commission, Galway Film Centre, the local authorities of Clare, Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo and dar s na Gaeltachta.
The series is currently in pre-production with casting underway and due to be announced at a later date.
Most recent headlines
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
03/01/2026
A still from OBEX by Albert Birney, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance...
02/01/2026
Freezing Florida: NHL's EVP, Entertainment Bob Chesterman on Taking the Wint...
02/01/2026
NHL Winter Classic 2026: TNT Sports Prepares for First NHL Outdoor Game in Sunsh...
02/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
02/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
02/01/2026
Any Given Day: Cork University Hospital premieres Wednesday 7 January on RT One and RT Player at 9:35pm
RT will debut a powerful new six-part documentary se...
02/01/2026
Friday 2 January 2026
All episodes of Heated Rivalry will be landing on Sky and...
02/01/2026
Sequins, chat shows, live sporting action, ground-breaking docuseries and brand-new Irish drama to kick off 2026
New Year, New Content Coming Soon across RT
...
01/01/2026
Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation Announces 2026 Noel Schajris Scholarship The scholarship will cover tuition and housing for one Berklee College of Music stud...
01/01/2026
New year, new games, all with RTX 5080-powered cloud energy. GeForce NOW is kicking off 2026 by looking back at an unforgettable year of wins and wildly high fr...
31/12/2025
Back to All News
NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix Scores Again With the Lions-V...
30/12/2025
As the College Football Playoff Enters the Quarterfinals, ESPN Blows Out Its Meg...
30/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Original ArticlesTake a look back at all our coverage of big-time productions, game-changing technologies, and state-of-the-art new faci...
30/12/2025
MELBOURNE, Fla., Dec. 30, 2025 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) will release its fourth quarter 2025 financial results before the market opens on Thursday, J...
30/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
30/12/2025
Your live countdown to 2026 with Inhaler, David Gray, Lyra, Garron Noone, Sharon...
30/12/2025
It marked the first civilian operational authorization for a HAPS flight in Europe, led by Space42's subsidiary, Mira Aerospace
The flight demonstrated HAP...
29/12/2025
San Francisco 49ers Strike Gold With Halftime Laser SpectacularStunning display caps $200 million renovation of Levi's Stadium techBy Dan Daley, Audio Edito...
29/12/2025
The Cup's Around the Corner: An Inside Look at Broadcast Preparations for th...
29/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Longform VideoWatch the standout keynote conversations, deep dives, and panel discussions from the year for free on SVG PLAY!By Brandon ...
29/12/2025
From crisper Lossless audio and immersive music videos in beta to new Audiobooks+ plans, custom transitions between tracks, and in-app Messages, we keep levelin...
29/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
27/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
25/12/2025
Holiday lights are twinkling, hot cocoa's on the stove and gamers are settling in for a well-earned break.
Whether staying in or heading on a winter getawa...
24/12/2025
What is AI good for? Posted by MTI Film on December 24, 2025
What is AI good for?
What is AI good for?
It's been three years since ChatGPT first cap...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
RT has unveiled an exclusive first look at the new Dancing with the Stars promo...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
The Boyfriend' Season 2 Unveils Heartwarming Trailer, Key...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
Love, Fights, and Everything in Between: Badly in Love' Returns for Season 2
Entertainment
24 December 2025
GlobalJapan
Link copied t...
24/12/2025
Scripps Research study links sleep variability with sleep apnea and hypertension How consumers' digital activity trackers could enable personalized health s...
23/12/2025
How guilas Cibae as Dominican Winter League Games Are Locally Produced for Glob...
23/12/2025
BitFire's Jim Akimchuk on Supplying Scalability and Customization in the Clo...
23/12/2025
CAMB.AI Enables European Athletics to Offer Multi-Language SupportPlan is to eventually offer translation into all languages spoken in EuropeBy Ken Kerschbaumer...
23/12/2025
Analysis: As sports media values trend negative, scarcity and quality are king By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Monday, December 22, 2025 - 14:08
Print ...
23/12/2025
ESPN, Disney, and NBA Return to the Animated Altcast Fray With Second Edition of...
23/12/2025
End the Year on a High Note and Donate to the Sports Broadcasting Fund Today!By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:25 pm
P...
23/12/2025
The year is winding down, the weather outside is frightful, and it's the perfect time to escape into a story that warms the heart. For listeners looking for...
23/12/2025
A Zeus motor is hot fire tested at L3Harris' Camden, Arkansas, solid rocket ...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Lightware will exhibit several major product innovations at ISE 2026, including the new USB-C BOOSTER-V1, Google Meet. integration for various Taurus UCX models...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
RT has announced that a new six-part domestic noir thriller called Smother is to be filmed in Lahinch, Co Clare in early 2020. Written by Kate O'Riordan (Mr Selfridge, The Bay) and produced by Treasure Entertainment (Finding Joy, Handsome Devil) with BBC Studios, Smother is an investigative thriller about the secrets families keep from each other, set in a small town on the beautiful, wild and rugged coast of County Clare.
