Helping to change children's lives for good:
Donations open for the RT Toy Show Appeal 2024
For the last four years, the people of Ireland have donated in record numbers to the RT Toy Show Appeal, doing their part so that kids in every county across the island of Ireland can go on being kids.
In 2020, the nation was inspired to donate in unprecedented numbers by Saoirse Ruane from Kiltullagh Co Galway, who won the hearts of the nation with her appearance on The Late Late Toy Show. Saoirse inspired the official RT Toy Show Appeal that followed, which has raised over 21 million for children's charities to date.
Saoirse sadly passed away in March of this year, yet her enduring legacy continues with the RT Toy Show Appeal. Tonight, Saoirse's parents Roseanna and Ollie Ruane joined Late Late Show host Patrick Kielty to pay special tribute to Saoirse and, in recognition of her inspiring contribution, donations to the RT Toy Show Appeal have now opened one week ahead of the forthcoming Late Late Toy Show on December 6th.
The public can donate now by going to www.rte.ie/toyshowappeal, or with the appeal's official donation partner Revolut Pay.
In addition, in 2025 a grant award of up to 150,000 will be made in Saoirse's name to a chosen charity. The Saoirse Ruane Grant' will issue as part of the 2025 appeal allocations, and can be used over 2 years.
Kevin Bakhurst, Director-General, RT , says: The RT Toy Show Appeal is one of the most important things that we do as an organisation. We are so grateful for the support of our audience over the last four years, whose generosity has ensured that RT can continue to make a positive difference to the lives of thousands of children, and their families across the island, north and south. I'm particularly pleased to see the announcement of The Saoirse Ruane Grant in honour of Saoirse, and that donations to the RT Toy Show Appeal are opening a week earlier this year. Saoirse will be remembered as someone who made such a positive and lasting impact on us all. Her memory lives on through the RT Toy Show Appeal and the many young lives that it transforms.
Over the past three years 359 grants have been provided to 226 children's charities across the island of Ireland. It is estimated that the Appeal has helped over 1,100,000 children and family members annually since its inception. The appeal is managed by Community Foundation Ireland. Now over 20 years in existence, Community Foundation Ireland works with individuals, families, companies, and other trusts and foundations to support a diverse range of not-for-profit organisations. Community Foundation Ireland is a registered charity, (Charities Regulator Number: 20044886) and is committed to the highest standards of trust and governance.
As well as donating via the official RT Toy Show Appeal website, the public can also donate in-app with official donation partner Revolut Pay.
ENDS
Further Information: Jilly McDonough Press Officer | jilly.mcdonough@rte.ie
The Late Late Show is proudly sponsored by PTSB.
For more updates follow The Late Late Show online:
Instagram @latelaterte
TikTok: tiktok.com/@latelaterte
X: @rtelatelateshow
Facebook: facebook.com/thelatelateshow
YouTube: youtube.com/@rtelatelateshow
Most recent headlines
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
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
...
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...
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
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
Taking the Stage at Carnegie Hall-On a Global Scale Boston Conservatory Orchestra students reflect on their epic concert marking the 80th session of the UN Gene...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's The Great Flood and Culinary Class Wars 2 Top Gl...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things By the Numbers: How the Global Phenomenon Shap...
23/12/2025
Experience the power of WO Automation for Radio's newest service, the System Effectiveness Review. Designed to help you achieve more, a System Effectiveness...
23/12/2025
23 Dec 2025
VEON's Beeline Kazakhstan and Rakuten Symphony Collaborate to A...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
How Steamy Can It Get? Single's Inferno' Season 5 Pre...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
33 Million Global Viewers on Netflix Watched Jake Paul vs. Ant...
23/12/2025
New technique lights up where drugs go in the body, cell by cell Scripps Research scientists developed a technique that maps drug binding in individual cells th...
22/12/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Presidio's Neerav Shah on the Role of Its Captiva...
22/12/2025
Hitting the bullseye: Sky Sports readies itself for the biggest PDC World Darts ...
22/12/2025
Unique skillset: Bringing new directors to the world of darts at The Worlds with...
22/12/2025
Gravity Media prepares for a flight of fancy with the PDC World Darts Championsh...
22/12/2025
One hundred and eighty: Gravity Media on hitting the production bullseye at the ...
22/12/2025
The Famous Group's Jon Slusser on Fascinating Fans Through Immersive Content...
22/12/2025
ESPN's Meg Aronowitz on Continuing High-Quality Broadcasts of Collegiate Spo...
22/12/2025
ESPN Takes Data-Driven Storytelling to New Heights with MNF Playbook with Next ...
22/12/2025
For a decade, popular German podcast Fest & Flauschig has hosted an annual Chris...
22/12/2025
Paramount Scores Largest Share Increase Among Distributors as Paramount and CBS...
22/12/2025
New multi-year deal integrates Roku's data to fuel Nielsen's measurement suite
Roku gains access to Nielsen's streaming ratings, showing The Roku C...
22/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
22/12/2025
Berklee Wrapped 2025: Our Top News and Stories A look back at a year highlighted by faculty milestones, major film and television projects, Bob Dylan's ho...
22/12/2025
The works of Plato state that when humans have an experience, some level of change occurs in their brain, which is powered by memory - specifically long-term me...
Helping to change children's lives for good:
