Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

RT Radio 1 is bringing Arena and Cil House to London celebrating 100 years of RT

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 a year-long series of special broadcasts, projects and performances, celebrating our history while also looking to the future of public service media.

As part of RT 100, Arena and C il House will be in London this week to celebrate the cultural connections that have tied Irish communities together. Many Irish people living abroad continue to identify strongly with Irish culture, particularly through music and the arts.

On Thursday 11 June, Arena will broadcast live from the Irish Embassy in London. Hosted by Rick O'Shea, this Arena special will feature chats with a stellar line-up of guests including Graham Norton; writer Martina Evans; poet Ian Duhig; and musician, songwriter, and producer Bernard Butler. There will also be some great live music, all in celebration of the cultural bonds with the Irish in London and across the UK.

C il House will be recorded on Wednesday 10 June at 4pm, airing on RT Radio 1 on Saturday 11 July. This programme will feature world-class traditional Irish musicians including Mick O'Connor on banjo, sean n s singer Jackie Quirke, Karen Ryan on fiddle, Colman Connolly on uileann pipes, and much more.

A second recording of C il House in front of a live audience at the London Irish Centre in Camden will take place on Wednesday evening at 7.30pm, reflecting the history of Irish traditional music in London, as well as looking at how the vibrant contemporary traditional music scene has grown and is continuing to develop there. Featuring some of London's finest traditional Irish musicians, including The London Lasses and Pete Quinn, and sean n s singer Fionn hAlmhain among many others, this will be an intimate recording of C il House for broadcast on RT Radio 1 this Saturday 13 June.

Speaking about RT 100 in London, RT Director of Audio Patricia Monaghan said:

We are delighted to bring Arena and C il House to London as part of our RT 100 programme. These broadcasts will serve as a celebration of Irish culture in London and the thriving traditional Irish music scene there. They will also reflect RT 's connection with the Irish diaspora in London and beyond as we celebrate 100 years.'

With stories of the past and audio snapshots of the present, these shows will provide a cultural record of the Irish traditional music scene across the decades.

Across the rest of this year, RT is continuing to mark this centenary by presenting a curated programme of content across our services as well as special performances by the RT Concert Orchestra.

-ENDS-

Kate Smyth, RT Communications Lead
LINK: https://about.rte.ie/2026/06/09/rte-radio-1-is-bringing-arena-and-ceil...
See more stories from rte

More from RTE

24/07/2026

Kerry and Mayo fans Up For The Match as excitement builds in Croke Park on the eve of the football final

Kerry and Mayo fans Up For The Match as excitement builds in Croke Park on the e...

23/07/2026

Centra returning as the official food partner of The Traitors Ireland

RT Commercial has today announced Centra as the official food partner once again of The Traitors Ireland, coming to RT One and RT Player later this year. Ce...

23/07/2026

Honda sponsors Today with David McCullagh on RT Radio 1

RT Commercial today announced Honda as sponsor of Today with David McCullagh RT Radio 1, weekdays 9am 11am. Broadcasting directly after Morning Ireland in ...

23/07/2026

RT NEWS ANNOUNCES NEW JOURNALIST REPORTING FROM ACROSS CORK AND KERRY

RT News is pleased to announce Barry Gallagher has been assigned as the new journalist covering news from Cork, Kerry and the wider Southern region Working al...

22/07/2026

RT PUBLISHES 2025 ANNUAL REPORT

RT REPORTS NET SURPLUS OF 22.5 MILLION IN 2025...

22/07/2026

Documentary on film censorship in Ireland coming to RT

In the Opinion of the Censor airs Monday 27 July at 9.35pm on RT One and RT Player In the Opinion of the Censor looks at how films for theatrical release wer...

21/07/2026

RT announces biggest ever year for new drama

160 hours of Irish storytelling for 2026 KIN and The Walsh Sisters return RT has today unveiled its most ambitious drama slate ever, with a record-breakin...

20/07/2026

RT secures exclusive free-to-air Irish rights to the 2030 FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup Final sets new RT Player record as the most-streamed single event in the platform's history Over 1 million viewers watched live on RT 2 as ...

17/07/2026

RT Radio 1 continues its summer of stories, music, sport and conversation

New and returning series, live festival broadcasts, powerful documentaries and major sporting moments headline RT Radio 1's summer schedule RT Radio 1 is...

17/07/2026

Dith, Jacqui and Louise bring hurling fans together ahead of the All-Ireland Finals

Up For The Match - Live From Croke Park this Saturday at 8pm on RT One and RT ...

17/07/2026

DiscoverIreland.ie announced as official show sponsor of The Traitors Ireland series 2

RT Commercial has today announced DiscoverIreland.ie, as sponsor of The Traitor...

16/07/2026

FIFA World Cup semi-finals deliver whopper audiences as RT Player surpasses 21 million streams across the tournament to date

Together the semi-finals had a combined reach of 1.98 million unique individuals...

15/07/2026

Audiences to get behind-the-scenes access to Trinity College Dublin's Old Library in new RT series

Trinity's Treasures features Ruth Negga, Eleanor McEvoy, and David Norris, a...

15/07/2026

Building Ireland explores the River Shannon region from Leitrim to Limerick in a new series

Join geographer Dr Susan Hegarty, Engineer Tim Joyce and Architect Orla Murphy a...

13/07/2026

RT News Appoints Joe Mag Raollaigh as new Managing Editor of Nuacht

RT News is pleased to announce the appointment of Joe Mag Raollaigh as the new Managing Editor of Nuacht, the Irish Language News and Current Affairs service a...

10/07/2026

New RT documentary explores Irish-led efforts to build bridges

New RT documentary explores Irish-led efforts to build bridges in divided Cyprus More than a Game: From D1 to Pyla airs Monday 13 July More Than a Game: Fro...

08/07/2026

RT to air award-winning documentary TESTIMONY

Film follows the courageous fight for justice by survivors of Ireland's Magdalene Laundries & Mother and Baby Homes TESTIMONY airs Wednesday 22 July at 9...

07/07/2026

Patrick Kielty in The Late Late Chair until 2028

To Whom It Concerns RT today confirmed that Patrick Kielty is to extend his contract as host of The Late Late Show. Last season, the world's longest-runn...

06/07/2026

Pico Lopes joins RT's FIFA World Cup 2026 Live panel

Fresh from his World Cup heroics with Cabo Verde, Roberto Pico' Lopes will join the RT panel for Argentina v Egypt tomorrow and for the England v Norway q...

06/07/2026

New RT documentary The Girl in the Water follows one family's search for answers following the death of their 23-year-old daughter

A death can be unsuspicious, but it has to be explained What happened to Ke...

01/07/2026

FIFA World Cup delivers strong audiences across all RT platforms

9.2 million streams on RT Player between 11 and 28 June Reach of 2.9 million viewers during Group stages of FIFA World Cup on RT 2 23 million video views acr...

29/06/2026

Ger Gilroy to join RT to present a Daily Sports Podcast

RT today announced that Ger Gilroy will join the RT Podcasts team to present a daily sports podcast. Launching later this year, the new show will set the spor...

29/06/2026

OUTsurance announced as sponsors of Oliver Callan on RT Radio 1

RT Commercial announced OUTsurance as sponsor of the Oliver Callan show on RT Radio 1 from Wednesday 1 July. Oliver Callan doubles the fun, delivering two ...

26/06/2026

New documentary Freedom Founder: Thomas McKean and the American Revolution comes to RT

A fresh look at how the Irish helped shape the foundations of the United States ...

25/06/2026

Comedian Joe McGucken hosts new RT podcast series Ramble

Launching today (Thursday 25 June), new RT podcast Ramble with Joe McGucken is a series of curiosity-driven conversations where actor, writer and comedian Joe ...

24/06/2026

RT is supporting 21 Arts and Cultural Events all over Ireland this July

From Cork to Limerick to Earagail: RT is supporting 21 Arts and Cultural Events all over Ireland this July RT Supporting the Arts is delighted to spotlight...

23/06/2026

RT AND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION IRELAND ANNOUNCE RT TOY SHOW APPEAL GRANT AWARDS 2026

The RT Toy Show Appeal has raised over 31 million since its inception in 2020 ...

17/06/2026

Good Vibrations hit Dublin and Limerick as RT Concert Orchestra plays the music of the Beach Boys

The RT Concert Orchestra will bring the timeless music of The Beach Boys to aud...

12/06/2026

New animated series The Grumpy Onion available in English and as Gaeilge on RT KIDSjr, RT2 and RT

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

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

RT Radio 1 and Irish Lights mark RT 100 with special broadcasts from Ireland's Lighthouses

Summer solstice shows from C il House and Late Date from 9pm on Saturday 20 Jun...

09/06/2026

RT Radio 1 is bringing Arena and Cil House to London celebrating 100 years of RT

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

It's almost kick off time! RT KIDS show Total Football returns for a second season with a brand new co-host

Irish YouTube star DavidMC joins Aisling O'Reilly to tackle all things socce...

05/06/2026

RT Radio 1 Folk Awards 2026 Date Announcement

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

Culture and family at the centre of new RT travel series

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 brings Irish audiences every moment of the biggest FIFA World Cup in history

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 unveils Heineken 0.0 as broadcast sponsor of FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage

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

RT is Supporting 12 Arts and Cultural Events all over Ireland this June

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

New seasons of The Traitors UK and US now available to stream on RT Player

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

Super Garden 2026 winner revealed

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

Wild Conamara, a major two-part natural history documentary series, airs this week on RT

RT presents Wild Conamara, a two-part natural history documentary that brings a...

25/05/2026

RT Concert Orchestra celebrates Marilyn Monroe's centenary at the National Concert Hall

The RT Concert Orchestra will celebrate the centenary of Hollywood icon Marilyn...

22/05/2026

Beta Da Silva hosts live performances from 20 new Irish artists in Sessions from Oblivion on 2FM's New Music Show

Catch the latest in Irish music live from venues such as Whelan's, R is n Du...

21/05/2026

RT 2FM announces winner of nationwide search for next superstar DJ

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

Two cooks shortlisted for the final of RT Today's TV Home Cook Competition

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 MUCH MORE

RT IN FULL BLOOM AT BORD BIA BLOOM 2026 WITH LIVE BROADCASTS, MUSIC, CHAT AND M...

15/05/2026

RT's statement on Derek Mooney's Earnings for the Years 2020-2023

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 TOP TEN HIGHEST EARNING PRESENTERS 2025

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...