Here's Some Irish Productions You Can Look Forward to on RTE This Christmas

There's no better way to get into the cosiness of Christmas than by slipping on your newly gifted Penney's slippers, brewing a cuppa and fighting with your loved ones over the remote. Here's some of the upcoming highlights on RTÉ for 2017.

Angela's Christmas
RTÉ One, 24 December

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The Smithfield based animation studio showcase their latest feature length film - inspired by Frank McCourt's only children's book of the same name. Angela's Christmas is a heart warming story about the power of family and the innocent desire of a child to ensure everyone is safe, warm and loved at Christmas time. The film is voiced by Preacher star, Ruth Negga and Lucy O’Connell.

Baz and Nancy's Holy Show
RTÉ One, 20 December

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In a one-off Christmas special, Baz Ashmawy and his mother Nancy go on a quest to find one of Nancy’s heroes. Get ready Pope Francis.

Mrs. Brown's Boys
RTÉ One, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day

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Brendan O’Carroll’s Mrs Brown’s Boys will be back with two Christmas specials. Expect more of the same slapstick comedy and hilarious Dublin colloquialisms from O'Carroll and his crew.

Senior Moments
RTÉ One, 28 December

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Vico Films’ Senior Moments returns this Christmas for a three episode run, in which the show's pranksters (65+) approach unsuspecting young folk.

Eamon & Bridget
RTÉ2, 24 December

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Bridget & Eamon is a spin off from sketches that featured on the Republic of Telly comedy review series. The show portrays a 1980's husband and wife played by Bernard O'Shea and Jennifer Maguire. In the Christmas special, Bridget works out that - with the widow’s pension and life assurance - Eamon would be worth more dead than alive.

Fairytale of New York
RTÉ One, 21 December

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The song Shane MacGowan calls ‘the nastiest Christmas single ever’ will be 30 years old this year. RTÉ marks the anniversary with a new documentary in the company of MacGowan - who will be double the age of his iconic ballad on Christmas Day. Paul Simon, Billy Bragg, Christy Moore, Imelda May, Bob Geldof and former Pogues band mates have also been interviewed for the doc.

RTÉ Concert Specials
RTÉ One, throughout December

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RTÉ’s Christmas specials over the holiday season include Carols from the Castle hosted by Mary Kennedy in Dublin Castle. The show will have performances from Ralph McTell, MayKay, Rita Connolly and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Elsewhere for music fans, The Nathan Carter Christmas Special sees Ireland's favourite country star joined by a host of special guests for a festive night of music, dance and cheer. There will be duets from Spice Girl's Melanie C and American singer, Curtis Stigers.

Cooking Shows
RTÉ One, throughout December

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On Donal’s Christmas Meals in Minutes, the award-winning food writer and TV presenter shows viewers how to reduce the hours long culinary process that is making Christmas dinner. Rory O’Connell also brings Christmas flavour to his popular series How To Cook Well with a selection of elegant and distinctive dishes. In the lead-up to Christmas week, Maura and Dáithí from Today go live from Cork for a Christmas feast with celebrity chefs, wine experts and music to get you in the mood for the big day.

The Imelda May New Year's Eve Special
RTÉ One, New Year's Eve
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To ring in 2018, Imelda May will be joined by special guests The Corrs, The Strypes, Finbar Furey, Gavin James and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. There will be a lively selection of performances and chats, followed by The New Year’s Eve live Countdown Concert featuring Kodaline. To boot, the RTÉ News Review of 2017 looks back on the stories that defined the year.

60 Second Shorts
RTÉ One, throughout December

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Each day in December, RTÉ will release a new 60 second short film on their website. The shorts will exhibit touching stories of Christmases past and present from all around Ireland. Joyful, touching, inspiring and sometimes sad, a selection of the interviews will later form the core of a special two-part documentary, The Secret of Christmas.