2019 in Irish television

Events

• 2 February – The second series of Ireland's Got Talent debuts on Virgin Media One.
• 15 February – To coincide with the launch of RTÉ2 +1, RTÉ One +1 begins broadcasting 24 hours a day. Previously it had only broadcast from 7pm to 2am.
• 19 February – Launch of the timeshift channel RTÉ2+1.
• 8 March –
• *Sarah McTernan is announced by RTÉ as the Irish representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 in Tel Aviv, Israel, where she will perform the song "22".
• *The Friday evening edition of Virgin Media One's The 6 O'Clock Show is replaced by Xposé.
• 24 March – Mairead Ronan and dance partner John Nolan win the third series of Dancing with the Stars.
• 27 March – Virgin Media announces that its partnership with Sky's AdSmart will to go live in Ireland in the final quarter of the year.
• 7 April – BSD win the second series of Ireland's Got Talent.
• 16 May – Sarah McTernan becomes the fifth Irish act in six years to not reach the Eurovision Song Contest final, when she is among the semi-finalists who are not selected for the final.
• 23 June – The Sunday Independent reports that the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland has recommended that on-demand television services broadcasting in Ireland should pay a levy to do so.
• 25 June – Pensioners stage a protest outside the BBC studios in Belfast and Derry following the BBC's decision to end universal free UK television licenses for those aged 75 and over, a decision that will affect those living in Northern Ireland.
• 28 June – Veteran presenter Gay Byrne is honoured with the Ireland-US Council's Lifetime Achievement Award at a ceremony at Dublin Castle, but is unable to attend the event due to a broken wrist and chest infection.
• 15 August – Eir Sport and Virgin Media Sport contract a deal to show Virgin Media Sport on eir Vision and eir Sport 1 on Virgin Media Ireland.
• 12 September – Virgin Media Sport HD launches on Sky on channel 422.
• 4 October – Virgin Media One launches a new weekday schedule, which sees Ireland AM extended by an extra hour, running from 7.00am – 11.00am, replacing the simulcast of ITV's This Morning. Ireland AM is followed by Elaine.
• 4 November – The death is announced of veteran broadcaster Gay Byrne, who presented The Late Late Show for 37 years.
• 7 November – It is announced that Aertel will be shut down as part of cost-cutting measures at RTÉ.
• 12 November – It is confirmed that Pasquale La Rocca will join the fourth series of Dancing with the Stars as a professional dancer.
• 14 December – Golfer Shane Lowry is named the 2019 RTÉ Sports Person of the Year.
• 15 December – The McSharry family from County Sligo, coached by Donncha O'Callaghan, win season seven of Ireland's Fittest Family.
• 31 December – Rob and Marian Heffernan and their family win the 2019 Christmas celebrity special of Ireland's Fittest Family together with €10,000 for their charity of choice.

Debuts

• 6 January – Resistance on RTÉ One
• 17 September – Adventure Time on TG4

Ongoing television programmes

1960s

• ''The Late Late Show''

1970s

• ''The Sunday Game''

1980s

• ''RTÉ News: One O'Clock''

1990s

• ''Telly Bingo''

2000s

• ''Two Tube''

2010s

• ''Striking Out''

Ending this year

• 4 October – ''Xposé''

Deaths

• 14 March – Pat Laffan, 79, actor
• June – Tom Jordan, actor
• 11 July – Brendan Grace, 68, comedian and singer
• 14 July – Karl Shiels, 47, actor
• 23 July – Danika McGuigan, 33, actress
• 4 November – Gay Byrne, 85, broadcaster