Good evening...

I just returned from 10 days in Ireland. The radio/TV scene there is quite lively these days as the national broadcaster, RTE, is involved in a controversy over salaries paid to top presenters in the news/sports divisions. A few observations:

- British TV shows, particularly quiz shows such as The Chase and Tipping Point, are extremely popular among Irish viewers, as are soap-operas such as Emmerdale, Eastenders and Coronation Street. 
- Irish TV produces some compelling dramas that are worthy of viewing by Canadian audiences, such as Fair City and Clean Sweep, as well as comedies such as Irish Pictorial Weekly and Moone Boy. 
- On radio, Irish talk shows are largely respectful and contain diverse points of view with little of the bombast heard on this side of the pond. RTE's radio ratings are highly competitive with private broadcasters, most of whom pay little attention to news/current affairs.
- In small villages outside of the main centers (Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick), community FM and online radio is a vital lifeline for providing local news, information and concerts by local artists. 
- There is a strong emphasis on retaining the Irish language as a tie to local heritage. A national radio and television network is devoted solely to news, drama and comedy shows in the Irish language. (You haven't lived till you've seen a Golden Girls rerun dubbed into Irish. Think of I Love Lucy in Japanese).
- The Irish love their traditional sports (hurling and Gaelic football), with the same passion we love Hockey Night in Canada. Here's their version of the Hockey Night in Canada theme, which is known as The Saturday/Sunday Game on RTE. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOXJzXDs5To