Press

TG4's best Christmas since 2011

09.01.23

TG4 had a share of viewing of 3.2% over the 2022 Christmas season, according to figures from TAM Ireland/Nielsen, their best Christmas since 2011 and 14% up on Christmas 2021. Share of viewing in peak-time was even better at 3.8%, also 14% up on last Christmas. TG4 was comfortably in 6th place amongst the most popular channels in Ireland over the Christmas period. Just under 2 million viewers (1.943m) tuned into TG4 between Christmas Eve and New Years Day, and the average daily reach was 609,000 St. Stephen’s Day was the best with a whopping 5.6% share and 858,000 viewers while 6 out of the 8 days during the Christmas period all improved on last year. TG4 had an average share of 3.9% on New Year’s Day and 3.6% on New Year’s Eve.
 
Rugbaí Beo on St. Stephen’s Day was the most watched programme with half a million tuning in for the game between Munster and Leinster from Thomand Park. 106,200 also watched Rugbaí Beo ar New Year’s Day between Ulster and Munster from the Kingspan Stadium. Opry le Daniel – Joe Dolan, a Daniel O’Donnell tribute to singer Joe Dolan who died on St. Stephen’s day 2007 was viewed by an average audience of 96,000. 126,000 tuned in on Christmas Day for Dessie: Glór na Bó Finne, a documentary celebrating the life, times and music of renowned Irish singer Dessie O’Halloran. Bagatelle – Ómós do Liam Reilly a feature length documentary telling the story of Irish Rock band Bagatelle and a tribute to the late Liam Reilly was watched by an average audience of 60,000 on New Year’s Eve. An average of 55,000 tuned in on Christmas Day to Cyril Cusack: Lár an Stáitse a documentary about actor Cyril Cusack spanning his long career which began in the early days of Irish silent cinema and saw him conquer stage, screen and television. Cusack appealed to many generations across his 75-year career.
 
50,000 on average watched Dáithí Ó Sé and Doireann Ní Ghlacáin ring in the New Year from some of Ireland’s favourite traditional music venues from The Mills Inn in Baile Bhúirne on Fáilte 2023. They were joined by John Spillane, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Cór Chúil Aodh and The Raw Bar Collective on centre stage.
 
TG4 Director General, Alan Esslemont, said “Congratulations to the team in TG4 and producers in the independent sector on producing a great schedule over the Christmas period. Critics and the public continue to recognise the quality of TG4’s output at Christmas. The viewing figures show that viewers enjoy new, creative and high-quality Irish content from TG4. The increase in share is a great start to 2023 as we look forward to delivering more for our audiences in the coming year.”