The nation’s thoroughfare
Nationwide, Monday, RTÉ One, 7pm
It is, perhaps, the street that Irish people should be fondest of — the capital’s concourse, scene of the 1913 lockouts, heart of the 1916 Rising, a symbol of the new Free State. My granny always used to tell me it was the broadest thoroughfare in Europe: imagine my confusion when I reached the Champs Élysées. Either way, O’Connell Street is an iconic place but, in recent decades, it has not been loved, and perhaps reached its historic nadir during last year’s unseemly riots.
O’Connell Street is ripe for reinvention, and on the 100th anniversary of its naming, Nationwide presents three shows dedicated to its history and traditions. It had been called Sackville Street since the late 18th century, but councillors had been angling to rename it since 1884, when the O’Connell statue had been unveiled. In 1924, they got their wish and, for a time, O’Connell Street became the swish epicentre of a cautiously confident new state.
The Gresham was still the city’s most fashionable hotel, Clery’s a thriving department store, its iconic clock a popular meeting point. Much has changed since then, but not everything, as Anne Cassin discovers when she meets the owners of McDowells, The Happy Ring House. The family jewellers moved from Mary Street to Sackville Street in 1902, and in 1916, owner Jack McDowell and his porter stayed in the shop to stop it being looted.
Saturday
PICK OF THE DAY
Songs of Ireland
RTÉ One, 8.20pm
On the final leg of their musical journey around Ireland, Pat Shortt and Mike Hanrahan sing Four Green Fields in the border town of Keady before moving north to perform Star of the County Down with singer/songwriter Sarah McCreedy.
Investec Champions Cup
RTÉ2, 2pm
Leinster and Toulouse go head to head at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the final of the Investec Champions Cup. Stephen Ferris, Fiona Coghlan and Jamie Heaslip join Jacqui Hurley for the build up, and kick-off is at 2.45pm, with commentary from Hugh Cahill and Donal Lenihan.
Rebus
BBC1, 9.25pm
Rebus and Siobhan are under pressure to get quick results, and manage to track down a witness to Jimmy McJagger’s assault. And Michael’s attempts to share his newfound wealth end in disaster. With Richard Rankin, Lucie Shorthouse.
Sunday
PICK OF THE DAY
Birdsong
RTÉ One, 6.30pm
Ornithologist Seán Ronayne sets out to record the calls and songs of every bird species currently inhabiting Ireland, and while his journey celebrates the beauty of natural sounds, it also reveals the devastation caused by climate change.
The Sunday Game Live
RTÉ2, 1.30pm
Donal Óg Cusack and Jackie Tyrrell join Joanne Cantwell for a hurling doubleheader, with Kilkenny facing Wexford and Galway playing Dublin in the Leinster Championship, while Limerick and Waterford, Tipperary and Clare meet in the Munster Championship.
The Responder
BBC1, 9pm
When Chris finds Fanny’s encrypted phone, he must decide whether to hand it over to the drugs squad or return it to the dealer in the hopes of placating him. And as he vacillates, Franny is hot on his trail. With Martin Freeman, Sunetra Sarker.
Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour
BBC2, 9pm
Rob and Rylan complete their grand tour in style by arriving in Rome on a horse-drawn carriage, but unfortunately Rylan is allergic to horses. Things look up though when Rob takes Rylan to view paintings by his favourite artist, Caravaggio.
Monday
PICK OF THE DAY
The Emerald Isles
BBC1, 10.30pm
Ardal O’Hanlon (left) begins a journey through Ireland’s islands on Rathlin, a rugged gem off the Antrim coast that’s famous for its cliffs and seabirds. After that, it’s off to Tory, a Donegal isle with rich musical traditions.
The Sympathizer
Sky Atlantic, 9pm
After the fall of Saigon in 1975, a communist agent embedded in the South Vietnamese police travels to the US and begins sending back reports to his North Vietnamese bosses. New mini-series, starring Hoa Xuande, Sandra Oh, Robert Downey Jr.
Kill Zone – Inside Gaza: Dispatches
Channel 4, 9pm
Filmed over 200 days by a team of Palestinian journalists, this unflinching documentary reveals how the lives of millions of ordinary people have been uprooted and destroyed in Gaza.