RTÉ celebrates Irish Sign Language Awareness Week 2026

RTÉ celebrates Irish Sign Language Awareness Week 2026 Special programmes across RTÉ television, radio and online, plus special initiatives Miriam O’Callaghan | Today show | Arena | RTÉ news2day | & more RTÉ is proud to once again to support Irish Sign Language Awareness Week 2026, which takes place from Monday 21st – Sunday 27th September and coincides with International Week of Deaf People. RTÉ in close collaboration with The Irish Deaf Society, will celebrate our Irish Sign Language (ISL) community, with some additional Irish Sign Language content across our platforms throughout the week. RTÉ provides a large catalogue of ISL content on our television channels and on RTÉ Player throughout the year, highlighting our ongoing commitment to the Deaf/deaf, Hard of Hearing and ISL community in Ireland.  To mark the start of Irish Sign Language Awareness Week, Miriam O’Callaghan raised the Deaf Flag at RTÉ. The flag will fly proudly at the entrance to RTÉ’s Donnybrook Campus throughout International Week of Deaf People 2026.  VIEW on Instagram here: Instagram In addition, on Wednesday 23rd September, International Day of Sign Languages, the RTÉ sign on RTÉ’s Donnybrook campus will be illuminated in BLUE, a significant colour which symbolises Sign Languages and represents how Deaf communities cherish their own language. **RTÉ HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: MONDAY: Arena with Rick O’Shea on RTÉ Radio 1 To mark Irish Sign Language Awareness Week, RTÉ Radio 1’s Arena, the home of arts and popular culture on RTÉ Radio 1 will make its full show available with live ISL interpretation on Monday 21st September, from 7-8pm on the RTÉ News channel, RTÉ Player and on www.rte.ie/Arena. Among the guests on the show will be Lianne Quigley and Amanda Cooney, who will discuss their new show Dignity, at the Project Arts Centre. Lianne is a Deaf artist, Chair of the Irish Deaf Society and Presenter of RTÉ News with ISL and Amanda is the world-renowned performance artist, and a member of Aosdána and CODA. ISL interpretation will be provided by Catherine White, with interpreter, Caroline O’Leary in studio. Details about the show can be found at: https://dublintheatrefestival.ie/event/dignity/ | https://projectartscentre.ie/events/dignity/ RTÉ’s daily ISL News bulletin will reflect the daily themes of ISL Awareness Week. On RTÉ2, news2day will be visiting The Holy Family School for the Deaf where they’ll join children in their group activities. The show will also have a young guest in studio and ISL Awareness Week will be the theme of news2day’s “Question of the Week” for schools right across the country:  www.rte.ie/news2day Today show on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player On Friday 25th September, Today will feature children from St Columba’s GNS With Deaf Facility in Cork, for a special performance of ‘Roar’ by Katie Perry through ISL.  RTÉ ISL FAST Channel: In 2026, RTÉ launched its first ISL FAST Channel. This dedicated Irish Sign Language channel went live on 9th February 2026. The channel provides audiences with a scheduled, always-on destination for a broad range of RTÉ programming presented in Irish Sign Language. The channel is available on web, mobile and smart/connected televisions. RTÉ’s ISL FAST channel will move to position #1 on the Watch Live rail on the homepage for the week. VISIT: RTÉ’s ISL FAST Channel here: https://www.rte.ie/player/onnow/160142888185  RTÉ 100: In Concert with ISL will broadcast on the RTÉ ISL channel from Wednesday 23rd September. (RTÉ ISL at 7.30pm on Wednesday 23rd, 9pm on Thursday 24th and 10pm on Friday 25th).   KIDS and CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMES On RTÉ Kids online (www.rte.ie/kids/), RTÉ is highlighting a range of the engaging, informative and entertaining Irish Sign Language shows for young people, including the new series Bellie & Whizz at Big School, Dizzy Deliveries, Doodle Girl, Silly Sundays and Let’s Find Out.  RTÉ2 and RTÉKIDSjr will broadcast additional children’s programmes with ISL throughout the week’s schedule including, Bellie and Whizz “Minding Me”, Body Brothers, Dizzy Deliveries and Doodle Girl. ***A full list of programmes available in ISL on RTÉ channels is available in Editors Notes below.  RTÉ Player has curated a special Irish Sign Language rail for International Week of Deaf People 2025, to showcase available ISL content. The rail will feature the top performing shows with ISL on RTÉ Player, like Room To Improve, SisterS, The Tommy Tiernan Show and On The Beat. Link: International Week of Deaf People – RTÉ Player