Seachtain na Gaeilge with BBC Gaeilge

From presenters Tessa Fleming and Irial Ó Ceallaigh paddling their way along the north coast to Ardal O’Hanlon visiting Rathlin Island and a special night of music to mark Saint Patrick’s Day, this year’s content celebrates our people, places and culture.

There will also be a series of online children’s videos on a range of topics including healthy eating, the environment and recycling to name a few, and a chance to dip into the BBC Gaeilge archives with some previously broadcast programmes available on BBC iPlayer including Rúin na bPortach with Cormac Ó hÁdhmaill and Úna Monaghan’s ambitious new musical endeavour, Aonaracht.

BBC Sounds & BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle

Blas Ceoil

Thursday 14 March

BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Ulster, 7.30pm

Caoimhe ‘Ceol’ Ní Chathail presents a special live outside broadcast from the An Carn Community Centre in Maghera to celebrate 15 years of Blas Ceoil.

This special programme will feature the best of traditional music with Jack Warnock and Eleanor Gaffney, Ceoltóirí Luraigh, Eimhéar Ní Mhaolchalainn, Nodlaig Ní Bhrollaigh, Réalta and many more.

Anúna Live in Concert

Sunday 17 March

BBC Sounds & BBC Radio Ulster, 9pm

John Toal presents a special St Patrick’s Night musical celebration from St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast featuring the world renowned vocal ensemble Anúna. Recorded as part of Belfast Tradfest, Michael McGlynn‘s group have recently returned from touring the Netherlands, China and Italy.

The name Anúna is derived from the Irish An Uaithne, a collective term for the three ancient types of Irish music Suantraí (lullaby), Geantraí (happy song) and Goltraí (lament).

Teach s’Againne

Monday 18 March

BBC Sounds & BBC Radio Ulster, 7.30pm

In this four part BBC Gaeilge series, parents chat about their personal experiences and the various stages they have gone through raising their children.

New parents share stories about childbirth and the joyous, yet sometimes overwhelming task, of caring for babies. The ‘inbetweeners’, who are raising school children and teenagers, discuss everything from uniforms to school reports and first loves.

Listeners also hear from the old hands, whose children are grown up and have flown the nest and they are now experiencing the joys and challenges of becoming grandparents.

This series is produced by Triplevision Productions for BBC Gaeilge with support from Northern Ireland Screen's Irish Language Broadcast Fund.

BBC iPlayer & BBC Two Northern Ireland

The best of Irish language film and music is celebrated on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two Northern Ireland during Seachtain na Gaeilge.

Inis na nIontas

Starts Sunday 3 March

BBC iPlayer & BBC Two Northern Ireland, 10pm

The island of Ireland is surrounded by several small islands that have long been a source of inspiration and myth.

In this new three-part series, actor and comedian Ardal O’Hanlon takes us on a journey from Rathlin to Cape Clear, discovering rare wildlife, rugged coastlines and mystical stories.

Ardal meets the islanders who are trying to live sustainably and in harmony with the unique environments on these emerald isles.

Inis na nIontas starts on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two Northern Ireland on Sunday 3 March and the full series is available to watch from this date on BBC iPlayer. The series was made for BBC Northern Ireland and TG4 by One Tribe TV and Boulder Creek International.

Kayak Ó Thuaidh

Starts Monday 11 March

BBC iPlayer & BBC Two Northern Ireland, 10pm

This series follows presenters Tessa Fleming and Irial Ó Ceallaigh, as they embark on an epic adventure paddling their way along the north coast.

Together with kayak expert John Hubbocks, our novice kayakers brave the unpredictable Atlantic wind and waves, pushing themselves beyond their comfort zones to complete this challenge.

From northwest Donegal to the northeast coast of Antrim, this series celebrates the stunning scenery of our northern Atlantic coastline, its rich history, and the people who call it home.

This four-part series, made by Macha Media for BBC Gaeilge and RTÉ with support from Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund, starts Monday 11 March at 10pm on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two Northern Ireland. All four episodes will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer from this date.

The Shamrock Tenors: St Patrick's Night Concert

Sunday 17 March

BBC iPlayer & BBC Two Northern Ireland, 9pm (*time is subject to change).

Northern Ireland vocal group, the Shamrock Tenors, bring their international hit show home to the Ulster Hall in Belfast for a St Patrick’s Day Celebration like no other on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two Northern Ireland.

This cross-community group of singers features West End stars, multi-instrumentalists and champion Irish dancers who put their own modern twist on some of Irish music’s most beloved melodies.

This programme will also be broadcast on BBC Four at 10.40pm (*time is subject to change).

Na Weatherbies

Available on bbc.co.uk/gaeilge from Friday 1 March

A community of loveable, weather-themed characters each with their own stories and personalities are brought to life in a new series of animated online videos for BBC Gaeilge.

Na Weatherbies entertain and excite children with their educational stories helping them connect with their environment and the outside world. From Flo Snow to Sammy Sun, this group of weather-themed friends enjoy recycling, healthy eating, growing fruit and vegetables, reading books and using solar and wind power.

In this eight-part series, children can follow their adventures around Skytown and discover more about topics including the environment, the seasons and counting numbers, before dancing and singing along to some fun Weatherbies’ songs.

An Fhírinne Lom

Available on bbc.co.uk/gaeilge from Friday 8 March

This three-part animated mini-series focuses on sex education and dealing with the themes of consent, boundary setting and online photosharing, with issues addressed through the relationship of two teenagers, Oisín and Éilís.

In each episode a scenario plays out, and then we rewind and go back to the start, showing how the issue could have been better managed.

The mini-series was produced by Waddell Media for BBC Gaeilge, with support from Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund.