Communities
Irish TV in the UK
The Irish have lived in Britain longer than almost any other community: Kilburn, Camden, Coventry, Birmingham and Manchester all have deep Irish roots. The census counts more than 500,000 people who describe their ethnic group as White Irish, beyond those born in Ireland.
Updated · By the IPTV UK editorial desk
How do Irish families in the UK watch TV?
For sport, there is no time difference. Most want RTÉ and Virgin Media Television for news and the Late Late Show, and the GAA championship every summer.
What does the census say?
| Measure | People |
|---|---|
| Born in Ireland Census 2021 TS012, Ireland | 324,670 |
| Ethnic group: Irish Census 2021 TS021 | 507,465 |
Where does the community live?
The council areas in England and Wales with the most people counted by the ethnic-group figure, out of 318:
- Birmingham16,9641.5% of residents
- Manchester9,4421.7% of residents
- Brent9,3142.7% of residents
- Ealing8,5112.3% of residents
- Wandsworth8,0612.5% of residents
- Barnet7,6442% of residents
- Islington7,0623.3% of residents
- Leeds6,8920.8% of residents
Our town pages with a large Irish community: Liverpool, Brighton and Hove.
Which channels do people ask for?
- RTÉ One
- RTÉ2
- Virgin Media One
- TG4
- RTÉ News
- Premier Sports
This is what people from the community ask us about, not a promise that every channel is in the line-up today. We confirm specific channels in writing before you buy.
Ask us to confirm these channelsWhat are the legal ways to watch from the UK?
- GAAGOThe official GAA streaming service, sold outside Ireland too, with championship hurling and football.
- RTÉ PlayerFree; some programmes play in the UK, but many are limited to Ireland by rights.
- Freeview in Northern IrelandRTÉ One, RTÉ2 and TG4 are free-to-air on Freeview in Northern Ireland.
- TG4 PlayerTG4's player; much of its Irish-language programming plays worldwide.
Availability and prices change; check the provider's own site before you subscribe.
Sport and kick-off times
GAA football and hurling (summer), the Six Nations, the League of Ireland and Irish horse racing. Ireland and the UK share the same time.
Ireland shares UK time all year. Busiest viewing: All-Ireland finals, the Six Nations and Cheltenham.
Try it before you pay
The free 24-hour trial gives the full line-up, including the channel groups for English and Irish. If it suits your family, plans start at £6.25 a month.
Readers also ask
How many Irish families live in England and Wales?
Can I watch RTÉ One in the UK?
What time are Ireland programmes in the UK?
Sources
- Census 2021, TS012 Country of birth (detailed) checked 6 October 2026
- Census 2021, TS021 Ethnic group checked 6 October 2026
Try before you pay
Watch it on your own telly for 24 hours. Free.
Send a message and we reply with your log-in, usually within minutes. If you buy afterwards, plans start at £6.25 a month, and the first 14 days are covered by a full refund.