Country of origin Ireland Running time 30 minutes First episode date September 1994 Network RTÉ2 | Original language(s) English, Irish Preceded by Jo Maxi Final episode date June 1999 Genre Child | |
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Original network RTÉ Two/Network 2 / The Den Original release September 1994 – June 1999 Presented by Derek Mooney, Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh Cast Dara Ó Briain, Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh, Derek Mooney, Carrie Crowley, Mary Kingston Similar The Den, Don't Feed the Gondolas, Jo Maxi, The Morbegs, A Scare at Bedtime | ||
Echo Island is an Irish television programme for children and young adults, shown on RTÉ Network 2. It was shown at 17:00 during The Den, after which programmes like The Legend of the Hidden City would air. The show effectively took over from Jo Maxi, which had been aimed at the teenaged youth of Ireland.
Contents
Birth
Echo Island began broadcasting in 1994 with two episodes a week. This was extended to four episodes the following year with two of these being Irish language editions. The series ran for six seasons; in later years it proved a useful showcase for some of the best young rock bands in Ireland. Many of the presenters were chosen as they were bilingual, including Dara Ó Briain.
A similar format show called Stream replaced it, splitting up each day with a different topic such as Gaming, Sports and other types of activities and did away with Echo Island's "Make and Do" and "Pet" sections. It did not air as Gaeilge (as by that stage TG4 was providing an Irish language children's service).
Presenters
Many current presenters either began, or spent part of, their early careers on Echo Island, including Derek Mooney and Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh, Carrie Crowley, Mary Kingston, Dara Ó Briain and Peter O'Meara, Danann Breathnach, Sinéad Chaomhánach, Christine Ní Chearraláin, Tom O'Brannigan and Pádraic Ó Neachtain.
Format
Similar in format to the BBC's Blue Peter (but with a desert island setting and design), Echo Island featured a resident Moluccan Cockatoo called Rocco, who provided the series with a constant stream of noisy background chatter. Each episode was based around an interview in "The Shack" with an adult guest, who was asked to bring along some items of significance from their childhood. U.S. ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith, for instance, appeared on the 15 November 1994 episode to promote a Christmas card competition. President Mary McAleese appeared on the programme on the 19 December 1997 episode, while the Australian didgeridoo player Rolf Harris was a guest on the 13 October 1998 episode.
Competitions, items on art and cookery, fundraising campaigns, the "Echovision Song Contest" for young performers and the "Pet Clinic" where TV Vet, Pete Wedderburn, answered viewers calls about their pets were some of the features. Each Friday edition featured young "stringers" who reported from all around Ireland on events happening in their locality. This item contained an apparently live two-way video link between the presenter in studio and the children on location and was an advanced production technique in its day.