Virgin Media Television have announced broadcasters Gráinne Seoige and Síomha Ní Ruairc will join James Kavanagh in fronting the brand new reality series, Grá ar an Trá.
Gráinne Seoige will take on the role of the ‘Cinnire Grá’ and, as the ‘Captain of Love’ she will watch over the contestants. Completing the series’ line-up, ‘Bean an Tí’ Síomha Ní Ruairc will join the previously announced ’Man an Tí’, James Kavanagh. Together, the trio will put the couples through their paces in this romance reality series.
In this ‘grown-up Gaeltacht’ twelve contestants will try to find love and learn the Irish language. Their ultimate aim is to be crowned the ‘Couple with the most Focail’ and walk away with a grand prize to the value of €10,000.
“I’m really looking forward to the craic we’ll have cheering the couples on as they get a blas for Gaeilge and hopefully for each other too! The grand prize should bring out the teanga dhúchais in all of them,” said Gráinne Seoige. “Táim ag tnúth go mór leis an gcraic a bheidh againn leis na leannáin, agus iad ag dul i dtaithí ar an nGaeilge – agus ar a chéile freisin! Spreagfar an teanga dhúchais iontu go léir.”
“I'm so excited to be involved in Grá ar an Trá, and to get an opportunity to show to Virgin Media's audience the fun, rógaireacht (mischief) and romance which will be had - through a language they may not usually see it in,” said Síomha Ní Ruairc. “But I promise anyone who has ever been to a coláiste samhraidh (summer college) in the Gaeltacht is about to get a whack of nostalgia, and also a chance to top up their teanga! While this is a dating show, it's a totally new format from anything I've seen and I'm thrilled that the language is a focal point of it. I hope I do the long line of Bean an Tí's who have gone before me justice.”
She added: “Táim ar bís le bheith ag obair ar Grá ar an Trá, agus deis a bheith agam an spraoi, rógaireacht agus rómáns a bheidh ann a léiriú do luchtféachana Virgin Media - trí theanga nach bhfuil feicthe acu go minic b'fhéidir. Ach geallaim d'éinne atá théis freastal ar choláiste samhraidh sa Ghaeltacht cheana go mbeidh cumha i ndiaidh a n-óige orthu ag breathnú air, agus gur deis í seo dóibh leis an teanga a athfhoghlaim! Cé gur clár geandála é seo, níl an fhormaid seo feicthe agam roimhe agus tá riméad orm go bhfuil an teanga lárnach ann. Tá súil agam go ndéanfaidh mé íonadaíocht cheart ar na mná tí a tháinig romhaim.”
Filming has commenced, with the show set to hit Virgin Media Television screens later in 2023.
This series is funded by Comisiún na Meán's Sound & Vision, the Broadcasting Funding Scheme.