RTÉ One

Credits

Background

The flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) and the most watched TV channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ 1 upon the launch of RTÉ 2 in 1978.

RTÉ 1

1st Logo (1980-1985)

Logo: On a blue/black gradient background, an italic white "1" takes up the center of the screen. It starts to zoom out to the center and move to the right side a little, as a circular square made of 4 yellow ribbons (a stylized version of the St. Brigid's Cross) rotates into frame with a white trail. As it surrounds the "1", the italic yellow text "RTE" zooms in as the trail fades away. The logo then cuts to black.

Variants:

• Early on, the logo was entirely yellow and on a black background. Some sources claim that the text also rotates via a model.
• The logo is usually still.

FX/SFX: The "1" zooming out, the cross rotating, the text zooming in, or none.

Music/Sounds: Either an announcer or none.

Availability: Extinct.

2nd Logo (1985-1986)

Logo: TBA.

FX/SFX: CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: TBA.

Availability: Extinct.

3rd Logo (1986-1987)

Logo: On a black background with a blue glow, 3 beams of light in red, green, and blue fade in and rotate for a bit. Then, they stop rotating and start to retract, with the beams also moving so that they collide with each other. When they fully retract, they turn into the silver text "RTE" and an abstract version of St. Brigid's Cross in orange appears at the top of the "T", forming RTE's logo at the time. The logo then rotates a little upwards, with some of its parts protruding further, and the cross transforms into an orange "1" and forms the top bar of the "T".

Variants:

• During their 25th anniversary, a silver ribbon appears under the logo, transforming into the silver striped numbers "25" loosely connected with the stripes around it.
• Much like its predecessor, the logo was usually still, often with the "25" underneath it.

FX/SFX: The beams rotating and retracting, the logo forming, the ribbon transforming, or none.

Music/Sounds: An ethereal choir can be heard with a whoosh while the beams are retracting. A 3-note synth tune plays when the logo appears, then in a louder tone when the "1" forms. An announcer speaks afterwards. The still version just has the announcer.

Availability: Extinct.

4th Logo (1987-1988)

Logo: On a blue background, a silver "R" flies in towards the middle of the screen, as a silver "T" flies in from the middle. As they connect, the hole for the "R" flies in from the left and an "E" and its bar fly in from the right. They all connect forming the logo from the previous logo, which rotates forward. The "1" then rotates in from the top corner of the screen and lands on the top bar of the "T", completing the logo. The sides then become black.

FX/SFX: 80's animation.

Music/Sounds: An orchestral fanfare beginning with a timpani roll as well as some trumpet notes. It then becomes more powerful when the 6-note theme plays. An announcer plays afterwards.

Availability: Extinct.

5th Logo (1988-1989)

Logo: On a dark green gradient background we see a dark green "1". The text "RTE" in gold appears from behind and spins around it, then stops to place itself in front of the "1".

FX/SFX: The spinning of the text. CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: A calm tune, then the same announcer from the previous logos.

Availability: Extinct.

6th Logo (1989-1993)

Logo: On a golden background, we zoom out to see the text "RTE" engraved on the floor. A golden "1" fades in at the center and spins.

FX/SFX: Late 80's animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as the previous logo.

Availability: Extinct.

7th Logo (1993-1995)

Logo: On a chiseled stone background, an image of the St. Brigid's cross from the first RTE logo flies in from the right side, moving to the left. The text "RTE" wipes in and zooms out, as a shining white "1" appears above it.

FX/SFX: Everything.

Music/Sounds: Same as the previous two logos.

Availability: Extinct.

RTÉ One

1st Logo (1995-1998)

Logo: On a blue water background, we see foggy clouds billowing, before they clear up to reveal the new RTÉ logo (the text "RTÉ" in blue with a green line above the "É" to represent its acute) underwater. As we face it, the water ripples so it changes to "ONE" and the water takes a green/blue coloration. A green/blue circular shape appears behind the "O", and the RTÉ logo appears under the "E".

FX/SFX: CGI animation.

Music/Sounds: A calming theme with a flute. The announcer is also featured.

Availability: Extinct.

2nd Logo (1998-August 31, 2003)

Logo: We see something related to Ireland (either a landscape, building or people doing something), then the screen blurs and turns blue as "ONE" and the RTÉ logo fade in.

Variant: Some idents don't have the background turn blue once the logos fade in.

FX/SFX: Live-action (although it's possible a few of the idents have CGI), the color change and the fading.

Music/Sounds: Depends on the ident shown.

Availability: Extinct.

3rd Logo (September 1, 2003-November 2, 2006)

Logo: We see something related to Ireland (like the previous logo). A glowing line then appears at the left and the words "RTÉ" (in its corporate font) and "ONE" come out of it.

FX/SFX: Mostly live-action (though some idents have edited uses), the glowing line and movement of the wordmarks.

Music/Sounds: It depends on the ident shown.

Availability: Extinct.

11th Logo (November 3, 2006-December 31, 2013)

Logo: Like the previous 2 logos, we see something related to Ireland. The RTÉ One logo is already at the left side of the screen.

Variants: Special Christmas idents exist.

FX/SFX: Mostly live-action.

Music/Sounds: Depends on the variant.

Availability: Extinct.

12th Logo (January 1, 2014-)

Logo: Same as the previous logo, but the new RTÉ One logo is in the center.

Variants: Like the previous logo, special Christmas idents exist.

FX/SFX: Same as the previous logo.

Music/Sounds: Same as the previous logo.

Availability: Current.