'Bring on season 3!'-RTE confirm the return of iconic crime drama series

RTE has announced a stellar record-breaking line-up of Irish drama in production in 2026, including season three of popular drama ‘KIN’.

Today, on Tuesday July 21, RTE has revealed that 160 hours of Irish drama are now either currently in production or scheduled to air throughout 2026, making it RTE’s biggest-ever drama offering.

This shows RTÉ’s commitment to Ireland’s creative sector and to homegrown storytelling for Irish audiences in Ireland.

Leading the charge for 2026 is RTÉ’s blockbuster Irish drama KIN, produced by Metropolitan Pictures and House of Juno with the hugely anticipated return of the Kinsella family for series three.

The Dublin crime drama will return to RTÉ television next year after going off air in 2023 due to the collapse of Canadian co-producer Bron Studios.

As buried betrayals resurface and internal rivalries intensify, the new series promises the darkest and most compelling chapter yet of the Kinsella story.

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There has been a huge amount of positive feedback from people on social media since the announcement was made on the confirmed season three of ‘Kin’.

One person on social media said: “Can't wait!! Great acting, storylines, and plots!!! Bring on season 3!”.

Another person said: “So glad it's finally coming back”.

Also returning to production in 2026 is the hugely popular The Walsh Sisters, following Rachel, Claire, Maggie, Anna, and Helen as their lives evolve after the twin dramas of a stint in rehab for Rachel and a life-altering tragedy for Anna.

The full line-up includes major new productions and returning audience favourites.

In addition to the hugely anticipated KIN going into production for next year and Ireland’s number one soap, Fair City continuing to provide a four times weekly hit of drama, this autumn will see the arrival of Tall Tales & Murder and The Yank (working title).

Already broadcast in 2026 and now streaming on RTÉ Player are These Sacred Vows, Sisters, The Young Offenders, and The Dry.

The 2026 offering also includes a significant commitment to children’s drama and audio storytelling with eight new hours of Irish drama programming through Drama on One on RTÉ Radio 1, ensuring audiences of all ages can access original Irish drama across multiple platforms.

Director of Video at RTÉ, Steve Carson, says: “We’re heading into our biggest ever year for new Irish drama on RTÉ.

“Numerous productions are currently filming across the country delivering significant economic and cultural impact to communities nationwide whilst showcasing Ireland’s exceptional talents to audiences at home and internationally.

“From picturesque Conamara in Galway to the heart of the cities of Dublin and Cork, RTÉ is not only supporting regional production, but creating real employment opportunities throughout the industry."

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“We would particularly like to thank our Irish partners Screen Ireland and Coimisiún na Méan and acknowledge the value to the industry of Section 481 tax relief, all of which have made these productions possible.”

Currently in production this year are as follows:

• Fair City,
• KIN Series 3 (Fifth Season/Screen Ireland),
• Tall Tales & Murder (BBC NI/Avalon/Screen Ireland),
• The Walsh Sisters Series 2 (Cineflix Rights/Screen Ireland),
• The Yank (working title) (ITV Studios/Screen Ireland),
• Tales of Terror (Screen Ireland/NAPF Screen Ireland/ Coimisiún na Méan/Film Fund Luxembourg/RTL Luxembourg/Creative Europe),
• The Unreal (Screen Ireland, Coimisiún na Méan),
• Do Not Watch Alone (Screen Ireland/ Coimisiún na Méan)
• Drama On One: Wake, Horace, In the Middle of The Fields, What’s the Bars, Saving Marnie and The Burning Question (Coimisiún na Meán).

These productions feature new voices and diverse storytelling, while always reflecting life in Ireland across all our platforms.

Collectively, these dramas being filmed for RTÉ will employ hundreds of people to include scriptwriters, directors, producers, actors, production crew, hair and make-up teams, wardrobe and various other creative talents, underpinning RTÉ’s continued commitment to ongoing investment in Irish jobs within the broadcast media industry.

In addition to bringing powerful Irish stories to local audiences, these productions have secured sales in multi territories and regions worldwide. This ensures RTÉ continues to reach out to the Irish living abroad and the broader international audience, once again promoting our great local drama on the international stage.