1986 in Irish television

• January – RTE begins a six-week test of its teletext service Aertel, operating on RTE 1 between 2pm and closedown with a sample in-vision service broadcast on RTE2 between 2pm and 5,45pm.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOnJQFGXjmg&ab_channel=WalterLawlerArchive-RegularVideoUploads RTE launches regular teletext, January 1986]
• 29 September – Long running Irish afternoon chat show Live at 3 begins on RTÉ 1.
• 29 September – RTÉ Television airs the first edition of Dempsey's Den, a series presented by Ian Dempsey with puppets Zig and Zag. Dempsey's Den presented children's afternoon programmes.{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/laweb/brc/brc_timeline.html |title=RTÉ Libraries and Archives: preserving a unique record of Irish life |publisher=Rte.ie |date= |accessdate=2 January 2012}}
• 1 October – Welsh children's animation SuperTed begins its screening debut on RTÉ 1 as part of Dempsey's Den. The series is translated and dubbed into an Irish language.
• 9 November – The current affairs series Questions and Answers first goes on air. It is presented by Olivia O'Leary.

• 14 January – {{flagicon|USA}} Alvin and the Chipmunks (Ruby Spears version) (1983–1987)
• 10 April – {{flagicon|AUS}} Butterfly Island (1985–1987)
• 13 August – {{flagicon|CAN}}/{{flagicon|SCO}} The Campbells (1986–1990)
• 11 September – Pajo's Junkbox (1986–1988)
• 29 September – Dempsey's Den (1986–2010)
• 29 September – Live at 3 (1986–1997)
• 30 September – Rapid Roulette (1986–1990)
• 30 September – {{flagicon|UK}} The Prisoner of Zenda (1984)
• 1 October – {{flagicon|WAL}} SuperTed (1983–1986)
• 13 October - Evening Extra (1986-1988)
• 25 October – Saturday Live (1986–1999)
• 9 November – Questions and Answers (1986–2009)
• Undated – {{flagicon|USA}} Muppet Babies (1984–1991)

• 30 September – {{flagicon|USA}} Spaceflight (1985)
• 8 October – {{flagicon|UK}} Chocky (1984)
• 9 October – {{flagicon|USA}} Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears (1985–1991)
• 2 December – {{flagicon|USA}} Starman (1986–1987)
• 25 December – {{flagicon|WAL}} Fox Tales (1986–1988)

• RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock (1961–present)
• RTÉ News: Six One (1962–present)
• The Late Late Show (1962–present)

• Sports Stadium (1973–1997)
• The Late Late Toy Show (1975–present)
• RTÉ News on Two (1978–2014)
• Bosco (1979–1996)
• The Sunday Game (1979–present)

• Today Tonight (1982–1992)
• Mailbag (1982–1996)
• Glenroe (1983–2001)
• MT-USA (1984–1987)

• 23 February – Davis at Large (1984–1986)
• 23 April – Leave It To Mrs O'Brien (1984–1986)

• 1986 in Ireland

{{reflist}}

{{Years in TV by country|1986}}

1980s in Irish television